Toolstation NCEL Division One
Hall Road Rangers 2-1 Campion
Jamie Reeson scored during Hall Road’s win over Campion. Picture: Lee Myers
Hall Road Rangers recorded a scrappy win over Campion after Jamie Reeson’s first half strike and Chris Spinks’ penalty ramped up the pressure on the top six.
A late strike in added time by Campion’s leading goalscorer Eli Hey was only a consolation as Hall Road backed up Wednesday’s win at league leaders Penistone with another maximum points at a cold Haworth Park
With the majority of the hard work done in the first half Rangers saw the game out well until Hey popped up in added time to dash Rangers hopes of their first back to back clean sheet of the season.
It started well for Hall Road and they were ahead after eight minutes. Gareth Owen’s dangerous cross from the right evaded the visiting keeper Gavin Armatage and unmarked Reeson slid the ball home into an empty net.
A short back pass by Dane Mortimer let Steve Hollingworth through on goal, but his finish went well wide when clean through.
Hall Road soon doubled their advantage on 22 minutes from the penalty spot. After Chris Spinks free kick was nodded on by James Piercy, the ball struck the hand of the Campion defender in the penalty area and a penalty was awarded.
Rangers leading goalscorer Chris Spinks cooly slotted home his sixteenth goal of the season by sending Armatage the wrong way.
Rangers keeper Phil Dobson was called into action for Campion’s best chance of the half, tipping the ball away after Hey had wriggled free in the penalty area.
The second half became scrappy, with few clear goalscoring opportunities as with the hosts largely comfortable they aimed to see out the game.
Jake Vernon and Spinks had efforts on target but both failed to add to Rangers two goals.
The only serious threat to Rangers goal came in added time, when Hey knocked home a consolation as Rangers defence suffered a lapse in concentration from a sloppy pass.
The win sees Hall Road climb two places to seventh and just two points behind Knaresborough in sixth, with three games in hand.
Rangers will be hoping to overtake them with another maximum points haul at Brigg Town on Wednesday.
What They Said
Hall Road Rangers manager Dave Ricardo
“They’ve scored from a daft piece of play from ourselves but in the whole we’ve deserved the win. Campion were strong, they kept going and you have to play well to beat them.
“For us to get six points this week, from Penistone on Wednesday, and then from today means everything to be fair and we are getting ourselves in a good position.”