Perfect 10 for Moreton
After last weeks 7-0 thumping at Shrivenham, you may be forgiven for thinking Rangers would surely be given a sterner test by yesterdays visitors, Letcombe. Unfortunately due to Letcombe's depleated squad, Rangers ran out easy winners once again.
With Gary Barnett unavailable for the game, he had to see a man about a dog, John Robson and Sam Tyack took charge of the side. Reserve team manager Dave Toon also was present as his sides game was called off.
Tyack's first decision was to relieve himself of captaincy duties for the day. He gave the honours to new signing Joe Jarvis. The side was essentially the same as last week with Joseph Boote making his first competitve start for his new side, as Tom Newbould was also unavailable.
The game started with Moreton dictating play and passing the ball very well. Chances were created at ease with Brooks, Tomes and Harry Peters running riot. Ben Shurmer was finding pockets of space and the home side could have been 5-0 up in the first 30 mins. Poor finishing was certainly to blame. The inevitable breakthrough did finally arrive thanks to Martin Tomes. Guilty of missing a few chances himself, however, this strike made up for all of them. A delicious ball from left to right from Paul Whitehouse dropped at Tomes' feet and he did the rest. Cutting inside the right full back and curling one far beyond the keepers reach into the far top corner. 1-0.
2 and 3 followed quite quickly with Joe Jarvis scoring his 1st competitive goal for Moreton. Letcombe partially cleared a Tyack cross, only for Jarvis to smash home from 10 yards. Tyack, himself, then got on the score sheet thanks to neat one-two with Ben Shurmer, Tyack then chopped inside the full back before curling a left footed strike around the keeper. 3-0. Fun Fact.... This was the first time Tyack and Jarvis appeared on the same score sheet since 1999 for Bledington primary School.
Once again the home side went in at half time with the game pretty much won. The job was now to maintain good habits and keep playing the game in the right way. Ben Shurmer scored again by getting on the end of a Tomes cross. He leapt like a salmon to nod home Rangers' 4th.
The 5th goal was probably the most important of the day. Lee Brooks joining the party with a well dispatched penalty. It was all from his own work as he was tripped to earn the spot kick. At 5-0 Paul Whitehouse was given more creative freedom and was soon in amongst the goals. A skillfull dribble to the byline was ended with a clever smash into the far corner for 6.
Letcombe, to their credit, continued to pass the ball and didn't stop competitng. The home side were just bigger, stronger and quicker. Lee Brooks proved so with a brilliant smash low beyond the keeper from the edge of the box, latching on to a Joseph Boote ball over the top for 7.
Cal Peters, fresh off the bench matched the goal before him with an equally as good finsish from the edge of the box. This time high into the top corner from an awkward angle. The question was now, would Rangers reach double figures.
They got a step closer thanks to Lee Brooks running on to his own header, eventually providing a tap in for Tyack to claim his second. Whitehouse also bagged a brace and completed the round up, sealing a MOTM performance with a great piece of individual brilliance. Checking around 2 players before driving home from just inside the 18 yard area.
Not a game that the home side will learn a great deal from. They do deserve credit for continuing to play the game properly and not disrespecting their oponnents with ole football. It's a huge confidence boost ahead of tougher tests to come. Next week they take on Old Woodstock Town, again, at London Road. K.O 3pm
