Rangers one point short of winning northern zone title

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 33

Rangers one point short of winning northern zone title

Hurricane Rangers is one point away from winning the northern zone title in the Hertz Soccer League after its 1-1 draw with Christchurch United’s reserve team at Rangers Park on Saturday.

It has two matches left in which to get that point, against New Brighton at English Park tomorrow night, and against KLM Cashmere next week-end. Cashmere and Nomads United are the only clubs capable of drawing level with Rangers and their goal differences are markedly inferior. John Boatwood’s fifth goal of the league competition put Rangers ahead, but a defensive misunderstanding in the second half resulted in James Margaritis putting the ball into his own net.

Brighton will have to improve significantly on its showing against Western on Saturday if it is to deprive Rangers of the point it needs tomorrow night. The match at Queen Elizabeth II Park No. 2 was not particularly memorable, unless one happened to be a Western supporter.

Fighting an uphill battle to avoid relegation, Western got an invaluable three points with a 1-0 win. The two teams will meet against next Saturday and the winner of that match is likely to hold its place at the expense of the other. The first half was generally scrappy, with neither side seeming capable .of creating a clear opening. A strong opening 15 minutes by Western in the second half should have produced goals. Steve Rhind’s diving header bounced off a post; Kevin McGrath volleyed the ball over the bar from a good position; Mike Vannort forced the Brighton goal-keeper, Steve Payne, to tip a header over the crossbar; and Murray Angus, a hard worker in the midfield, unfortunately hammered a fierce 25m drive straight at Payne. Brighton should then have taken the lead. In the twentieth minute, the elusive Dion Moir was brought down by the combined challenges of the Western goalkeeper, Mike Pannell, and the right back, Paul Laffey, in the penalty area. Gerard Kemp sent his

penalty shot firmly to Pannell’s left, but the ball ricocheted off the upright and away. Pannell came to the rescue soon after when he got out smartly to block a Moir shot, while his opposite number, Payne, stopped a McGrath shot with an outstretched leg.

Western’s goal, 17 minutes from the end, was not one of the classics of the season. John Brand, breaking through in an inside right position, shot from the edge of the penalty area. Payne watched the ball roll past, thinking it would miss the far post. To his horror, and the delight of the spreadeagled Brand, the ball bobbled inside the upright.

Brighton could still have shared the points in the last minute had Andy Baffin’s firm header gone under, instead of over, the crossbar.

The impressive goal-scor-ing run of Duncan Bean continues. Three goals in the last two matches were

followed by a further three on Saturday as Nomads sunk South Canterbury, 4-1. Those goals lift Bean’s tally to 11 for the league, three more than his teammate, Danny Halligan, who got the opening goal for Nomads on Saturday. Darryl Hudson scored the only goal for South Canterbury.

Cockram Nissan Shamrock and Woolston W.M.C. fought out an entertaining 22 draw at Riccarton Domain.

An own goal gave Shamrock an early lead, but Keith Francis equalised before the interval. John van Opzeeland put Shamrock in front a second time, before Francis ensured a cut of the points for Woolston with an excellent goal from the edge of the penalty area. Cashmere scored the only goal of the second half to beat Frucci Halswell United, 3-2, at Halswell Domain. Peter Shea and Paul Harrison twice gave Cashmere the lead before half-time. However, Mike Cowen scored with a longrange shot, and Mel Jones capitalised on a defensive error to get a second for Halswell. Not long from the finish, Cashmere went ahead for the third, and final, time through Stu Gambles. HERTZ LEAGUE P W D L F A Pt Rangers 16 11 3 2 32 14 36.

Burndale United had the biggest win in the premier division on Saturday, when it beat Riccarton 7-0. New Brighton is one the bottom of the table, one point behind Riccarton. Riccarton has finished its programme but New Brighton has one match left to save itself. On Saturday, New Brighton drew, 0-0, to Rangers. In the other matches, Woolston W.M.C. and Western drew, 1-1; Technical beat High School Old Boys, 2-0; while Cashmere beat Shamrock, 2-1. PREMIER LEAGUE

Nomads 16 9 3 4 35 25 30 Cashmere 16 9 3 4 22 18 30 Shamrock 16 8 3 5 32 19 27 Wools ton 16 8 3 5 23 12 27 Sth Canty 16 4 4 8 18 29 16 Chch Utd 17 2 8 7 19 25 14 Brighton 15 4 2 9 17 23 14 Halswell 16 4 2 10 23 36 14 Western 14 3 3 8 12 32 12

P W D L F A Pt Tech. 17 13 1 3 49 15 40 Bumdale 16 11 1 4 49 15 34 Woolston 18 10 4 4 34 19 34 Rangers 17 9 2 6 31 28 29 Cashmere 18 8 2 8 28 31 26 Shamrock 17 6 3 8 22 28 21 H.S.O.B. 17 5 2 10 25 47 17 Western 17 4 4 9 20 39 16 Rice. 18 5 0 13 19 39 15 Brighton 17 3 5 9 13 29 14