Belated Corby Town Report

Corby Town 3 Rangers 3

Finally back home and got round to doing a belated match report from Wednesday. It was a young Rangers starting eleven with only trialist Yanis Bensaber too old for Under 18’s, being a year older.

Rangers took the lead within a minute, Nathan Young-Coombes blocked an attempted clearance from Jamie Anton and pounced to shoot past Dan George. The home side’s reply saw Connor Kennedy cut in from the left and shoot narrowly wide of the far post.

Corby equalised on five minutes, Rangers failed to clear a corner from the right and when the ball fell to Joel Carta he shot past Brian Kinnear. On twelve minutes Connor Kennedy swung over from the right and Joel Carta’s header was just over.

The home side’s next attack came when Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson latched on to a clearance from keeper Dan George and progressed to the left hand byline, where his shot from a narrow angle forced Brian Kinnear to dive to his left to save. The home side were on the ascendancy and a move started on the right by Jake Bettles saw the ball move via Connor Kennedy to Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson on the left hand angle of the box and he shot narrowly over.

There was twenty-five minutes on the clock when a ball over the top of Rangers defence sent Jake Bettles clear and it took a superb challenge from James Maxwell to clear the danger. A minute later Jordan Crawford cut in from the left and his shot slipped from Brian Kinnear’s grasp but the keeper gathered before it could cross the line.

The pressure paid off for the home side when they took the lead soon after. It started on the left with Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson on the left, he passed inside to Connor Kennedy who moved it on to Joel Carta and he gave Brian Kinnear no chance from around twenty-five yards. Rangers tried to reply with a twenty-five yard free-kick from Kai Kennedy that Dan George saved low to his left.

Ten minutes before the break only a brilliant Brian Kinnear save prevented Corby from extending their lead. Connor Kennedy’s free-kick from wide right was headed towards goal by Gary Mulligan, Jordan Crawford got a touch on the edge of the six yard box but the Rangers keeper saved at point-blank range.

Half-Time:- Corby Town 2 Rangers 1

Corby had an early chance after the break when Jamie Anton crossed from the right and Joel Carta forced a save from Nicky Hogarth. Five minutes later a fine turn inside the right side of the penalty area from Jordan Crawford created a shooting chance but it went wide of the far post.

Rangers first opportunity of the half came when Yanis Bensaber played the ball to Kai Kennedy on the right side of the box, he played the ball across the six yard box but their was no takers. Just after the hour mark Rangers drew level, Owen McGinty crossed from the right hand byline, it went beyond the far post where it was collected by Yanis Bensaber and he shot past Dan George from a narrow angle.

The young Rangers side took the lead with seventeen minutes remaining, a low driven cross from the right hand byline by Andy Dallas was flicked past the keeper by Stephen Kelly from just inside the six yard box. The lead wasn’t to last and when the ball was played in from the right Jake Bettles knocked the ball past Nicky Hogarth.

Full-Time:- Corby Town 3 Rangers 3

Corby Town:- Dan George; Jamie Anton, Gary Mulligan ( Dean McBride 77 mins), Ashley Robinson, Sam Warburton (Luke Aridegbe 77 mins); Jordan Crawford (Stephen Diggin 77 mins), Greg Ling, Connor Kennedy, Jordan Francis (Jake Bettles 5 mins); Joel Carta (Zac Allen 65 mins); Bradley Fortnum-Tomlinson.

Other Subs:- Dan Smith (Gk), Danny Furey

Rangers:- Brian Kinnear (Nicky Hogarth HT); Zack Butterworth (Jordan Houston 60 mins), Danny Finlayson, Kyle McLelland (Lewis Mayo 60 mins), James Maxwell (Matthew Shiels 60 mins); Ciaran Dickson (Joao Balde HT), Ben Williamson (Cammy Palmer 60 mins); Kai Kennedy (Stephen Kelly 60 mins); Kieran McKechnie (Owen McGinty HT), Nathan Young-Coombes (Andy Dallas 60 mins), Yanis Bensaber.