A good first half performance had Gary Fowell Builders 0 - 0 at half time with league leaders Te Puke. Both teams were keen to start the new top half round in good form, but the football never really flowed for a while. There were some willing challenges, which escalated as the game went on. Rangers' player-coach Christian Wetting did a good job mopping up any threats that got in behind his hard working defence. Striker Josh Hyndman had a chance early, but he couldn't keep his shot down. Late in the first half, captain Richie Nillesen, playing his first full game for Rangers since May, had his header desperately clawed off the line by the Te Puke keeper. Rangers were unlucky to lose sweeper Kirk Bain just before half time, but satisfied with a battling performance.
In the second half, Te Puke set alight their vociferous home crowd when danger man Lee Hillier got through and converted his one-on-one chance well. Some slick passing saw the home team add a second. The battled continued to rage across the park, as illustrated by the ball being won by what looked to the Rangers defence like a dangerous tackle and then put away for number three. Te Puke player-coach Shaun McIlwain bemoaned the fact that Rangers weren't giving up the fight, being three goals down. Rangers emphasized his point with a well worked goal, player of the day Nillesen and Bas Overdevest slicing through their defence for the latter to score. Two late, debatable penalties blew out the score to Te Puke 5 Plains Rangers 1 in the end.
Te Puke were the worthy winners and will be hard to topple for league honours in the remaining five rounds. This Saturday Rangers have another away game, to Otumoetai.