Rangers’ roll continues

Rangers AFC maintained their unbeaten run with a 4-1 victory over Tahuna in a Nelson division one football clash at A&P Park on Saturday.

The Blenheim-based side made it a three-from-three start to the competition, dominating play for most of the encounter, which was played in good spirit.

Despite having most of the early running, it was not until the 21st minute that the home side made it pay, Keagan Mortimer being felled in the box and Marcelo Gonzalez decisively slamming home the resulting penalty.

Seven minutes later they doubled their advantage, albeit somewhat fortuitously with an ambitious Mortimer strike on goal slipping through the Tahuna keeper’s hands and trickling into the net.

The score stayed that way until the break, Rangers stringing together some intricate passes but unable to find the final touch. At the back, Tore Waechter and Gonzalez mopped up anything that Tahuna threw their way, calmly playing the ball out of defence.

However, after oranges the visitors began to play with more positive intent, forcing Rangers’ keeper Luc Sherwood into action on a number of occasions.

Despite possession evening up, half chances still came at the other end and in the 87th minute Waechter, who had moved into midfield, was given too much time and space on the edge of the area, driving the ball into the back of the Tahuna net to put the match out of reach.

Five minutes later Rangers and their supporters were glad of the third goal as the visitors scored with a close-range header that was ruled to have just crossed the line before Sherwood clawed it out.

The icing on Rangers’ cake was added by lively winger Kane Elvy, who nodded a Waechter cross home from close range in the final minutes.

While not a classic performance from the table-toppers, they were happy to pick up three points against a side they have previously struggled against.

Next weekend Rangers have a double date.

On Saturday they take on Richmond Athletic in Nelson before returning home for a Chatham Cup round one clash against Nelson division two side Wakefield on Sunday.

Last weekend Rangers earned a shot at Wakefield with a 6-1 victory over Motueka FC in the preliminary round of the nationwide competition.

Rangers were up against a familiar, tenacious opponent, and took some time to find their feet, leading just 2-0 at the halftime break through goals to midfielder Jono Masters and winger Elvy. They could well have been further ahead after peppering the home side’s goal only to be denied by a stellar effort from the Motueka goalkeeper.

Soon after the break the home side took advantage of a “lethargic” Rangers side to snatch a goal back, putting the visitors on notice that the game far from over.

However, this only served to ignite Rangers and they scored four unanswered goals, three to returning striker Mortimer and a second to Masters.

The other Marlborough side in the Chatham Cup picture, Central Buccaneers, lost 10-1 to Nelson FC at A&P Park last weekend.

In the Marlborough division one competition two close games ensued on Saturday.

Central Buccaneers came out on top of an arm wrestle with Trojans, winning 2-1. Ben Mesman scored an early goal for Trojans, Kurtis Medcalf levelling the scores at halftime. The only goal of the second spell was scored by substitute Livison Madumira, 10 minutes after the break.

In the other clash, Rangers Colts rocked their more-favoured Rangers Reserves rivals, leading 2-0 at halftime through goals to Charlie Pickens and George Brettel.

However, Reserves owned the second half, James Parley pulling one back before the scores were levelled through an own goal. Substitute Alex McLeish’s late double then ensured Reserves came away with a 4-2 victory, leaving them atop the points table.

There were goals aplenty in division two.

An Aidan Treston hat-trick helped Renwick Lone Wolves overcome Trojans Strikers 6-4, Alex Duley scored four as Trojans Angels downed Central Privateers 5-3, Matias Lopez struck three times as Rangers Masters downed Rangers City 4-3, BV Masters beat Trojans Spartans 5-1 and Picton Crow Tavern downed Central Wolves 1-0, courtesy of a Zephyr Jones goal.