08/03/2026
Rangers vs Sherwood colliery Stags
🏆semi final cup game🏆
A game we knew was going to be close lived up to its expectations, we have played Sherwood in the league already and it was a very close competitive match and knew they would want redemption especially being the semi finals.
First half:
I think the nerves had got the better of the boys and we started slow and was second to the ball, Sherwood pressured our defence and Max in goal relentlessly he put his body on the line several times one after another making great saves and managed to hold them off. We was making chances but kept finding ourselves being counter attacked and over run, midfield were being run ragged Louie, fin-Jai, Malachi, Olly and Grayson were up and down like yo yo’s lucas and Layton were even coming back to defend under the pressure as well as trying to create chances up top. Eventually Sherwood fired home first with a great counter attack goal, the boys felt deflated but kept battling til the half time whistle blew.
Half time:
We had our first blow Max was injured and couldn’t continue, Vinnie stepped up in goal, our second blow was one of our lads didn’t want to continue play.
We spoke to the boys and changed tactics, we asked them shall we chuck the kitchen sink at it and they cheered YESSS!
So for the first time we went to a 2/2/2 formation.
Second half:
Rangers came out with a point to prove and boy did they deliver a action packed half, Louie and Olly making crucial physical challenges down the wing, Zachary and Charlie working hard at the back clearing the danger going toe to toe and if Sherwood did brake through Vinnie was there to pick up the pieces. Malachi, Fin-Jai and Grayson played all over the park with Layton chasing every ball up top, we then got our break with some fantastic pressure and passing leading to Malachi assisting Grayson to a rocket at the back of the net. At this point the boys wanted more and the counter attack on us was slowing down and we eased the pressure on there defence creating a penalty, up went Olly to fire us into the lead, at this point I thought parking the bus would get us over the line but shortly after we took our eyes of their striker who was sat in our box, one big kick and he was in one on one with Vinnie and slotted it home to make it all square 😢😳
We pushed to the very end but no more goals til the whistle blew.
The boys came over very emotional, some players carrying injuries from the battle on the pitch some with butterflies from the pressure of the game.
We was going into extra time! We told the boys no matter what happens now we were proud of every single one of them and in our eyes they are all winners 💙
We calmed their nerves down and sent them out for the 10 minutes extra time and it felt like a life time, either team coming close to ending the torment but the keepers on both teams kept it clear with fantastic saves. The whistle blew and we went into penalties 😳
Even in the penalties it was close but it turns out Vinnie has a nack of saving penalties in cup games and made three great saves, we won 2-1 on penalties and now are in the Final which is to be played in May.
Well done boys, in game that was so intense, physical and fast paced you stood your ground and made every single person at our club proud 💙❤️⚽️🏆
⚽️Grayson 🅰️Malachi
⚽️Olly- pen
Penalties:
⚽️Olly ⚽️Grayson
🧤🧤🧤Vinnie
MOM 🏆 Grayson (the enforcer)
Chased every loose ball in the middle of the park, strong powerful challenges in defence, power runs up top forcing his way through players with the ball, finding his passes when needed and being optioned too!
Well done young man, voted by the Ref 🏆
