Nathan Hemmingham
04-01-2009, 10:07 AM
Score: Sheffield Rangers 2, Abbey Lane 0
Man of the match: Joint award to Jack Woodhouse and Michael Fazakerley.
Down to the wire
A 2-0 defeat away at third-from-bottom Sheffield Rangers means the fight for survival looks set to go to the final game, with anyone from three teams looking to avoid the drop.
Victory at Rangers would have secured safety but defeat means the finger nails are going to suffer for a few more weeks at least.
Rangers were much the better team in the first half, as Abbey looked like rabbits caught in the headlights. Rangers opened up a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes but to their credit, Abbey regained their composure during the half-time interval and were much better after the break.
Nathan Storey fired over from 10 yards, Josh Oxley-Adams almost forced an own goal when his cross-cum-shot was somehow scooped over the bar from a defender racing back to his own line. Oxley-Adams then missed a glorious chance from five yards and Jack Woodhouse saw what appeared a perfectly good goal from a corner disallowed, much to everyone's frustration.
Had that not been chalked off, it could have been a different story but sometimes you know it's not going to be your day.
At the other end, with Abbey committing men forward, Rangers broke several times but fortunately goalkeeper Bradley Wright and defenders Connor Lightfoot, Jack Woodhouse, Michael Fazakerley and Matt Derek Geary Megson protected the goal superbly.
I could not have asked any more from the players but sadly the early goals killed us. However, the lads went down to defeat fighting, as ever, and the workrate, commitment, character and attitude could not be faulted.
Man of the match: Joint award to Jack Woodhouse and Michael Fazakerley.
Down to the wire
A 2-0 defeat away at third-from-bottom Sheffield Rangers means the fight for survival looks set to go to the final game, with anyone from three teams looking to avoid the drop.
Victory at Rangers would have secured safety but defeat means the finger nails are going to suffer for a few more weeks at least.
Rangers were much the better team in the first half, as Abbey looked like rabbits caught in the headlights. Rangers opened up a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes but to their credit, Abbey regained their composure during the half-time interval and were much better after the break.
Nathan Storey fired over from 10 yards, Josh Oxley-Adams almost forced an own goal when his cross-cum-shot was somehow scooped over the bar from a defender racing back to his own line. Oxley-Adams then missed a glorious chance from five yards and Jack Woodhouse saw what appeared a perfectly good goal from a corner disallowed, much to everyone's frustration.
Had that not been chalked off, it could have been a different story but sometimes you know it's not going to be your day.
At the other end, with Abbey committing men forward, Rangers broke several times but fortunately goalkeeper Bradley Wright and defenders Connor Lightfoot, Jack Woodhouse, Michael Fazakerley and Matt Derek Geary Megson protected the goal superbly.
I could not have asked any more from the players but sadly the early goals killed us. However, the lads went down to defeat fighting, as ever, and the workrate, commitment, character and attitude could not be faulted.