Consistent Rangers revelled in tough soccer competition

Press, 29 August 1979, Page 26

Consistent Rangers revelled in tough soccer competition

By

DAVID LEGGAT

Any soccer team which drops a mere point in its final 13 matches deserves to be a competition winner. That is what Rangers did in the 1979 Midland Coachlines League. Yet the strength of the league was such that had Rangers not won their final match they would have finished second behind Caversham. This, perhaps, gives

further proof, if any more is needed, that the southern league is undoubtedly the toughest regional competition in the country. H one word best sums up the secret of Rangers success it Would be consistency or. as its astute coach, lan “staying power.” It was the most competent all-rountT' squad in the league and had enough .depth to adequately cover for any injuries.

This was why players such as Steve Welford and Geoff Taylor, normally integral parts of the Rangers machine, were not missed as much as they might have been. The best example of this came in the penultimate match against Shamrock when Rangers were without five key players. but still pulled through to win, 2-0.

Rangers’ play was based on a sound defence, a youthful and talented midfield and a front line of players entirely different in

style but equally effective when faced with a scoring chance. The remarkable aspect is that Mr Marshall used virtually the same squad as in previous seasons when Rangers were always good but not quite good enough to finish on top of the points table. He made only two real gains, the goalkeeper, Brian Reeves, and the right back, Tony Steer. Both did very well. Reeves conceded 16 goals, an effort bettered only by Caversham’s accomplished goal-keeper, Jim Taylor. Steer improved steadily during the season and capped an extremely satisfying year by playing for Canterbun’.

John Souter was an efficient sweeper and a commanding captain, w’hile Alan South was always effective at centre back

and played supremely well on occasions. At left back, the veteran of the team, John Oliver, was an uncompromising defender but a constructive player with the ball. The midfield was an unusual blend. No player worked harder than Rob Camphens and his industrious toiling w’as a feature of the team’s efforts. His younger brother, Luke, is a gifted player but had a tendency to drift out of a game at times. However, when he was in form there

were few more skilful players in the league. Gordon Faichnie was always busy and his work rate on the left flank was impressive. This midfield was rarely dominated during the season.

Unlike some teams, notably Western and Papanui W.M.C., Rangers did not rely on one or two players to regularly produce the goals. A total of 11 players — and one Papanui defender — contributed to the 50 goals scored in the competition. Heading the list were Neil Francis, Malcolm Parker and Trevor Blake, with 12, 10 and nine goals respectively. Francis, Woolston’s top scorer in the Rothmans League last year, was a constant dan-

ger to opposing defences with his speed. Parker, the highest scorer in the history of the league, missed seven matches in the 18-game programme, therefore averaging virtually a goal a game, which probably best emphasised his immense value. Blake made a generally successful transition from defence to attack and was an excellent target man. His talent in the air was invaluable. On three occasions he scored twice in a match. Murray Smith and Scott Dewar played their parts in what was obviously a happy team. Indeed, it was Smith who scored perhaps the most important goal of the season: a header which put Rangers ahead against Shamrock in the second to last match with only 15 minutes re-

maining. A draw’ would have cost Rangers the title. The only “bad” point Rangers dropped was in a 3-3 draw with Technical after leading, 3-0, in its 12th game. An indication of the regard in which Rangers — the club, not just the senior team — is held in Canterbury soccer could

be seen by the zeal with which teams approached the task of beating a Rangers side. “We seem to have become the team to beat. We have learned to weather the pressure,” said Mr Marshall. He clearly has the respect of his players. It was a tribute to Mr Marshall that he was able to weld a winning team out of a squad which mus have been getting used to a “second best” label.