Pre-Season Friendly

> 6.8.2008

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Hednesford's most high-profile pre-season game saw a young Glasgow Rangers side visit Keys Park this evening, but could not find a way through the Pitmen's stubborn defence, as the Pitmen held their illustrious visitors in an entertaining encounter

Manager Dean Edwards made only one change to the side that had started against Colwyn Bay on Saturday, with the returning Sean Platt coming straight into the side at the expense of  Ludovic Quistin

The visitors started strongly, playing some neat, incisive football. Stuart Brock had to be alert twice in the first ten minutes to deny Rangers, booting the ball away from Rory Loy and watching a Steven Lennon shot wide of the far post after he had miscued a kick straight to the Rangers forward

The Pitmen started to get to grips with their opponents as the game wore on, and started to create chances of their own. Tyrone Barnett was first to test Rangers keeper Lee Robinson, rising to head a cross from Anthony Maguire straight at the young stopper

Barnett was involved again soon after, using his pace this time to beat two Rangers defenders, but once again found Robinson in the way, saving easily low down

The former Telford front man was really testing the Rangers defence with his ability, and he almost grabbed the goal his efforts deserved on fifteen minutes. Platt made a marauding run forward, whipping in a great cross that the incoming Barnett missed by a matter of inches; any connection would have meant a goal for the Pitmen

One of the few Rangers players with first team experience is that of John Fleck, the nephew of former Norwich, Rangers and Scotland striker Robert. He had threatened early on, but had found the powerful trio of Decio Gomes, Tom Marshall and Danny Harvey a real barrier. He almost managed to get a shot in on goal after being set up by Lennon, but the awesome Gomes managed to block Fleck's shot before it reached Brock

Rangers continued to play the better passing game, and the impressive Lennon tested Brock's reactions with a scuffed shot that the Pitmen's number one held easily

After Barnett's early efforts, it was the turn of Ross Dyer to get a shot in on goal, driving his way into the Rangers area before firing in a shot that beat Robinson, but not defender Jordan McMillan, who cleared the ball off the line

Rangers responded with a powerful move that saw them win a free kick right on the edge of the area. The ball was left to Cyprus youngster Giorgos Efrem, whose shot was easily fielded by Brock

Barnett was again involved heavily just before half time, latching onto a ball over the top from skipper Marshall, but his first time shot flew wide of goal

Efrem repeated his trick of a few minutes earlier right on half time, firing in another free kick that was saved by Brock down by his post

Into the second half, and the exciting Orlando Junior made another appearance for the Pitmen, coming on to tease the Rangers defence. His trickery early in the second half set up Marshall, whose brilliant cross looked to be turned in by Dyer, but the youngster took his eye off the ball at the crucial moment and missed what would have been a tap-in

The away side only threatened sporadically during the second period, yet despite this Lennon and Fleck continuing to show their undoubted potential. Lennon could have scored on the hour mark, flashing a first-time shot wide of goal after a turn and cross from Steve Kinniburgh

Fleck, who is tipped to become Scotland's Wayne Rooney, played with more maturity than his sixteen years, relishing his battles with Marshall and Gomes. The Portuguese star twice stopped Fleck in his tracks during the later stages of the game, earning a well-deserved nod for man of the match

For the Pitmen, there were also only few chances. Maguire managed to get forward and fire a shot in on seventy five minutes that Robinson saved well

In general, as entertaining-a 0-0 draw as you will see. Rangers certainly asked questions of the Pitmen's abilities, but with the new season looming, Edwards can be confident his troops have gone a long way to answering those questions with a result and performance like this  cds

Leamington (A) 

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Draoer

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