Plains Rangers AFC
16 June 2001 Best Insulation Tournament
On Saturday Plains Rangers contested the annual Best Insulation tournament at Rotorua Suburbs. Although the weather was inclement and the pitches turned to mud as the day went on, the twelve teams enjoyed the opportunity of watching each other play between their rounds.
Rangers were in a pool with Whakatane (Div One) and Tauranga City United (Div Two). Rangers got off to a slow start on an already sticky pitch, and were two goals down before they got their game together. A better second half saw Rangers compete on equal footing (!) and put the ball in the Whakatane goal, only to have it disallowed for a disputed off-side call. Whakatane 2, Plains Rangers 0.
Rangers scored early in their next game, when Simon Ruiter wrong-footed the TCU keeper in the slippery conditions. The very short field made it difficult to get the game flowing, so it was a rather disjointed affair. In the second half TCU pounced on a moment's hesitation in the Rangers defence to equalise. Plains Rangers 1, TCU 1.
Rangers finished their group in second place and went through to the plate semi-final. This was against Tauranga City United's division one team. It was an even game, with Rangers playing their best football of the day. However, TCU got the only break, robbing the ball off a defender and squaring it across goal for the winner. A number of raids put pressure on their opponents but to no avail. TCU 1, Plains Rangers 0.
Highlights of the day were the hard grafting of Simon Ruiter and Bas Overdevest in the midfield; the return, for the day, of Cameron Peat, who added some spark up front; and the plucky display of Ian Finch in playing keeper for Whakatane's second team, who were short of numbers.
This Saturday Rangers begin the second round of the league, with a difficult assignment away to leaders Rotorua Suburbs. Suburbs, who also won the Best Insulation tournament, will still be smarting from their first up 3 - 0 surprise drubbing at the hands of Rangers.
Forward to BOP Div One points table