On Saturday, Plains Rangers’ men travelled to play Katikati at a sunny Moore Park.

The home team came out of the blocks quickly and wasted a golden opportunity to score after only five minutes, shooting wide from straight in front.

Fifteen minutes in, they sliced through the Rangers’ defence to score a well-taken goal.

Rangers jolted into life and the chances flowed. Elijah Wetting, welcomed back for only his second game of the season, shot just wide. Hamish Wilde’s fierce drive from 25 metres bounced back off the post.

Ollie Fort was causing havoc down the left flank and twice went close to scoring, but the Katikati goal remained intact.

Late in the half, a good run from Ryan Elliot ended up with Kobi Wetting trying a delicate chip. It cleared the home team keeper, but hit the crossbar.

At halftime, Katikati led 1-0.

Rangers continued their domination of play after the break. A great pass from defender Teimana Awhimate found Fort, but his strike went just wide. Midway through the half, the home team’s crossbar was like a magnet.

An Elijah Wetting shot was brilliantly saved, the Katikati keeper getting fingertips to it, to deflect it onto the bar.

Five minutes later, Awhimate got his head to a corner, but again was denied by the bar.

The home team settled back to protect their lead and Rangers became increasingly desperate to score.

Late in the half, an Elijah Wetting cross was headed just over the goal by Fort and in the final minutes substitute Ian Gray sent a back-header narrowly wide from a Wilde long throw.

The final whistle blew. with the home team rejoicing their 1-0 victory and Rangers lamenting being unable to convert their chances.

Fullback Anaaru Awhimate was named player of the day for his strong efforts in keeping Katikati’s speedy winger well contained.

Hamish Wilde also impressed with an excellent passing game, creating a lot of his team’s forward movement. Rangers will need to capitalise on chances when they travel, again, to Ngongotahā this Saturday for a return league fixture. The two side have drawn both games in their meetings so far this season.

A good-sized crowd and a sunny afternoon at the Edgecumbe Domain greeted Whakatāne Town and hosts Plains Rangers’ women on Sunday afternoon.

Early on, the contest was fairly even with both sides trading shots on goal. Rangers got their passing game going but couldn’t quite manage the finishing touches against a well-organised Whakatāne defence.

Midway through the first half, a well-weighted through ball was picked up by Whakatāne’s Emma Owen, who raced through and placed her shot neatly in the bottom left corner to give her side the lead.

Rangers, seemingly unphased, kept pushing, with some good link play from Olivia Ross and Dee Haldane in the midfield. Whakatāne kept attacking also, with Rangers’ defenders Lucy Cox-Ellison and Ella Bain having to work overtime. The score remained 1-0 at halftime.

Whakatāne switched gears in the second half, with wave after wave of attack. A tiring Rangers side scrambled well in defence, but the wealth of possession by Whakatāne took its toll.

Goals to Kiahli Lambert, Emma Owen’s second of the day, plus an own goal took the game away from Rangers.

Chelsea Brown put the cherry on top for Whakatāne with a delightful curling shot over the keeper’s head making the final score 5-0.

Whakatāne are somewhat of a bellwether for Rangers and the contests have been increasingly close in recent years, so Rangers will be disappointed not to have stayed in touch with the scoreline, though not through a lack of effort.

Jenna Hines was strong in goal as always and Dee Haldane was named player of the day for her outstanding link play and high work rate through the middle of the park.

This Sunday, Rangers’ women are at home again, this time to Wāhine Toa from Te Puke.