Plains Rangers AFC
4 August 2001 v Ngongotaha
You have to take your chances to win, goes the old maxim. Plains Rangers will certainly know the truth of that after Saturday's game in soccer's BOP division one. Rangers were at home to Ngongotaha and for once had a strong looking line-up.
The home team attacked from the outset, but were rocked early. Ngongotaha, on one of their first moves forward sent a ball down the right to a striker, who must have been very close to off-side. His cross found an unmarked player in front of goal and the visitors opened the scoring. Rangers went back onto the attack and in the space of the first twenty minutes had created six good scoring chances. However, these were either squandered or well-saved. Dion Lowry went close when he robbed the ball at a Ngongotaha goal kick, but the keeper brought off a desperate save. The Overdevest brothers, Bas and Sjoerd, kept a steady supply of ball going forward. Christian Wetting tormented the visiting defence with his running at them, but no-one got the right touch in front of goal to finished the chances off. Simon Ruiter also put in a whole hearted performance up front, with his determined running putting a lot of pressure on the Ngongotaha defence. Late in the half, a lobbed ball deep into the Rangers half brought further reward for Ngongotaha. Keeper Daniel Overdevest was judged to have fouled the advancing striker as he dived to punch away the ball. The resulting penalty was converted well. Rangers were 2 - 0 down at half time, but knew they had been playing well.
After the break, Rangers continued to have the majority of possession and won a series of free kicks from referee Norm Howe for various fouls. One of these was inside the penalty area, and Wetting stepped up to put away the penalty. Rangers made a number of other chances in the second half, but either put them wide, over the top, or into the perfectly positioned hands of the Ngongotaha's player of the day, their keeper. Later in the half, the visitors sealed their win when a long range free kick found an unmarked man at the back post, and he squeezed it in. The final score Plains Rangers 1, Ngongotaha 3 did little to reflect what could and should have been.
The game was played very competitively, but in good spirit, and was well controlled by referee Howe. All the Rangers forwards and midfield played well, despite their lack of goal success. Sjoerd Overdevest earned player of the day. In defence Steve Vierboom had an outstanding game too.
This Saturday Rangers will not be playing, as the Tasman Cup, from which they were eliminated, is being contested. The following week Rangers are away to Otumoetai.
Forward to BOP Div One points table