50 league games unbeaten - Risborough Rangers break Arsenal's record

Marcus Mealing scoring Risborough Rangers’ 50th league goal of the season against Oxhey Jets in their 50th game unbeaten (Picture by Charlie Carter)

Risborough Rangers reached the incredible record of 50 games unbeaten over four seasons on Saturday.

They beat Oxhey Jets 4-1, with goals from Marcus Mealing (2), Kieron Schmidt and Sean Coles.

Celebrating their 50th anniversary year, the extraordinary feat has taken the club to the top of the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division in their first season at Step 5.

Aylesbury United scorer Ezra Anthonio-Forde (who has returned to the Ducks after a short spell with North Leigh FC) battling in midfield with FC Romania (Pictures by Mike Snell)

Rangers have even broken Arsenal’s record of 49 games in 2003-4 and scored 50 league goals in this campaign too.

“We are really proud to have achieved this milestone,” said manager Mark Eaton.

“But it won’t mean anything unless we have something to show for it at the end of the season. I’m really pleased for the club, there’s been a lot of hard work from everybody on and off the field.

“We didn’t really speak about the fifty before hand, we didn’t want to make a big deal of it, we just wanted to get the job done.

Ezra Anthonio-Ford (No. 9) celebrating his goal against FC Romania with Jaedon Phillips

“We had a really good crowd on Saturday and put on a really good performance, although we got pegged back to 2-1 which might have made things start to get a bit nervous, but we took the game away from them.

“It’s a big achievement for a club of our size, it’s so hard to keep a squad together so a lot of very good players have contributed to the unbeaten run. It’s been a real team effort.

“It’s nice to have the accolade but we haven’t won anything!”

Eaton became first team manager in November 2018 with the team in Spartan South Midland League Division One.

Jordan Jenkins scoring against league leaders Bedford Town last Wednesday

Their last defeat was in April 2019, going unbeaten in their final three league games of that season before being moved across to the Hellenic League, where they continued to avoid defeat in two covid-curtailed seasons before being awarded promotion in the FA’s restructuring over the summer.

Eaton said the players will train twice this week then have a deserved short break ahead of their trip to Holmer Green on Thursday, December 30.

Aylesbury United held Southern League Division One Central leaders Bedford Town to a draw in midweek after Jordan Jenkins had put Ducks ahead.

But they lost to FC Romania 3-1 on Sunday, Ezra Anthonio-Forde ensuring the teams went in level at half time.

Ducks next host Thame United on Monday (27th).

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos lost their Gladwish Trophy game to Leverstock Green on penalties before their weekend fixture with them was postponed due to the pandemic.