NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Starring role for Russell as Soham Town Rangers sink promotion-chasing Swifts
Callum Russell receives his man-of-the-match award from sponsor Nick Flack of N & C Glass after hitting two goals in Soham Town Rangers' victory against Heybridge Swifts. - Credit: Archant
Soham Town Rangers celebrated an ‘unbelievable result’ last Saturday.
That’s how assistant boss Erkan Okay described a 3-1 victory against promotion-chasing Heybridge Swifts at Julius Martin Lane which provided one of the finest moments of manager Robbie Mason’s two-year reign.
The triumph, secured by a second-half brace from Callum Russell, also boosted Rangers’ hopes of avoiding relegation in the Bostik North Division. They are now four points above the drop-zone.
“This result is up there with the best we’ve had at Soham when you take into account the league positions and form of the two clubs,” said Okay.
“It was a great day for the club overall with new sponsors being at the game and it was fantastic to be able to put in a performance like that.
“There’ no doubt we deserved to beat a very good team after playing with real energy all over the pitch.
“And it was great to see Callum do so well in a role he really wants to be successful in. He’s been playing out of his skin and does so much work for the team that doesn’t go unnoticed.”
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Rangers hit the front after a quarter-of-an-hour when Sam Mulready pounced from close range after a long Russell throw was flicked on by captain Lee Chaffey.
That goal was cancelled out midway through the opening half and smart saves either side of half-time from goalkeeper Josh Pope kept Soham on level terms.
But Russell struck twice in the space of nine minutes to earn a memorable success.
He restored the lead when providing a smart finish to a Jack Mochalski pass in the 54th minute and soon clinched victory just as impressively when punishing a defensive slip.
Wideman Joe Carden came through an appearance as a second-half substitute with no ill effects following a long layoff with a knee injury.
Soham go to mid-table side Tilbury this Saturday, 3pm, and Okay has called for more of the same.
He added: “We set our standards against Heybridge and we have to strive to reach them again.
“That means playing with the same intensity, same desire and same quality as we did in that game.”
