Rangers’ winning run comes to an end

Rangers AFC’s title hopes took a hit on Saturday, the Nelson division one football leaders going down 4-1 to FC Nelson at Guppy Park.

Both sides came into the match unbeaten, Rangers having won their first five matches straight. FC Nelson had played one game less and played out a draw with Tahuna.

However, on Saturday, the home side underlined their class and finishing power with a commanding performance over a side which had not lost in the league for two seasons.

Rangers’ manager Wolfie Waechter said, “we lost against a good team … you have to give credit to FC Nelson, they played really, really well.

“Unfortunately, things didn’t go our way today but you can’t fault the boys’ effort, they played themselves to a standstill against a very slick, well-organised skilful side.”

At the end of the first 45 minutes it was still anyone’s game, the score 1-1. Rangers controlled proceedings for the first half an hour, Bjorn Waechter scoring the match’s first goal from a corner after just 11 minutes and the visitors looked to have the upper hand.

However, the home side had other ideas, levelling on the 30-minute mark after Rangers tried to play the ball out from the back and failed to clear the danger area.

Rangers made three changes at halftime, Sam Pearson coming in for Sverre Waechter, Elijah O’Donnell on for Jack Morris and Boyd Elvy returning for Aaron Hayes.

If the first half was mostly Rangers, the second spell belonged to the home side.

“We made a couple of mistakes in the second half, where we had the ball, gave it away, then they counterattacked and punished us.

FC Nelson scored a couple of quick goals midway through the half then, when Rangers were forced to chase the game, slotted a fourth with 10 minutes to play.

All 16 Masters players got game time but had to bow to a superior unit on the day.

“The boys’ heads are down a little bit,” said Wolfie, “but we had our chances and it certainly wasn’t a one-sided game. It was decided by individual mistakes and against a good team you get punished.”

Midfielders Tore Waechter and Marcelo Gonzalez were voted Rangers’ players of the day.

It doesn’t get any easier for Rangers, who play Nelson Suburbs top team in a second round Chatham Cup tie next weekend.

“[This game] was certainly not the preparation we wanted,” said Wolfie, “but sometimes it is a good lesson to learn.”

On the local scene, Rangers Colts pulled out an upset division one result, drawing 1-1 with table-topping Central Buccaneers. Jeimar Zapata Zuniga scored just before halftime, Brendan Jackson equalising for Central 10 minutes after the break.

In the other match a Trojans derby, Trojans Los Andes beat Trojans 6-4, Francisco Zimmermann notching a hat-trick for the victors.

Trojans led 3-2 at halftime, before Los Andes scored four unanswered goals to snatch victory.

In division two, Picton continue to show the way, braces to Isaac Rawlings-Briggs and Hamish Westwater getting them home 4-3 over Rangers Masters.

Rangers City beat Trojans Angels 3-0, Central Wolves downed Central Privateers 5-2, Andrew McCaa and James Bell bagging braces, and BV Masters beat Trojans Strikers 5-1.

Renwick Lonewolves continue to impress and have moved to second place, six second half goals, including a hat-trick to Matt Coxall, earning a 6-2 win over Trojans Spartans.