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Rangers Escape To Victory
Damian Ainsworth17 Nov - 14:21
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Menston Summon Up Wartime Spirit To Down Foe
Widely acknowledged as both the greatest movie ever made about war and the greatest movie ever made about sport, John Huston's Escape To Victory was filmed in and around Ripon. The Girls' Grammar School was used as the Nazi Internment Camp, the city centre doubled up as arrondissements of Paris, and it was at Ripon City's Mallorie Park Stadium that the film's iconic closing match between the Germans and the allied prisoners of war took place. Sylvester Stallone made a string of saves to deny the Nazis a literal and metaphorical victory, supported by sterling performances from the likes of Pele, Osvaldo Ardiles and Michael Caine.
Controversially beaten to the Best Film Oscar by Chariots of Fire, Escape To Victory has nevertheless become a motif for the underdog battling against a crushing and overwhelming foe. It was perhaps appropriate, therefore, that Mallorie Park was the scene as Menston Rangers took on Ripon City, a brute force who had been subjugating cowering opponents all season.
There were chances at both ends in the opening 20 minutes of the match. Menston were always a threat on the break while the physical presence of Ripon at times threatened to overwhelm, with Texel required to make vital interventions to keep the scores level. The opening goal fell the way of the away team, a sublime pass from Machell splitting the defence and allowing Ainsworth to pounce, breaking his 3-match goal drought with a lovely finish. Within minutes the score was level but some great skill by Macauley set Ainsworth up to restore the advantage. A bullet header from the home team soon levelled things up again and the score remained at 2-2 when the halftime whistle blew.
The second half continued in the same relentless fashion. Every Menston player rose to the occasion. An outstanding team performance and some exceptional individual displays, from Texel at the back who pulled off a series of fingertip saves, to Jefferson, an inspiring and irrepressible force, and to Ainsworth up front, toying with his markers, these boys did not want, or deserve, to be defeated. After 65 minutes, Macauley got the goal his play deserved, scoring a fine individual effort to make it 3-2. Ripon continued to press but could produce little from a series of free kicks and Rangers controlled the game in the closing minutes, taking the sting out of Ripon with craft and astuteness.
As the players left the pitch, they were mobbed by jubilant supporters who threw rose petals into the air in joyous abandon while half-drunk interlopers fired off rounds of celebratory gunfire.
Controversially beaten to the Best Film Oscar by Chariots of Fire, Escape To Victory has nevertheless become a motif for the underdog battling against a crushing and overwhelming foe. It was perhaps appropriate, therefore, that Mallorie Park was the scene as Menston Rangers took on Ripon City, a brute force who had been subjugating cowering opponents all season.
There were chances at both ends in the opening 20 minutes of the match. Menston were always a threat on the break while the physical presence of Ripon at times threatened to overwhelm, with Texel required to make vital interventions to keep the scores level. The opening goal fell the way of the away team, a sublime pass from Machell splitting the defence and allowing Ainsworth to pounce, breaking his 3-match goal drought with a lovely finish. Within minutes the score was level but some great skill by Macauley set Ainsworth up to restore the advantage. A bullet header from the home team soon levelled things up again and the score remained at 2-2 when the halftime whistle blew.
The second half continued in the same relentless fashion. Every Menston player rose to the occasion. An outstanding team performance and some exceptional individual displays, from Texel at the back who pulled off a series of fingertip saves, to Jefferson, an inspiring and irrepressible force, and to Ainsworth up front, toying with his markers, these boys did not want, or deserve, to be defeated. After 65 minutes, Macauley got the goal his play deserved, scoring a fine individual effort to make it 3-2. Ripon continued to press but could produce little from a series of free kicks and Rangers controlled the game in the closing minutes, taking the sting out of Ripon with craft and astuteness.
As the players left the pitch, they were mobbed by jubilant supporters who threw rose petals into the air in joyous abandon while half-drunk interlopers fired off rounds of celebratory gunfire.
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