Big scores ensue as extended league kicks off

Marlborough senior men’s footballers kicked off their 2026 season on Saturday afternoon.

With the 14 teams being combined into one league this season there was plenty of interest in the opening round results.

As expected, there were a couple of blow-out wins. Highest score of the day was registered by Central FC, who downed Rangers Masters 12-0. Both Kobe Sharp and Finn Abbott notched hat-tricks in a match in which the score was 4-0 at halftime.

Rangers Athletic were the other big winners, putting 11 unanswered goals past Trojans Spartans, former Rangers AFC standout Boyd Elvy finding the back of the net on five occasions. The halftime score was 8-0.

Rangers Reserves also flexed their muscles, scoring a 6-2 win over BV Masters, for whom Ben Clarke scored twice. Chase O’Brien and Sam Grono both scored a brace for the Reserves.

Rangers City claimed a 4-2 win over Trojans Angels, two late goals from Luke Mellor getting the job done after the scores were tied 2-2 in the 85^th minute.

Trojans are expected to be a major threat in this league and opened with a 3-0 victory over Rangers Colts. Jack Morris, George Bond and Livison Madumira scored the goals, the latter two in the second half.

One match was drawn, Renwick Lonewolves and Central Wolves battling to a stalemate at A&P Park. All the goals were scored in the second half.

The seventh scheduled clash was defaulted, Crow Tavern Picton picking up the points after Trojans Strikers were unable to field a team.

Rangers on top

Meanwhile, Rangers AFC scored their first win of the new Nelson division one season when they accounted for Richmond 5-0 at A&P Park on Saturday.

The youthful, new-look Rangers outfit strung some delightful passages of play together as their players found their feet in the top echelon.

Experienced striker Keagan Mortimer opened the scoring in the 24^th minute with a clinical strike then, two minutes later a well-struck shot from Alejandro Fernandez-Puertas burst through the Richmond keeper’s hands to double the home side’s advantage.

Keagan grabbed his second immediately after the halftime break, taking full advantage of a delightful through ball from Jeimar Zapata. Keagan completed his hat-trick in the 80^th minute, sliding the ball past the oncoming keeper from a narrow angle.

Jeimar iced the Rangers’ cake with the final goal, a well-hit shot that squeezed in at the near post.

Rangers were well served by the lively duo of Keagan and Jeimar up front, while Alejandro and Ben Lindfield were creative in midfield. The hard-working back field trio of James Parley, Hugh Bradley and Caleb McAulay were also instrumental in a victory that will give this side plenty of confidence going forward.

Next weekend they take on Golden Bay in Takaka in a Chatham Cup clash.