Hall Road Rangers 2-1 Goole AFC
Sam Belcher’s winning goal for Hall Road. Picture: John Rudkin
Toolstation NCEL Division One champions Hall Road Rangers overcame Goole AFC to get off to a winning start in their pre-season schedule.
In their first outing of pre-season the first half lacked any real quality and the difference proved to be the clinical finishing of the visitors. Syzmon Czubik drifted clear of the Rangers defence on just six minutes and his cross goal effort nestled into the bottom left corner to give the visitors an early lead.
Rangers missed their best chance of the first half when Chris Spinks rattled the woodwork from the penalty spot after Josh Batty was downed in the penalty area.
With this Rangers first game since the April win at Campion, the only other opportunity they got was on 33 minutes, as Conner Harman slipped through the midfield to fire straight at Goole’s goalkeeper as the hosts trailed at the break.
Batty, the two goal hero in the title-winning victory at Campion failed to convert his far post header four minutes into the second half, as Harman found him unmarked eight yards from goal.
Hall Road made some changes and introduced Gareth Owen shortly after, and it was the former Bridlington man that took his chance to equalise, delicately lofting the ball over the Goole keeper on 62 minutes.
The game was won from an unlikely goal source eight minutes later. Spinks’ centre was fumbled and as Goole failed to clear, right-back Sam Belcher knocked home to nudge Hall Road in front.