Nice and sunny but a cold wind welcomed RRFC at new Pond Playing Fields, a venue new to the team. Our opposition were local rivals Bessingby Park Rangers. The pitch goal areas were mud baths and there was a noticeable slope. The boys were warmed up gently but remained focused for what was understood to be a tough game against the team that beat us before Christmas.
The game started off with each team making some good play towards the opposition goal. RRFC playing up the slope in the first half settled well and started to pass the ball. This began to pay dividends. The ball came out to Hugh in the middle of the field and he drove forward and evaded a couple of tackles until one on one with the keeper. Hugh was decisive with a well slotted ball to the right of the keeper. 0-1 to RRFC. The passing was a feature of the play with RRFC passing from one side to the other and continually getting behind the defence. Before we knew it RRFC were 0-3 up! However, Bssingby kept driving forward and after a long ball eventually got one on one. Before Lewis in goal had saved but this time the Bessingby boy managed to evade the keeper; 1-3. Thankfully RRFC got straight up the other end and after some good passing made it 1-4 at half time.
Managers talk at half time concentrated the boys to continue with everything they had done in the first half. The passing and helping each other out worked a treat and the manager was really pleased with the effort that needed to continue in the second half. And so it did in the second half. RRFC got a fifth goal and thereafter knew that they could continue to attack down the slope. Every time they approached the penalty area they appeared to have a shot at goal. Credit to BPR for their effort in defence and the goalkeeper pulling off a string of saves but RRFC were rampant. Throughout the half the goals were scored and whilst BPR had a few corners and RRFC had a couple of lucky escapes the RRFC goals kept going in. Six different boys got on the team sheet but credit to Lewis in goal for his goal keeping prowess to stop BPR scoring more than they did. Final score of 1-12 was well deserved for the RRFC boys after taking heed of the work in training and pulling off a great team performance.
Assistant Referee: Mick Taylor
RRFC Team: Lewis Cole Richardson (Goalkeeper) Richard Hennessy Spencer Furlong Reagan De Vere (Weekend Man of the match + 1 goal) Louie Lovegrove George Hollinrake (1 goal) Aingarin Selvarajah (2 goals) Adam Taylor Hugh Legood (3 goal) Callum O’Grady (Captain + 4 goals) James Hersee (1 goal)