GPSD Over-30, Third Division Championship Match: FC77 Rangers vs. Bridgetown
‘Gers finished their improbable Cinderella run from the basement to the pinnacle of the O-30 Third Rose City Division with a stunning 5-3 victory over previously indestructible FC Bridgetown and in the process, hoisted the trophy for the first time in ten-twelve years. After an amazing 4-0 run to end the season (5-0-1 if you include all the friendly matches against No Subs), the Yellow and Black found themselves on the pitch one last time with a rival that had run roughshod over most of the division. Bridgetown hadn’t lost all season and had only given up 12 goals in ten games while amassing a staggering +18 goal differential. Going in, the squad hoped to keep the match close and perhaps improve upon the 4-1 loss from the replay. Statistically, there was nothing to suggest that FC77 even had a chance, but then again, Goliath should have crushed David and the USSR should have out-skated the US in 1980. Read more...
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounters: 16 April, 2008 and 21 May, 2008)
No Subs vs. FC77 Rangers
The Rangers-No Subs replay took three evenings, 270 minutes, two venues, and three red cards to finally settle. With No Subs losing two of their last three and the Azzurri at fourteen points in the table, the winner of the ‘Gers-No Subs match would find themselves in second place. The first attempt to replay, in early June, was scrubbed due to an absentee referee. The 2-2 friendly was fairly played and well-received (see match result here). The reschedule at Tualatin High School on June 29th was similarly scrapped due to the lack of a match official, but the partially mixed-squad friendly did see ‘Gers win 4-2 and proved that a loss was not a foregone conclusion. The third replay, hastily set for July 2nd under muggy skies back at the Montessori Earth School, couldn’t have been more dramatic. Read more...
(Previous encounter: 7 May, 2008)
NE Portland Chiropractic vs. FC77 Rangers
Tale of Two Halves. It was the worst of times. It was the best of times. In good spirits, the Rangers took the field against PDX Chiropractic having taken the first match rather easily. Minus Sean and Gary, the Rangers fielded only 12 players while PDX had a full compliment of 16, including a few new faces that proved to be better then what was expected. A cheer even went up when the Referee arrived to signify a match would be played and counted (unlike last week). Read more...
Steve
(Previous encounters: 27 June, 2007 and 14 May, 2008)
Azzuri vs. FC77 Rangers
Everybody on this squad knows the history between our two teams and the seven years of defeat, controversy, and frustration we have endured at the hands (and boots) of the Italians. If this was the Olympics, the saga would be reviewed in a grainy, back-and-white video montage set to a lonely piano tune with images of us, heads down, walking in slow motion off the pitch. Perhaps it would be narrated by the late Jim McKay or Bob Costas. The last scene, however, would not be a “Spielbergian” close-up of a muddy ball in the rain or one of us hunched over on the touch line with an empty expression on our face...
...it would be a glorious full color, real-time shot of the ball smashing into the net for the third time as the Yellow and Black erupt into frenzied cheers! Somebody start playing Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” for the soundtrack! We just kicked the Azzuri’s ass! (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounters: 11 November, 2007 and 30 April, 2008)
FC77 Rangers vs. Blue Monk
Duly inspired by the outstanding performance—and lacking an ‘80s power ballad to weave into the narrative thread of the match summary as I usually do around this time in the season—the Rangers/Blue Monk derby replay report will be presented in the form of a live online Match Tracker summary, as found on the www.uefa.com website during Champion’s League matches. I may not get all of the details exactly right, but I think the spirit is there (read more...)
Sean
(Previous encounters: 19 April, 2007, 23 September, 2007, and 23 April, 2008)
FC77 Rangers vs. Bridgetown
Showing a much improved effort from the season opener, Rangers' replay against league leaders Bridgetown FC was actually a much closer contest than the final score line indicates. Two professional grade Bridgetown strikes put the match out of reach, but for almost seventy minutes the match was hard-fought and fairly even...a definite turn around from the 0-6 defeat that opened the spring campaign. (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounter: 16 April, 2008)
FC77 Rangers vs. NE Portland Chiropractic
What a Goal!
After four consecutive weeks of heartache and despair, Rangers put together a total football match and played their best game in the last three years, winning 4-0 against NE Portland Chiropractic. Ron King bagged the first 'Gers hat trick since spring 2006. Aaron Radigan added to his season goal count with a clinically dispatched shot that no keeper could have stopped. Steve Berg earned his first clean sheet of the season in fine style, going mano a mano with a lone striker on at least two occasions (maybe three) and robbing them blind. The makeshift back line, thrown together due to the absences of three of our regular defenders, stepped up and played their asses off and the midfield was up and back for the full ninety minutes. Rangers owned the passing game, the fifty-fifty balls in the air, the midfield, and the flanks. Everybody gave 100% and when it was all over, the grins on the sidelines barely told the whole story. (read more / highlights...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounter: 27 June, 2007)
FC77 Rangers vs. No Subs
Photo credit: Becki Ingersoll
In the match summary from last week, the manager was lamenting the cruel streak of bad luck Rangers have suffered the first three weeks of the spring season:
"Having been drubbed the first week, losing at the death the second week, and now coming up short in an abbreviated match the third week, the Rangers are cautiously hopeful our fortunes will turn for the better...because barring a giant meteor striking us all dead next week, I am not sure what new misfortunes the Soccer Gods might have in store for us."
While a flaming chunk of space debris didn't crash into the pitch, I apparently should have added "going up 2-0 early in glorious fashion against a strong team only to lose in part due to the manager's own goal" to the list of potential misfortunes, because that's exactly what happened Wednesday night at the Montessori Earth School when Rangers played new O-30 Third Division squad No Subs. Damn you, Soccer Gods! Damn you to hell! (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
FC77 Rangers vs. Azzuri
The Yellow and Black meets the Blues back at the Montessori Earth School for a 6:30 p.m. kick-off under unstable skies on 30 April. What, the opposing team doesn't have their player cards or roster? Maybe we'll kick-off at 6:35. No? How 'bout 6:40? Still no cards? Maybe 6:45. Still not here. Sometime around 6:50 the Azzuri player finally shows up with the paperwork to officially play the match and sometime just shy of 7:00 referee Ben Warren blows the whistle to start the match (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounter: 11 November, 2007)
Blue Monk vs. FC77 Rangers
Despite showing marked improvement from the previous week's season opener against Bridgetown, the Rangers were dreadfully unlucky to not earn a point with Blue Monk in the April 23rd derby match at the Montessori Earth School. In a typically hard-fought but fairly played match, 'Gers battled back from a goal down at halftime to equalize midway through the second period and repeatedly threaten to find the match winner...only to lose at the death on quite literally the last kick of the match (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
(Previous encounters: 19 April, 2007 and 23 September, 2007)
Bridgetown vs. FC77 Rangers
Photo credit: Becki Ingersoll
Rangers opened the new campaign at the Montessori Earth School under pleasant April skies with high expectations, great potluck-fueled enthusiasm, and a seriously cool website. Unfortunately, former Open Division squad Bridgetown had other designs and 'Gers got spanked...and not in a good, bachelor party kind of way (read more...)
Sean-Scott Ingersoll
Rangers vs. Newcastle Photos
Photo credit: Becki Ingersoll
Action shots from our recent friendly with FC77 Newcastle are available for your viewing pleasure. Remember Rangers are wearing the retro striped kits (LOL).
Gary
