Match Report: Round 14

Rangers continued their good form with their second 2-0 home victory in two weeks, against North Sunshine Eagles.

Coach Robbie Noggler was force to make a defensive change this week with Ronnie Clayson suspended following his sending off against Westvale.  Drew Corry was brought back from his midfield roll into central defence to cover Ronnie’s absence.

However, Rangers welcomed back talismanic striker Troy Hardy after a back problem forced him to sit out the Westvale game.

In the first half Rangers and the Eagles traded possession but neither side could break through to score the decisive first goal.

Frustrations began to build in the Rangers camp before half time, but the message from coach Robbie Noggler was to stay focused and avoid pushing the self destruct button by maintaining discipline.

Facing the home crowd, Rangers lifted their game and began to pile the pressure on the Eagles defence.  Scott Davison was the first to go close after being played in on goal by a deft pass from James Blackburn.  The midfield dynamo struck a left footer sweetly but was denied by an excellent save from the goalkeeper.

Blackburn was the next to go close again denied by the goalkeeper’s acrobatics.  However from the resulting corner Rangers got the breakthrough they deserved.  Davison pinged in a thunderbolt to the near post which was headed into his own goal by a North Sunshine Midfielder.  Rangers 1, Eagles 0.

Rangers continued to pressure, with Troy Hardy twice going close to scoring on his return.

As the game wore on the Eagles fought their way back into the contest and piled on pressure on the Rangers defence.  A goal line clearance from the excellent Drew Corry denied North Sunshine an equaliser.

Then in the dying minutes the ‘Gers’ put the game beyond doubt when a pass from Corry was sublimely flicked on by Hardy into the path of James Blackburn.  Blackburn controlled the ball before precisely chipping the Eagles keeper from 20 yards.

Another great win for the Rangers, which was made even more sweet with the news that rivals Geelong had lost away at Laverton.  Rangers are now one point behind Geelong at the top of the table.