WILL ST FRANCIS RANGERS WIN BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON?

St Francis Rangers are rooted to the bottom of the Southern Combination League Premier Division and have lost all twenty-three of their league games played so far letting in 159 goals in the process. The dream to get a win or even a point was on at the weekend as Thomas Johnston scored in the 12th minute (only their third league goal of the season) to take a 0-1 lead at Littlehampton Town. However goals in the 15th, 16th, 22nd, 37th, 42nd, 47th, 64th and 77th minutes sealed a 8-1 victory for The Marigolds.

St Francis finished 2014/15 campaign comfortably in mid-table under the Glenn Charker but he along with the entire squad departed three weeks before the start of the season - Dave Shearing (ex boss of Langley Wanderers and Eastbourne United) took over but has since left to be replaced in December by 25 year old Kai Bichard. The former Shoreham, Eastbourne United, Fulham (youth) and Cardiff City (youth) player has made a number of signings and is looking to turn things round at The Colwell Ground.

Since Ansty Rangers and St Francis (both playing in Division Three of the then Sussex County League) merged to form St Francis Rangers in 2002 they have risen up to play in the top division from 2007 where they have finished 14th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 19th, 11th, 10th and 13th.

ST FRANCIS RANGERS RESULTS FOR 2015/16
all league games unless stated
includes fixtures up to the end of February

DATE	OPPONENTS	SCORE
8/8/15	Horsham YMCA	0-8
12/8/15	NEWHAVEN	0-4
15/8/15	Shoreham (FA CUP)	0-8
22/8/15	LITTLEHAMPTON TOWN	0-10
25/8/15	Eastbourne Town	0-5
29/8/15	Newhaven (Peter Bentley Cup)	4-7
5/9/15	Broadbridge Heath (Sussex Charity Cup)	1-5
12/9/15	HAILSHAM TOWN	1-2
15/9/15	Eastbourne United	0-5
19/9/15	PAGHAM	0-11
26/9/15	HORSHAM	0-11
3/10/15	MERIDIAN (FA Vase)	2-7
6/10/15	Hailsham Town (Sussex Senior Cup)	0-2
10/10/15	WICK & BARNHAM UNITED	0-3
13/10/15	SHOREHAM	0-5
17/10/15	Loxwood	0-5
24/10/15	WORTHING UNITED	0-8
3/11/15	AFC Uckfield United	0-6
14/11/15	East Preston	0-3
21/11/15	BROADBRIDGE HEATH	0-3
24/11/15	Chichester City	0-8
28/11/15	Lancing	0-8
5/12/15	ARUNDEL	0-8
12/12/15	HORSHAM YMCA	0-15
19/12/15	Newhaven	1-10
28/12/15	LANCING	0-6
2/1/16	Shoreham	0-8
16/1/16	Littlehampton Town	1-8
23/1/16	Hailsham Town
30/1/16	EASTBOURNE UNITED
6/2/16	EASTBOURNE TOWN
13/2/16	Pagham
20/2/16	Horsham
27/2/16	AFC UCKFIELD TOWN

Could their next game away at Hailsham Town be the best chance for them to gain a positive result? They are third from bottom of the division with just 8 points from 18 games played so far. They have won twice with one being the game at The Colwell Ground in September when they recorded a 1-2 victory which has to be listed as The Saint's best result so far. Hailsham's other victory came against the second bottom side East Preston in October when they won 4-3. They also recorded a 2-0 win over St Francis in the Sussex Senior Cup in October.

Could St Francis Rangers and Kai Bichard be celebrating a victory next weekend on the way home from Hailsham Town? 

St Francis Rangers could be replaced by local rival's Haywards Heath Town in the Southern Combination Premier. They are currently in second place winning fifteen of their sixteen league games played so far. It's be over twenty years since Haywards Heath Town have played in the top division of the league in 1991/92. They travel to Midhurst and Easebourne next weekend with their only league defeat coming on the opening day of the season at home to Southwick.