What a difference a week makes! Last week, Otumoetai knocked Gary Fowell Builders Plains Rangers out of the cup, albeit in a penalty shoot out. On Saturday Plains Rangers visited Otumoetai and handed them a football lesson.
Rangers got off to a flying start in perfect conditions at Fergusson Park. In their first attack John Stephen laid the ball back for right winger Ben Howe, who lashed in a twenty metre shot. The game then settled into a good battle for superiority for the next twenty minutes. The action picked up at that point. A Jaiden Ibbetson cross was headed over by Ben McPherson. Stephen put Ibbetson through and he beat the keeper comfortably. Five minutes later John Stephen himself put the ball in the back of the net. Otumoetai then came back into the reckoning, catching the Rangers defence momentarily disorganised and scoring. They also hit the crossbar, with the ball bouncing down onto the line and up into the keeper's hands. But Rangers had the last say in the first half with a repeat of the Stephen & Ibbetson double act. At half time the score was Otumoetai 1, Plains Rangers 4.
Rangers expected the home team to come out firing after the break, but it was Ibbetson causing mayhem again. After three minutes he was fouled in the Otumoetai penalty area. Rangers' keeper Christian Wetting stepped up to score the resulting penalty. The home team did battle away though. James Hart had to clear the ball off the Rangers line after ten minutes, and a good attack saw Otumoetai hit the post shortly afterwards. However, it was then one way traffic. McPherson curled in a free kick from 25 metres. Substitute Joel Ogilvy, playing his first game of the season, scored from the edge of the penalty area, spotting the keeper out of position. Andy Brabant pushed in the loose ball from a corner and Ibbetson rounded off a great day with a solo effort to make the final score Otumoetai 1 Plains Rangers 9.
It was a top notch team performance from Rangers, and Otumoetai will scratch their heads and wonder how it happened. Jaiden Ibbetson's calm play in front of goal earned him player of the day, with Jacob Heath and John Stephen also standing out.
This Saturday Rangers have another away game, this time at Papamoa.
On Sunday Gary Fowell Builders Plains Rangers women's team were at home to Kawerau Town. The game started evenly with both sides striving to get the upper hand. Kawerau had the better possession but Rangers had some good break outs with Kate Simons and Holly Davis working hard up front. In the midfield Kayla Benner battled away well and Kylie Keys used her speed well on the right. Rangers' keeper Stacey Flintoff launched some good long balls for the forwards to chase too. In the last seconds of the first half Kawerau won a free kick twenty five metres from goal. The shot found its way through a lot of players and into the Rangers net.
In the second half Kawerau pinned Rangers back in their own half for lengthy periods, but solid defence, led by player of the day Maria Puutu and centre back Kelly Wilson kept them at bay. However in the last few minutes, a Kawerau shot took a deflection and beat the keeper to make the final score 2 - 0 to the visitors.
The game was played in excellent spirit by both teams and was well refereed by Norm Howe.
This Sunday Rangers women are away to league leaders Old Blues.