Plains Rangers Edgecumbe did not fulfil a promising start to their first home game of
the season. Rangers hosted neighbours Kawerau in BOP division one on Saturday.
Rangers started out well, putting some fluid moves together and having a good share
of the game. Striker Dan Logan rattled the crossbar early on. After twenty minutes, a
good move ended with Barrie Hawkes laying the ball off for James Mitchell to slot
past the Kawerau keeper. However in replay of last week’s game, Rangers then
conceded a goal immediately, the defence failing to cope with a bouncing ball.
Rangers continued to attack regularly , but before half time, Kawerau had taken the
lead after confusion in the Rangers defence.
After the break, Kawerau again made the most of their chances. They went further
ahead, before Logan pulled a goal back with a good finish. It was not going to be the
home team’s day however. A foul in the Rangers penalty area led to a well taken spot
kick. The day finished on a high note for the visitors when ex-Rangers player Roger
Hainsworth put a sweet outside of the foot shot past keeper Aberhart. The final score,
Plains Rangers Edgecumbe 2, Kawerau 5.
Player of the day for Rangers was Aaron Storey, who toiled hard in the midfield. All
in all it was a fairly even good-spirited game, with the score blowing out in the end.
Rangers will need to produce a better performance next week when they travel to play
Otumoetai.