Milford and Witley Reserves 1 Keens Park Rangers Reserves 4

Goals: Gareth Reynolds 2, Jonathan O’Shea 1, Ryan Midgley 1

Man of the Match: Jonathan O’Shea

In the week we were al shocked, shocked I tell you, to hear that Donald Trump is a racist criminal who can’t even strike a deal with the North Koreans, your humble narrator Tigger was equally shaken (to his very core) to discover that he’d been sent out to pasture by caretaker manager Mungo! Yes dear reader all very upsetting but, on this performance, entirely justified as the ressies comprehensively defeated Milford and Witley in what was a very entertaining match.

After recent performances the lads owed the die-hard supporters a bit of joy and whereas everyone was dire last week, everyone – well nearly everyone – put in an excellent shift that more than justified the result. As much as the older attendees may have been amused a bench consisting of ‘Pikey’, ‘Mungo’ and ‘Midge’, the day didn’t get off to an especially good start. Not only was the borrowed first team kit unwashed (tut tut) the ressies went behind after only two minutes after Ryan ‘Chinga’ Mitchell fluffed an opportunity to clear.

As it turned out this was a mere blip as the ressies soon sparked into life. Gareth ‘G Man’ Reynolds in particular was finally demonstrating what he’s capable of in a robust, but progressive, performance and it was he, after some excellent play from Steven Kemp, who opened the scoring with a calm finish into the corner.

Equally calm were George Searle and James Kear, who were having the better of things in the midfield, while the returning William ‘the Earl of Worplesdon’ Ponsonby and the ever reliable Callum Toone shored up the back. It was, however, the ‘promotion’ of young Jonathan O’Shea from defence into attack that really stood out and he and Kempy were utter pests in harrying the opposition’s defence.

The ressies did not have it all their own way mind you and Jake Simms, playing on a day where the rain wasn’t lashing down for once, was called upon on a number of occasions. Indeed, our very own ‘fat cat’ acrobatically clawed the ball away to preserve parity towards the end of the first half.

The one person who was having the proverbial ‘Weston’ however was Chinga and he was more than a little miffed to be hauled off at half time on the instructions of stand in motivator Rasher. Rash, who was kicking and heading every ball all afternoon on the touchline, assured Chinga that he’d be back on at some stage and this looked likely as bringing on Ryan Midgley did not pay dividends immediately.

The best play, as in the first half, was coming down the other wing and a ball from Jake Ladd ‘the Dadd’ into the space behind the opposition’s defence was seized upon by O’Shea who opened his account for the club with a well struck shot that went in off the crossbar.

Midgers then conspired to miss an open goal with an attempted scissor kick when he could have walked it in but another soon followed from G Man after a trademark O’Shea ‘air shot’ / ‘dummy’. With the game safe Rasher felt confident enough to honour his deal with Chinga. As in his first half ‘cameo’ Chinga proved most adept at beating his man but, rather than go on and pass or shoot, Ching has a habit of attempting to beat them again.

The supporters were amused and frustrated in equal measure when, having created some space, Ching attempted to repeat the feat only to appear to trip over his bottom lip when an opportunity to shoot had presented itself. That said redemption wasn’t far away and at the fifth or sixth attempt of the afternoon Ching finally managed to get a corner beyond the near post for Midgers to settle the business of the day with a well struck half-volley.

Let’s hope the ressies have rediscovered their mojo rather than their ‘momo’.

Keens Parks Rangers is a Guildford based football club and we are always looking for new players and sponsorship opportunities. Get in touch with us through our website or our social channels.