Rangers remain on top
Rangers AFC have the destiny of the Nelson division one title in their own hands after the weekend’s results.
The Blenheim side accounted for bottom-placed Motueka FC 11-2 at A&P Park on Saturday, while closest challengers, Nelson FC lost to Nelson Suburbs Reserves. This scenario gives Rangers a two-point buffer at the top of the table, over Suburbs Reserves, both sides having played 11 matches.
Nelson FC are third, with two games in hand, but now seven points adrift of Rangers.
With three rounds to play in the league, Rangers know that winning all those fixtures will assure them of the title, but face some tough matches before they can even consider that situation. On Saturday they are away to Tahuna, then play Karenni at home before ending their league season on August 3 with what may prove to be a pivotal encounter against FC Nelson.
Although they came out well on top of Saturday’s clash with Motueka, Rangers looked far from title challengers in the early stages.
After going 1-0 down in the third minute, they pulled a goal back through player/coach Tore Waechter, before conceding a penalty to trail 2-1 in the 24th minute. However, that provided a timely wake-up call, Carl Connor-McClean levelling the score, before a brace from Keagan Mortimer saw the home side go into halftime 4-2 ahead.
Waechter added his second straight after the break, then Mortimer completed his hattrick to put Rangers well on top, especially when Motueka went down to 12 after a player received a second yellow card.
Elijah O’Donnell, who has made a big impact off the bench in recent games, scored with his first touch of the ball, then four late goals, which included a second to O’Donnell, merely inflated the final scoreline.
Waechter was happy with his side’s much-improved second half effort, feeling the side had begun to relax and strung more passes together.
Centre midfielder Sverre Waechter was named player of the day, while Jack Morris, Mortimer and Connor-McClean all turned in big shifts.
A welcome sight on Saturday was the addition of a fourth official on the sideline at A&P, indicative of the upsurge in refereeing stocks locally.
Latest points: Rangers AFC 27, Suburbs Reserves 25, Nelson FC 20, FC Nelson Karenni 18, Golden Bay 12, Tahuna 7, Richmond 3, Motueka 1.
Division one
Central Buccaneers continue to plot their own course in the Marlborough division one competition. On Saturday they romped past Central Wolves 8-0, opening up a six-point lead at the top of the table.
All goals were scored in the first half, including a hat-trick to Thom Hall.
The other match was much tighter, Rangers Reserves downing Trojans 3-1, goals to Elijah O’Donnell and a double to Hugo Rowden enough to get the job done. Again, all the goals were scored in the first half.
Latest points: Buccaneers 22, Trojans 16, Rangers Reserves 15, Wolves 3.
In division two on Saturday, Picton consolidated their lead with a 2-1 win over BV Masters thanks to a Ryan Cameron winner in the 79th minute.
A Simon Fowke hat-trick propelled Rangers City to a 9-0 win over Trojans Strikers, Trojans Spartans, helped by a Alex Duley hat-trick, downed Trojans Reds 4-1 and Rangers Masters overcame Central Privateers 4-1.
Latest points: Picton 31, Rangers Masters 28, Rangers City 27, BV Masters 25, Spartans 16, Reds 7, Privateers 5, Strikers 1.