Dominant second half performance see’s City end Risborough dream
The record breaking FA Cup run for Risborough Rangers was brought to an end on Saturday at Chichester City of the Isthmian League, but they can hold their heads high as they frustrated their two level higher opposition for a good hour or so, they lead at the break thanks to a Brian Haule strike late in the first period, but a double substitution at the start of the second changed the impetus for City, they grew in confidence and forced their guests further and further back as the game wore on, a deflected shot eventually restored parity and once level, there only really looked like one winner as they created chance after chance.
The game began cautiously as both sides looked for openings, chances were created at either end including a Sam Pekun effort that had to be cleared off the line albeit not with any power to really trouble the green backline. It was Rangers custodian Jack Brooker who then had to pull off a couple of good saves before the visitors struck on thirty-three minutes, Marcus Wylie found space to exploit down the right and his delivery across the eighteen-yard box just out of reach of City keeper Steve Mowthorpe and timing his run perfectly Haule arrived to drill home.
Chichester made the double change at the interval and from there they looked much stronger, wave of attacks were repelled by the Rangers defence and for a while it did look as thought it just might be another giant killing unravelling, but the home side levelled mid-way through the half when Kaleem Haitham repaid his managers faith for bringing him off the bench, his shot from the edge of the area taking a deflection which wrong footed Brooker to nestle in the opposite corner.
The goal visibly lifted the home team and their supporters, with fourteen minutes left they took the lead when Emmett Dunn did brilliantly out on the right and from almost on the byline he picked out Lloyd Rowlatt at the front post who got the touch to turn the ball in. Both sides had chances in the remainder, but the home defence were good enough to see the game out to the final whistle. F/T: 2-1
Attendance: 343
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