Deeping's biggest game of season
RANGERS boss Tuncay Korkmaz has labelled Saturday's table-topping showdown with Long Buckby as his side's biggest game of the season.
Deeping currently have a four-point advantage over the second-placed Bucks after a six-match winning streak.
And Korkmaz is hoping his side can continue their rich vein of form against a Buckby side who have already lost three of their opening 10 games.
He said: “The last six games have been very good.
“We had a torrid time losing three successive cup ties, but it has allowed us to concentrate all our energies on the league.
“If we can keep picking up six points from every three games then we won’t be too far off the top three comes the end of the season.
“We do have a bit of comfort with our points cushion at the top and losing to Buckby wouldn’t be a disaster.
“But our aim is to win every game and we will be going out to get three points on Saturday in what is our biggest game of the season.”
Rangers made it six wins on the bounce on Tuesday night with a 1-0 home success obver Holbeach.
They played for more than hour with 10 men following the sending off of Ashley Stevens who was dismissed for a late challenge on Dean Elston.
Stevens had earlier won the penalty – which Lee Ellison successfully converted – after being felled by Tigers goalkeeper James Doughty who Korkmaz thought should have been sent off for the foul.
He added: “We had to work very hard and that was made harder by the referee’s performance.
“We had to play for 60 minutes with 10 men when it should have been Holbeach who were at a disadvantage.
“Defensively it was our best performance of the season and shows what character we have in the dressing room.”
A lively start saw David Cobb fire wide for Rangers after a solo run while at the other end Stacy Cartwright was narrowly off target from a defence-splitting Ross Nichols pass.
Ellison lobbed wide after intercepting Doughty’s punch out, but the Tigers keeper redeemed himself by smothering at Stevens’ feet.
Stevens was then denied by Adam Jackson’s goalline clearance, but after 18 minutes Deeping took the lead.
Ellison played Stevens clear and he was brought down in the box by Doughty and Ellison slotted home from the spot.
Stevens had been heavily involved but his evening was curtailed after 27 minutes when he was dismissed.
Holbeach struggled to make their man advantage count against a well organised Deeping defence and the best attempt on goal after the break came from Cobb whose long distance effort forced Doughty to scramble across goal to tip round the post.
Four minutes from the end Holbeach produced a flowing move and Liam Nimmo’s cross found Cartwright who was thwarted by the foot of the post.
Deeping: Bircham, Burton-Jones, Ellis, Baines, Porter, Goode, Semple (Weston), Ellison, Bettinson, Stevens, Cobb (Duncliffe).
Vine man-of-the-match: Michael Goode. Match sponsor: Breake Ltd.
Potton United2 Deeping Rangers3
RYAN Semple was again the Deeping match-winner as they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at The Hollow on Saturday.
The leaders looked to be heading for a second defeat of the season as the Royals snatched the initiative late in the first half.
Jeremy McMurrough continued his fine form in front of goal with Potton’s 38th minute opener and two minutes later Dean Hamilton doubled the Royals' advantage.
Midweek five-goal hero Semple then started the Rangers fightback after 70 minutes.
Just seven minutes remained when substitute David Cobb squared the game and 60 seconds later Semple’s eighth goal of the season converted one point into three for Deeping.
Deeping: Bircham, Duncliffe, Ellis, Burton-Jones (Cobb), Porter, Goode, Baines, Ellison, Bettinson, Stevens, Semple.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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