Plains Rangers hosted Ohope Beach Sharks at the Edgecumbe Domain on Saturday, with the visitors keen to avenge the results of the first two meetings between the local rivals. Both teams were missing some important regular starting players, but it was the Rangers young guns who rose best to the challenge.
Rangers had the ascendancy early on, with the new centre-back pairing of captain James Hart and Ollie Fort looking very assured. Thirteen minutes in, Rangers got their noses in front. Good work from Kobi Wetting and Alex Boyce gave Ryan Elliot a chance and he placed a shot into the bottom left corner from twenty metres out. Ohope came more into the game after this and the expected physical battle was waged for the rest of the first half. The centre midfield match-up between Hamish Wilde and Joseph Spalding for Rangers and Tiwai Wilson and Ricardo Gomes Da Silva for Ohope was a real contest. Rangers took their 1 – 0 lead into the half time break.
There was a flurry of action early in the second half. Spalding won the ball in the midfield, beat several challengers and then fired the ball into the net, to double the lead. Ohope went straight down the other end after the restart and won a penalty when their player was fouled. The penalty was well taken and the deficit reduced. The play became scrappier as the game went on, with neither side really controlling the play, although the Rangers defence coped well with the threats of the visitors. The final score: Plains Rangers 2, Ohope Beach 1.
Excellent positioning and decision making won Ollie Fort the Rangers player of the day for his work in defence, narrowly beating out the fine midfield work of fellow youngster Joseph Spalding. A strong showing from fullback Patrick O'Connell saw him named player of the day for Ohope, with the good touches of forward Ben Howe also impressive.
This Saturday Rangers have the task of visiting league leaders Tauranga City Juggernauts. Juggernauts convincingly beat Rangers 5 – 0 in the first round, but suffered a surprising loss to Katikati on Saturday.
On Sunday, Plains Rangers women are finally back in action, after two weekends of no football. Rangers are away to Tauranga City Wolves.

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