Plains Rangers had a very good first home fixture of the season on Saturday when they hosted Papamoa Buccaneers at Edgecumbe. Rangers were missing a few players through injury, and took a little while to settle and to adjust to the steady breeze at their backs. However, after quarter of an hour, the home team opened the scoring when Hamish Wilde struck a free kick from distance which sailed into the top corner of the Papamoa goal. Midway through the half an underhit pass in the Rangers defence was capitalised on by the visitors who equalised. Rangers looked to bounce straight back and were unlucky when left winger Isaiah Davidson hit the crossbar with a shot. Late in the half Rangers were again denied when a great ball from the midfield put David Wakelin through the defence. He hit a shot sweetly, but the Papamoa keeper pulled off a terrific save to tip it over the bar. At half time the score was locked up at 1 – 1.
Rangers got their passing game going well after the interval and were soon rewarded. Just two minutes into the second half, Davidson sent in a ball from the wing that drifted into the back of the net. Only five minutes later great work by the excellent Sione Lotu up front robbed the Papamoa keeper of the ball and Shane Baillie, marauding forward from defence, slotted the ball into the net. Rangers controlled a lot of the play for the rest of the game, keeping their shape well, with Lotu challenging the visiting defence time and again. The final score was Plains Rangers 3, Papamoa 1.
The game was played in good spirit and it was well controlled by referee Dave Taylor. Isaiah Davidson was named player of the day for the home team, with Sione Lotu also outstanding.
This Saturday Rangers have an interesting away trip. They face a new club in BOP senior football, Omokoroa FC.

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