Vs. Battle Rangers (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Gary Walsh
Owen Davies
Gary Williams
Pete Cooper
Darrell Hartley
Pat Mammone
Andy Mills (c)
Loksan Harley	(45 Adam Johnson)
Dave Mills	(89 Chris Mammone)
Tom Frere-Smith
Dom Fowler	(52 Luke Graham)
Referee: D Collier
Goals: Tom Frere-Smith (61,64) Pat Mammone (80).
HT Score: 0-1
FT Score: 3-1

The Baptists defeated the Rangers in the ‘Battle of Battle’. Spurred on by a large crowd, a fantastic second half performance saw the Baptists turn the game around having gone into the break a goal down.

The game started at a high tempo, with both sides intent on putting down an early marker. The first chance fell to Rangers when Mark Bashford had a volley that flew just wide after a clearance from Pete Cooper had fallen to him. The Baptists tried to get into the game but with the Rangers attack looking lively and showing good movement they could not press too far forward. Tom Frere-Smith had the first chance of the day for those in orange when he was played in down the left after good work from Loksan Harley and Dom Fowler. The keeper came out quickly and forced Tom to put his shot over.

The game then settled down with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity. Rangers pressed forward and Gary Henderson stole in late at a corner but headed just over before Danny Hopgood latched onto a ball in the box after the Baptists had been slow to react and struck the ball inside the near post to put Rangers one up on sixteen minutes.

Moments later Dom tried an ambitious header from just outside the area that went just wide and this chance signalled a sustained spell of Baptist dominance. Firstly Tom headed on a Pat Mammone through ball and beat the keeper but not the covering defenders, and then Dave Mills cut in from the right wing and crashed the ball against the post. In the last five minutes before half time Tom had three chances to put the Baptists on level terms. His twenty-five yard shot was parried by the keeper before he latched onto the resultant corner and turned his marker before firing just wide. Just on the whistle he burst down the left wing and hit an early shot that flew just over.

The second half started with the introduction of Adam Johnson in place of Loksan, manager Gary Walsh deciding that more strength and directness was needed down the left hand side. Possession was fairly even again at the start of the half, and with the Baptists still a goal down Gary changed things further seven minutes in when Dom was withdrawn for Luke Graham.

After a scrappy period of play the game took a dramatic turn in three short minutes. On the hour mark, Tom dribbled into the box and took a pot shot that the keeper superbly pushed onto the post and out for a corner. When the corner came in Tom met it with a fantastic volley at the near post to put the scores level. Still reeling from this, Rangers played their way into trouble from the kick off and only two minutes later Pat found Tom in the box and he made no mistake in putting the Baptists into the lead.

Rangers looked to get back into a game they had led for so long and played countless balls towards the Baptist box, forcing the defence to clear and concede possession. As the free-kicks and corners came in, the Baptists held firm, notably manager Gary Walsh, playing in goal, who saved superbly when under intense pressure from a corner in the seventieth minute. This save was following up by claiming the ball well after the Rangers striker had headed it goalwards.

On eighty minutes, the game was sealed when Pat was played through by Andy Mills just on the half way line and he coolly ran on and lofted the ball over the on-rushing keeper. This sparked a host of late chances for the Baptists to further their lead. Luke was narrowly pulled up for being offside when one-on-one with the keeper, and then Tom saw his effort saved well. Adam deflected an Andy Mills shot goalwards before it was parried away then in the last minute Chris Mammone came on for Dave Mills, who had taken a knock in a tackle moments previously. In the last minute Tom had another chance on goal saved well before in injury time a looping header from Adam went just over the bar from a corner.

The final whistle brought cheers from the large crowd and much appreciation towards both sets of players for producing a great afternoon’s entertainment played in good spirits by both sides. The performance of the referee allowed the game to flow and the match was a great advert for football in Battle as the Baptists maintained their lead at the top of the table.