"You played the best football of any team we've met this season," was a very sporting quote from the visiting Greerton captain after Gary Fowell Builders Plains Rangers were victorious 4 - 0 in their BOP division three game on Saturday.
The game, the first round in the top seven league, began at a good pace with both teams testing each other. Rangers soon got their midfield passing going, and this was a feature of the match with the ball being moved around fluently. Good runs from strikers Aaron Muggeridge and Harley de Lacy started opening gaps in the Greerton rearguard and a series of corners ensued. After a corner, De Lacy turned neatly and struck a volley home, to open the scoring. Rangers captain Richie Nillesen belted a powerful shot against the post. Such was the continuity of the attack, a Greerton defender four times had to blast the ball over his own goal line to thwart Rangers, one clearance going spectacularly close to scoring. At the other end, Greerton did create chances too, and young Rangers keeper Jono Whitaker did well to palm a high shot over the bar. Just before the break, Bas Overdevest got up well to another corner, and the Greerton defender on the line couldn't keep the header out. The half time score Rangers 2 - Greerton 0.
The visitors had their best patch of the game after half time, with Rangers losing their fluid football for fifteen minutes. Rangers defenders Dylan Arthur and Scott Gallop had a few anxious moments, but sweeper Jason Pullar tidied things up well. The home team then got it together. A free kick was won just outside the Greerton penalty area and Nillesen drove it past the wall and into the far corner. Substitute Dean Butterworth went close to heading in a good Jeremy Hawkes cross. Late in the game, a Hawkes pass to de Lacy was intercepted by the Greerton keeper, who fumbled it and de Lacy scored with a tap in. The contest was willing to the end however, as typified by some bone crunching tackles in the midfield, but good spirit prevailed, aided by some excellent refereeing by Dave Taylor. The final score Plains Rangers 4, Greerton 0.
Rangers will be very pleased with the football they played and will look to continue it in the Tasman Bowl semi-final away to Te Puke this Saturday. Harley de Lacy was named player of the day, with Overdevest and Nillesen also in outstanding form.