The Reserves had set themselves a goal to finish the year on a high after what has been largely a disappointment in terms of results. 

The goal to finish with three wins from the three remaining games, in addition to that, Adam Whitemore has impressed the importance of responding to conceding goals as the Seniors have.  The last two weeks would suggest that is starting to happen.

The conditions were appalling and it made it largely difficult to get the ball moving, let alone get power or lift on shots.

Northern Rangers were missing the likes of Joey Summers and Patty Lanu-Atkinson who had been called in as fresh subs for the senior bench, as was Michael Townsend in his return after a 5 week absence. 

Tenzing Anderson continued his impressive first year at club level with another reserve start whilst still under 16.

While Rangers created the better chances thanks to some good runs from Chad Honey up front, Lino Sciulli was making some strong saves and making it incredibly hard to score.

Honey eventually broke through with a cracking volley from the top of the box sailing into the top corner.

From a corner at the other end, a great ball was headed away well by Brendon Mulder to the feet of an attacker, his shot cleared of the line by Tenzing Anderson but the second rebound found the back of the net and scores were level.

Just 5 minutes later City went further in front when the Northern Ranger defenders left a lose ball for the other to clear, the City striker ran through gathered the ball and dispatched the ball past the stranded keeper.

At half time Rangers were behind on the score board but not in terms of the play, at least 6 one on ones and one goal to show, while City had only scored from opportunist chances created largely from the wet weather mistakes.

Rangers stuck to their normal game plan and pushed for the equaliser.  Rohan Pooley was having a strong impact together in midfield with John Fisher, but his hamstring problems forced him not to push too far and came of at the 55 minute mark.  This introduced Mark Jefferson to the midfield.

But the difference in the game came from the introduction of Harley Redman to the right side of midfield.  He provided drive and pace to the wing and scored the equaliser after Chad Honey’s shot was deflected across goal and Redman paced into finish the chance.

Rangers had their tails up and were pushing for the winner, it eventually came again from Chad Honey who ran through again thanks to a great ball from midfield and squared up for Josh vanZetten to finish in front of a vacant goal for the winner.

It has to be said that the back line of de Ruiter, Mulder, Anderson, Girrard and Tom Burk when he came on was sensational and a big part of the days success.

Adam Whitemore said after the game “Really great win. In woeful conditions we showed you can still play from the back and build up play. We stayed positive in the second half, kept passing the ball and made a couple of changes that gave us a bit more energy and pace.

 A really good team performance, great to see the young players play so well. Outstanding.”