A sporting spirit prevailed in the muddy conditions at Edgecumbe Domain when
Plains Rangers Edgecumbe hosted league leaders Whakatane in BOP division one on
Saturday.
The visitors started with all guns blazing and made quite a few fast raiding attempts
on the Rangers goal. Whakatane scored early and got their tails up. Rangers found it
hard to hold possession for long and the pressure built up. Whakatane scored again
midway through the half. Rangers battled to keep them out for the remainder of the
half, with player of the day Harley de Lacy in great form at the back.
After the break the home team built up some good periods of possession and it turned
into an even game. Richie Nillesen made a good run to latch onto a chip and had the
ball in the Whakatane net, but the off-side flag was up. Sjoerd Overdevest, called
back for his first game of the season, had an excellent game in the centre midfield
with his brother Bas. Their combination, coupled with the return of George Elliot,
also for the first time this year, had Rangers playing some decent football. Late in the
game Whakatane sealed their win and also the league championship with an
outrageous goal flicked in by Chris Daniels. De Lacy still had time to head a goal
bound shot from ex-Rangers captain Jason Pullar off the goal-line at an amusingly
low height. The final score was Plains Rangers 0, Whakatane 3.
Next Saturday, Rangers are also at home, this time to Otumoetai. They will hope to
have all players back on deck.