Sometimes only a centimetre separates winners and losers in sport and on Saturday it proved true for Gary Fowell Builders Plains Rangers at Te Puke. Rangers travelled to play Te Puke for their BOP div three fixture, on a pitch that got increasingly heavy under the steady rain.
Rangers got off to a good start when Harley de Lacy collected a Simon Gowing throw-in and beat the keeper at the near post. The home team got back on level terms against the run of play when their striker got hold of a header back to the Rangers keeper and put it away. The game settled into a fairly even contest, assisted by some wayward Rangers passing. Late in the half, captain Richie Nillesen bent a free kick around the Te Puke wall and though the keeper did well to get a hand to it, he couldn't keep it out. Rangers went into the half time break 2 - 1 ahead.
The greasy ground conditions added extra interest to the second half, with tiring legs making good soccer hard to play. Midway through the half, the home team looked to have gained a share of the points with a well directed header. However supersub Donald Rabbits took his chance and bounced a well-hit shot in off the far post. It ricocheted in behind the keeper for the winning goal. Shortly afterwards Rabbits was upended by a defender, but Rangers couldn't capitalise on the resulting penalty, which kept the game exciting to the end. The final score was Te Puke 2, Plains Rangers 3.
Mark Jeynes was named player of the day for Rangers after making a good job of his first ever game at centre back. Others to do well included Gowing and keeper Cody Hancox. This coming Saturday Plains Rangers are at home to Taupo Nui-a-Tia. Kick-off at the Edgecumbe Domain is likely to be 2 pm.