This Match Report is sponsored by Aalto Construction, M.H. Construction,  H&H Construction & Green Tangerine Catering

 

The MJM Sports Surrey Premier League

Keens Park Rangers 2 Royal Holloway 2

Goals: Luke Mitchell, Josh Bullen

Man-of-the-match: Reece Killick

Although bathed in sunshine, there was a cloud over Fortress Pyrford following a disappointing draw against visitors Royal Holloway.

That said, matters had taken a dark turn even before kick off as club president and chief groundsman Crouchy had been *mauled by a spaniel* when marking the pitch out. Mercifully, the spaniel survived the incident but it was a close call by all accounts!

Spot The Ball

Once underway, the game seemed to be anything but close, with KPR dominating the play and they really ought to have had two penalties in the first five minutes. The first of these, after Luke had been pulled back when in on goal, was as easy a decision as the referee could wish for, and yet he waved it away.

The massed KPR supporters were indignant, but such was KPR’s dominance at this stage they were confident such an aberration wouldn’t influence the result as the chances kept coming. The best of these again fell to Luke, but he failed to take the early shot with keeper stranded off his line. 

Junior Rangers Family Enclosure (no smoking Matty)

Defensively Sam was repelling the rare balls forward before a third, if less convincing, call for a KPR penalty after a foul on Alex O’Shea. Ultimately, the pressure told with KPR taking the lead after Luke latched onto a delicious through ball from Mikey and passed it into the net past a helpless keeper.

Although the game then suffered a period of scrappy play, Courage provided some much needed dynanism in linking up with Luke and forcing a save out of the keeper. The resulting corner led to KPR’s second after Bulldog Bullen snagged a cheeky deflection off a strike from the edge of the box. 

Finally, the score line reflected KPR dominance and it should have finished the game off before half time had KPR not hit the crossbar twice in quick succession.

The second half began in the same manner, except it was the visitors on the front foot and they also hit the crossbar. The similarities needed there, however, as the referee – in contrast to the first half – awarded a very soft penalty against Alex for a challenge far less of a foul that the one he suffered in the first half.

As wake up calls go, it was fortunate it came early in the game. But, again, KPR failed to capitalise even if Jambo’s far post header had caught him by surprise. It was all the visitors thereafter as KPR suffered a crisis of confidence. The Tifosi, including the ‘Junior Rangers’, were getting a little restless and there were calls to mix it up and bring Dougal on. Eventually, they got their wish but the referee awarded an even softer penalty against Sam before he had a chance to influence matters.

2-2 was hardly fair given the oversight of the stonewaller in first moments of the match but, having assiduously avoided paperwork all afternoon, the referee was now brandishing a few yellows. One of these could have been a red, after Bulldog was cynically brought down having managed to get goal side of the defence.

Bizarrely, the resulting free kick led to a KPR penalty that nobody appealed for. Was the referee trying to even out the decisions? Who can tell, but, generous or not, Luke soon wished it had never been awarded as he shanked it wide of the left post.

This miss summed up a dreadful half. And yet, KPR could have taken all three points after a quality ball behind the defence from Dougal set Bulldog who placed his shot wide of the far post and matters ended all square.

 


This Match Report is sponsored by Aalto Construction,  H&H Construction & Green Tangerine Catering