Rangers AFC cling to narrow football league lead

There were contrasting fortunes for both Marlborough sides in their respective Nelson division one football competitions on Saturday.

While the scorelines were the same, the outcomes for the two Marlborough-based clubs were very different.

Rangers AFC maintained their narrow lead at the top of the men’s standings, although the battle below them intensified.

The Blenheim-based side beat a game Motueka outfit 2-1 at A&P Park after scoring twice late in the match.

Motueka led 1-0 at halftime, scoring on the break after 25 minutes as the home side found their defensive system hard to break.

Although they created several good chances it took Rangers until the 80th minute to get on the board. A penalty given for handball was converted by Tore Waechter who then played a role in the winning goal.

Waechter, who had moved up front in a bid to exert more pressure on Motueka’s back three, crossed from the left finding Keagan Mortimer’s head. The striker nodded the ball home to put the home side in front for the first time and they held on until the final whistle sounded.

Bjorn Waechter was named Rangers’ player of the day after another top performance in midfield, while the back three of Aaron Hayes, Ryan Palmer and Harrison Pine excelled in the absence of skipper Jordy Columbus. Dylan Endersby ran himself into the ground while youngster Kane Elvy put in a solid 90-minute effort on the left wing.

The competition table is rapidly closing up. Rangers hold a two-point lead over Richmond, who beat FC Nelson on Saturday. That loss leaves FC Nelson third, three points adrift of the Blenheim side.

Meanwhile, women’s side BV Bullets may have lost 2-1 to Richmond Foxes at Jubilee Park on Saturday, but they pushed the top-of-the-table side all the way.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 12^thminute, a cross from Riley Preece finding Lauren Sloan, who chipped it over the keeper.

Play see-sawed end-to-end until midway through the half when Foxes’ Paige Ferguson found her way around the side of BV keeper Maggie Lane to level the score.

Lane made a strong save just before the break, keeping the sides locked at 1-1.

The decisive goal came soon after the restart, Lara Tutty slotted it away.

After the home side bounced two shots off the post, and had another goal ruled out for offside, BV came back into the match, chasing an equalizer. However, although Sloan had a late chance, Bullets were unable to bag a second.

BV coach Scott Kennovin praised an “excellent  performance” in their last outing against the table-toppers for the season. Player of the day was midfielder Tessa Hyland.

Local competition

The local men’s competition has now been split into three divisions.

In division one, Call Care Trojans stamped an early mark with a 5-0 win over Rangers Development, while Central Buccaneers beat clubmates Central Wolves 3-0.

BV Masters drowned Central Privateers 3-0 to make a strong start in division two, where Call Care Hotspurs beat Rangers Clubs of Marlborough 2-1.

In division three, Picton defeated Redwood 5-1 while Call Care Spartans continued a fine day for the club with a 9-0 win over Rangers Masters, Blair Hantz scoring a hat-trick.