In a challenge match to honour the sponsors of both teams, Gary Fowell Builders Plains Rangers put up a determined display against their Federation League neighbours Pullar Builders Whakatane.
Whakatane played nice football in the beginning, with good movement and passing stretching the defences of the BOP division two side Rangers. However, hard work from the Rangers team kept their shooting chances to outside the penalty area, and keeper Christian Wetting dealt with the long range strikes comfortably. Late in the half Rangers began to assert some authority and put pressure on the Whakatane defence. The tough battle was locked at 0 - 0 at half time.
With the start of the second half the willingness of the Rangers challenge was starting to show out, and a few minutes in, it paid off. Winger Ben McPherson was put through the Whakatane defence and he timed his shot well, drawing the keeper and then slipping the ball inside the post. The game was being evenly fought and it kept the fairly large crowd well entertained with some testy challenges as the Federation team grew more and more frustrated. Wetting was called on to make a great one-on-one save when Whakatane centre back Hayden Marrow burst through from the midfield. With ten minutes to go, Marrow repeated his surge forward and neatly scored, to lock the game up. In the final minute Rangers thought they had won a penalty when striker Aaron Muggeridge seemed to be brought down in the box, however an indirect free-kick was awarded and Whakatane kept it out for a final score: Whakatane 1, Plains Rangers 1.
Coach Wetting credited the Rangers' players' grit and determination in the after-match speech. He also acknowledged the input of sponsors Gary Fowell Builders, Little Orchard Per-school and Norske Skog Tasman over the season.
The Rangers prize giving and break-up is on October 13th.