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Rangers’ cup dream over

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Larne Tech OB.....................6

Rathfriland Rangers.............1

THERE will be no dream Irish Cup tie away to Premiership side Coleraine for Rathfriland Rangers after they suffered a 6-1 thumping away to Larne Tech Old Boys in the Irish Cup fourth round.
Rathfriland Rangers made the long journey to Larne Tech OB in the fourth round of the JJB Irish Cup but lost out 6-1 in a competitive game on a synthetic surface at the Seacliff Road Leisure Centre.
Numerous attempts have been made to get this game on but in the end it took a 3G surface to sort out the difference in the two sides.
The match got off to a flying start with the home side almost taking the lead in the first minute after a long goal kick downfield.
Five minutes later it was Rathfriland who took the lead after a great run down the left hand side by Ally Beck, who crossed for Scott Ward to bundle the ball into the net from six yards out.
Within minutes it was 1-1 after Glenn Waddell inadvertently handled the ball just inside the box, the referee pointed to the spot and Larne's No9 tucked it way neatly to level the scores.
After this Rangers played probably their best passage of football of the game when Stevie Coulter powered a header against the face of the crossbar after a great cross by Ryan Evans. Evans then himself had a great run and shot from 25 yards but he also hit the woodwork in almost the same spot.
By this stage, Rathfriland were bossing the game, playing by far the best football but against the run of play Larne broke through to lob the keeper from 20 yards, making the score 2-1.
This cup tie was being played at a hectic pace with end to end football but disaster struck for the visitors on the stroke of half time when they failed to deal with a threaded pass and perhaps lacked concentration, which allowed the No 10 to slip the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards - possibly in the end the turning point of the match.
Instead of going in at the break level Rathfriland found themselves two goals down and facing an uphill task in the second half, a half which never really lived up to the first, although there were chances at both ends.
Ally Wilson shaved the post with a downward header and Rathfriland also had a corner come off the crossbar but Larne made a three goal gap when they scored with a powerful header to make it 4 - 1.
A fifth followed soon after with a cracking left foot drive hitting the roof of the net and a sixth was lobbed in on the 88th minute to round off the scoring.
Rathfriland failed to take their opportunity of a fifth round tie away at Coleraine but they were defeated by a very strong Larne Tech OB outfit.
However, on another day it could have been a very different result for Rathfriland especially after hitting the woodwork on four occasions. 6-1 probably flattered Larne but, as they say, it's a funny old game.
Line-up - David Wilton, Philip Davidson, Nathan Baird, Aaron Marks, Glenn Waddell, Scott Ward, Kevin Henry, Ryan Evans, Stevie Coulter, Ally Beck, Ally Wilson.
Subs - Willie Herron, Paul Gibbons, Simon McWilliams, David Hollingsworth, Kyle Heslip.

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