United and Rangers win

Press, 26 June 1978, Page 20

United and Rangers win

Trans Tours United and Rangers won through to the fourth round of the Adidas Challenge Trophy competition with i vastly contrasting wins — over New’ Brighton and Woolston W.M.C., respectively — on Saturday. United had a comfortable win over Brighton, 4-0. but Rangers, after scoring three goals in the first nine minutes, had to stubbornly fight off a determined late effort by Woolston to I win, 3-2. i Brighton did well to hold I United in the first half at SpreyI don Domain, but as its players ; tired it conceded four goals m I the second spell. | The appalling ground condij lions did not allow much attrac- ! live soccer in either match, but United had such a strong grip in • the second half that there seemed onlv one possible result. lan Marshall scored the first goal immediately after the interval. but it took two goals in two minutes, a quarter of an hour from the end, to remove any lingering doubts about the result. Steve Sumner scored after a good move with Kevin Mulgrew, •who had a fine match, and Mul;rew himself scored a brilliant solo goal. Kees Doornenbal added

the fourth goal in the last minute. With five minutes remaining in the Rangers-Woolston match at ■ Rangers Park, the home side led, i 3-0, and no-one would have given Woolston the slightest chance of winning. , However it almost did. Neil Francis finished off a fine indi- , : vidual burst down the left wing , by his younger brother. Keith, . and Graham Dacombe headed a /goal after Stan McGaffin had headed the ball against the crossI bar from a corner. Luke Camphens. Malcolm Park-: er and Steve Welford scored i Rangers goals at the start of the' match, two of them deflected in . by Woolston defenders. The win kept Rangers excellent record against Woolston this seai son intact. It has won all three . encounters with the Rothmans: League side. t For Woolston the loss might . well be a blessing in disguise. > With no worries about the Cup, - its players can now settle down to the "task of holding a place in , the Rothmans League. For Rangers, the win may i bring hopes that some sort of ■ success similar to the Air New ( Zealand competition might be 1 close at hand. j