Build Up

The grange rangers have had their best run in the NCL cup of all time this year. Earning the NCL Div 2 Championship Trophy last year they now really wanted to win the Cup trophy. Never before had any players arrived at the semi finals of the cup, so all marked it as a special event. Also never before, had the rangers beaten EFI. The cup game proved no different to both aspects mentioned. A hard fought, but becoming stale semi final saw the teams 1 a piece for most of the match. Rangers early down put one back on to level it before the break. i think. A dreadful fluf up by yours truely 5 minutes before the end, cost the rangers a place in the finals. But tonight, in the league, we were looking for revenge. And it appeared the enitre league new it early too.

It was just after 6pm when the manage of the wanderers called me up for a quick chat on "You guys looking for some revenge tonight from the cup defeat?". "Its a sure fire victory for us tonight dwayney" I replied........he laughed, but said if he had to wager he would pick us over
efi.

I spoke to Peter Carter of Grange Thistle during the week to comandeer some orange grange strips for fridays big bout, knowning that EFI have the same colours as us and remembering well in the cup that we were forced to change shirts. Carter also prompted me "How do u think u will go on friday troy?",

"Not a problem mate" i replied.

It seemed everyone had eyes focussed on our game this week for a thriller.

EFI, deriving their name from "Eleven Fucking Idiots", were soon to be summarised as such as can be seen in the report.


Round Up

The match started poorly for rangers. Two goals within 10 minutes, russell on the bench fuming and rangers pissed with themselves. The first was unlucky for us. A good beefy forward sheilded of marko quite well and turned for a snap shot. It was belted hard but i managed a reaction save, think ing that i had done enough and knocked it clear. Wrong!, it rolled into the net for 4 runs. The second came moments later with a long ball (Chip?) thru to their forwards and a flick on. Heads did not drop however. A quick sub from the bench and russell was injected into the game to bring the rangers into some order. Eroy after starting badly was determined to make up for his efforts by yelling his team on into every challenge..."Up hard and early ran..eee...geerrrsss" as my voice was sometimes cracking at inopportune moments. "Get up there ray!!!" i would yell as rangers went up to challenge headers.

Within 10 minutes from EFI's goals rangers came back and caught them napping. Dave was the first to cheer a goal. A great cross in from the
left hand side, and a flick from the outside boot , and she sailed straight into the far corner.

Rangers used this thrust of momentum to assert themselves into the game, and it was clear at this point we began to dominate as EFI reeled from shock at a team being 2-0 down not giving it away.

Dave was to cheer and cough again, just before half time. A free kick and flick on by mezza, give davo a chance and slots home at the far post. 2-2 at the half time break. EFI at this point were letting their frustration go to the only other member out on the park...the referee, and it was obvious the ref was beginning to get pissed off with them. False calls of offside offside, and even some theatrical dives that would make tom cruise look ordinary, started to make the ref think these guys were more actors than soccer players.

Second half became a battle of the wills. Rangers with all their resources and guns back from injury and commitments saw a multitalented bench at their disposal ready to sustain such a contest. Rob was the only doubt with some cracked ribs still haunting him.
EFI obviously felt their chance to win had passed and made the decision to go for the draw, hoping to stem the rangers onslaught.

Strings started to snap for EFI, when ray aka George Speight, staged a coup in the middle of the field, by going a little to hard on a foreign player. The idoit then proceeded to grab ray by the throat with both hands directly in front of the referee.

"On ya fucken bike max!!" must have been the refs call, and deserved it was as well. This fucken idiot was to get a later mention in this report

Rangers ever the cooler, continued

In what must have looked like starving savages running towards a banquette of food, the rangers ran and attacked persistently toward the efi goal. sustained pressure was mounting heavily and domination was evident with me not seeing much in the second half until right at the end.

As time went on and our efforts continued i thought the enemy might be the clock. We were desperately running out of time to win this match but our chances kept flowing. A ripper of a cross 5 before the end saw jon make an unbeleivable header to gain our 3rd and winning goal.


Wrap Up

I had just been given the keys to lock up and turn off the lights. I made my way over to the dressing rooms first to lock them up, because i like to have the lights on when i walk through the carpark, I tripped over there once in the dark and it bloody hurt like hell.

I digress, i stolled over to the sheds to lock up when i heard two voices within the EFI side of the structure. "Fucken bullshit.............i never
should have been given that red card.....you should have seen what that dickhead (Ray) did to me"..........."Yep, that fella should have been the one with the red, that ref was completely shithouse"

I snuck into the ranger side to lock up hoping these two fools would piss off.....they didnt and continued to whinge and sook, with me eaves dropping over the entire conversation. I was almost sprung when, upon leaving one of them called into my shed "Anybody in here?"......."Uhhh ummm Yeah mate" I replied some what surprised and looking round for a quick escape....there was none. My only hope rested in this guy thinking i had been showering and was still getting dressed....a slim one, since i was fully clothed soccer gear in hand and standing round the corner in a pathetic attempt to hide.

He yelled back...."Was that you greg, or is someone really in there?" he thought his mate might have been having a joke with him. "No mate" i yelled back out, sweating, thinking i was moments away from being busted a beauty.
"No worries....have u got the keys?"

"Yep" i replied....

"We'll lock up this side if you can get the lights"

"ok" i said. narrowly avoiding confrontation with them and more strangled throats.

Rangers the victors, EFI the fallen.

"Didn't you realise mate, the games televised tonight…" Bazza

"Yeah, it’s the Whitmans Airship." -- Mezza

Line Up :
Eroy Labroy
Ray (George Speight)
Russell Crowe
mark Antony
Chris The Best
Andy
Jimmy
Hazler Big Red Hines
Nick the bubble and squeek
Marko Squarko
Mezza Crezza
Davo The Coffo
Rob with cracked ribs
Pete the barber---ossa
Barry the Baptist
Jon the bomb
Gabriel Burn