MLFC up to 2nd

With the home side returning to league action after an 11 week break, due to cup runs, the festive break and scheduled fixtures falling foul of the weather, the instructions were clear from the management duo... get off to a fast start, play a high tempo pressing game and look after the ball.

The Lions, skippered by Kleinman at left back, who defied the medics by playing through the pain barrier after sustaining a nasty training ground thumb injury earlier in the week, playing alongside Bentley, Norman and McCarthy in the defence with Swead marshalling them from between the sticks.

In front of them Abrams and Soutar as the holding pair with Wagman and Gold taking up wide berths with Radford behind Lenchner in attack.

It was the Lions who started the brightest and were rewarded with a fine goal from their first attempt on the Globe goal, Kleinman linking well with Gold down the left, feeding Lenchner who slid in Wagman who made a clever run across the box, his trickery and cross was met by Soutar who’s first shot beat the keeper but cannoned back off the cross bar, and was fortunately met on the rebound by Soutar again who had the simplest of tasks to nod over the stranded keeper for 1-0.

Within 10 minutes the Lions should have been 2-0 up, first Lenchner dispossessed the Globe Centre half and got wide whipping in an inviting low cross which Gold failed to convert at the far post, and then Lenchner had the ball in the net but his headed effort was ruled out for offside.

Silver was now introduced to the action, and he immediately set Gold away, who got to the byeline and centred to Abrams who’s tidy finish beat the keeper but was again ruled out this time the referee adjudged Gold to have carried the ball out of play in the build up.

On 35minutes Lenchner made it two, a Bentley interception set free Abrams who played a neat one-two with Soutar, before squaring to Lench who fired the ball into the bottom left from around 18yards.

Half Time 2-0

The lions introduced Firmin and Gotch to the back line with Lazarus joining the Home sides attack. Good work from Gold, setting up Lazarus who’s cheekily executed chip was grabbed by the visiting stopper. However within minutes Lazarus made it 3-0, a high press from Gold again squaring for the Laz to bury a low shot into the bottom right hand corner.

The Lions were now well on top, Radford to Lazarus who’s audacious flick on the volley set McCarthy through on goal, but his shot was dragged wide of the far post.

The Lions defence started to sit a little deep and with Rangers freshening things up with a few changes of their own, started to put the pressure on. A few tame efforts were well saved by Swead, and some brave headers from Gotch and Bentley averted the danger as the visitors looked to find a way back into this game.

From a corner the Rangers then got a goal back, a short corner was then whipped to the far post where the visitors had a man over who was able to find the far corner of the net. 3-1.

Lenchner made it 4-1 and in turn halted any chance of a Rangers comeback with a low powerful effort that the Globe stopper made a complete hash of, the ball squirming up over the keeper and crossing the line to make the game safe for the home side.

A positive start to 2020 and the win sees the Lions move up to 2nd place in the league.