Paget Rangers Development V Harborough Town U23s (Development Division)

​Paget Rangers were looking to bounce back from last Monday’s defeat to Tamworth Academy U23s where they lost 5-0 at home to start the season. The Bears have got a team together to compete in the development division and have scheduled their home matches on Monday evenings with the hopes of drawing in bigger crowds at Castle Vale Stadium.

They hosts have promoted the development team well on twitter in the build up to the season. They have got a team that will be aiming to be competitive under manager Daniel Pink and cause a few upsets along the way. It’s also a good opportunity for players to get valuable game time and eventually push on into the first team for the Bears in MFL Division One.

Harborough Town were also looking to respond to their opening match of the season where they lost 3-1 to Chasetown U23s to start the season a few weeks back. The Leicester side will be looking to challenge at this level under manager Josh Unsworth and compete alongside the likes of Tamworth Academy and Sutton United reserves.      

The atmosphere prior to kick off was mainly positive with both sets of supporters looking forward to the game. There was a decent turnout of supporters who made the effort to turn up and get behind their team. Castle Vale Stadium is a good ground for the level and the main stand offers a brilliant view of the pitch for the supporters.  

Starting line ups

The starting line up for Paget Rangers included Charley Morgan starting in goal and Ben Hunt captaining the team from holding midfield. The formation appeared to be a 4-2-3-1 with Amari Clarke playing up front and being supported by Ching Hin Chiang and Krishan Kumar Gill on the wings.

There were six changes from the team that started against Tamworth Academy last Monday with Cole Brittain coming into the line up and playing in holding midfield.

The starting line up for Harborough Town featured Jack Ashley starting in goal and Oliver Berry captaining the team up front. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Oliver Berry being supported by Martin Tsvetkov and Michael Onyia on the wings.

There were five changes from the team that started against Chasetown a few weeks back with Tom Hoey coming into the line up and playing in central defence alongside Hakeem Johnson. 

​First Half

Harborough Town took the lead in the early stages of the match thanks to an unfortunate own goal by Abdulmaleeq Adebayo at the back. A good ball was delivered into the box from the left-hand side where the defender got to it before diverting it into his own net at the front post in the 5th minute.

​It was unlucky from a Paget perspective, and it helped the visitors settle into the match early on. None the less, the Bears showed some character following the goal and kept going in search of an equaliser throughout the first half. They were positive on the ball and got players forward in the final third. It was just that composure in the box that was missing to cause Harborough problems.

Harborough Town were playing a possession-based style of play and working the ball into the box against a Paget Rangers side that were looking to catch the visitors out on the break. It was interesting to watch, and fairly even on the balance of play throughout the opening half an hour.

Oliver Berry got into a promising position where he got through one on one with Charley Morgan. The Paget keeper made an instinctive save to stop the Harborough striker and keep the score at 1-0 in the 17th minute.

Charlie Blaxland went off injured for the hosts in the middle of the first half with Lateef Giwa coming off the bench and playing in holding midfield. Ben Hunt was moved to central defence and filled in admirably at the back for Paget. He made an instinctive block to an effort by Josh Berwick and put his body on the line to prevent it threatening the goal in the 27th minute.  

The chances in front of goal were limited for both sides in the latter stages of the first half and the match was tight for a while. Tom Hoey was brilliant at the back for the visitors and made a lot of clearances. He also looked composed on the ball and gave Harborough that assurance off the ball yesterday.

Michael Onyia also looked a threat down the right-hand side and was beating a few players with his pace and technical ability on the ball for Harborough.

Paget were doing well to stay in the match in the final stages of the first half and were competing well with Harborough Town and limiting the chances in front of goal. They also posed a threat on the counterattack with the likes of Amari Clarke getting into some good positions around the box.

​The Referee blew for half time with the hosts trailing by a single goal at the break.      

Second Half

Harborough stepped up their play in the second half and took the game to Paget early on to make their control of the match count. The visitors were linking up the play well in the final third and had the pace to cause Paget problems as the match went on.

​The Leicester side made it 2-0 in the early stages of the half thanks to a quality finish by Jutorre Burgress who got the ball in the box before unleashing a shot that flew into the top right corner. The movement off the ball created the goal and gave the visitors a cushion that made it an uphill task for the hosts to come back from.

None the less, the hosts persevered and kept going despite the scoreline. They were still creating the odd chance in front of goal with Ching Hin Chiang getting into a good position in the box before testing Jask Ashley in the Harborough goal who made a good save at the front post.

Reece Loyal made an inspired run down the right-hand side for Harborough Town before having an effort well saved by Charley Morgan in the Paget goal. The Bears keeper made some notable saves yesterday evening and should take pride from his performance despite the result.

The visitors made it 3-0 in the middle of the second half where a well delivered corner into the box found Tom Hoey who was free in the box before heading the ball past Charley Morgan at the back post for Harborough’s third.

The Leicester side got a few goals late on to make the scoreline more emphatic at full time. Josh Berwick made a good run into the box before producing a composed finish into the bottom right corner to make it 4-0. Oliver Berry also capitalised on a failed clearance at the back by Paget to be through on goal. He finished well into the bottom right corner to make it 5-0.

It was a shame for Paget who competed admirably against Harborough for a good 75 minutes before struggling in the latter stages of the match. It was that quality in front of goal that made the difference for the visitors yesterday and they deserved the three points at full time.

FT score: Paget Rangers Development 0-5 Harborough Town U23s

Man of the match: Tom Hoey (Harborough Town)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League