Report

Westhoughton Rangers 8 Highfield Grange 1 (Half Time 2-1)

Scorers - Nathan 3 / Alex 2 / Dominic Owen / Patrick and Danny Green.

Starting Team - Danny Green / Tom Jazwinski / Morgan Robinson / Ellis Worrall /

Dominic Liles / Dominic Owen / Patrick Atkinson / Alex Harvey / Connor Smyth /

Chris Nicolaides / Nathan Allan. Subs - Darragh McCabe / Sam Crook & Matthew Fanning.

Report - The lads finished the league campaign off unbeaten with a comprehensive second half performance to beat Highfield Grange. The game started with us defending against a howling gale and it took a while for the game to settle as both teams passes went astray. We opened the scoring on 10 minutes from our first worthy attack of note as Chris crossed an inviting right wing ball to leave the simplest of tasks to head home from six yards. We doubled the advantage on fifteen as a stinging Nathan drive was parried into the air by the Highfield keeper and again Alex was on hand to head home past the grounded keeper. Highfield fought back and started to build some meaningfull attacks and after half an hour pulled a goal back as the striker got in behind our left side rounded the keeper and lifted the

ball into the unguarded net. Half Time 2-1.

We came out of the blocks fast and within the first fifteen minutes we had increased the lead to 5-1 with a quick fire hat trick from Nathan. Highfield faded a bit and we forced home the advantage with further goals from Danny (left footed strike), Dominic (in swinging free kick) and Patrick firing home from close range after a melee in the penalty area. Despite our best attempts to get our unscored players on the scoresheet with a bit of shuffling around the final whistle on the season went with a resounding 8-1 win.

On reflection a very good season, securing the double, remaining unbeaten in League & League Cup and only one defeat in the last 16 of the Lancashire Cup to the three times winners Lytham St Annes represents a high level of consistency, concentration and commitment from all the lads. The larger squad has helped and increased competition for places and the lads should be rightly proud of a very successful campaign.

We round the season off with the traditional Lads v Dads challenge this coming Sunday at Hart Common with a 12noon kick off followed by League presentation evening next Tues 22nd and our team presentation evening at Hart Common Golf Club on Thurs 24th of May.

Thanks to everyone for all their contributions and support - well done.