What could have been for Rangers

The hosts ran out victors by a solitary goal and justified the footballing expression that at the end of the day its goals that wins games.

Banbridge Rangers began the match in cavalier fashion pinning their opponents deep inside their own half with shots raining in from Clydesdale, Chambers, Hughes and Gourley all within the opening ten minutes of the game.

Rangers back four of Porter, Chambers, Gregg and Frazer were under little threat throughout much of the half and were able to start wave after wave of attack with Willie Frazer showing immense willingness to get forward down the left hand side.

On 20 minutes a free kick from just over 30 yards out was belted by Chris Chambers and would have resulted in a goal only for a slight deflection from a Broomhill leg which guided the effort onto the crossbar to the relief of the home touchline.

The midfield trio of Colin Cousins, Neil Clydesdale and Mark Wilton were industrious in the first half with Wilton pushing higher up the pitch in support of Gourley and helped create another brace of chances which were put wide wide by Gourley from the edge of the area.

As the game progressed into the second half Banbridge Rangers were becoming frustrated as the Broomhill defence stood strong with efforts from distance and set pieces all falling the way of the home side.

New signing Aaron Megaw was introduced just before the hour mark for Wilton who is coming into a vein of form and gaining more match fitness after a sustained break from football and will surely become an integral part of Rangers season.

The chance of the game for Banbridge Rangers came just before seventy minutes when Jason Gourley was played through on the half way line with the run of the half against the keeper but unselfishly squared the ball for Cousins to tap in but was adjusted to be ahead of Gourley at the time of playing the ball.

Broomhill took full advantage of the Rangers dismay and broke free on the counter attack with their midfielder receiving the ball on the left hand side of the box and blasting into the side netting past Blevins.

Banbridge Rangers brought on Dean Mallen into midfield with Cousins shifting to the forward line with the Rangers players pressing immediately for an equaliser. Broomhill contained the Rangers front players to efforts from distance with every man behind the ball. A series of corners created a panic in the Broomhill area with the home side relieved not concede with Chris Chambers remaining up front to bolster the attacking options in the final five minutes.

Left back Willie Frazer was replaced by Aaron Buchanan after sustaining a nasty head injury with Rangers rotating to three at the back with Ryan Gregg showing great composure to set up wave after wave of attack. Several corners in injury time had every one of the 11 Banbridge Rangers players in the final third of the pitch but Broomhill remained firm and were delighted at gaining all three points. This Saturday Banbridge Rangers can look forward to a weeks rest before taking on bottom of the table Banbridge AFC at Cheney Park on the 15th October.