A FOUR-minute burst which propelled Warrnambool Rangers to their second away win of the Ballarat and District Soccer Association season is expected to boost their confidence on the run to finals.
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Warrnambool coach Cameron Pyke said the Rangers found the net four times in four minutes to take a commanding 4-0 lead into half-time against lowly Creswick on Sunday.
The Rangers, who eventually won 5-1, have collected eight wins for the season to date but had struggled on the road.
“That was only our second away win we’ve had, so it was definitely good to get a bit of momentum even though it was against the bottom side,” Pyke said.
“We played good football. We were patient and passed the ball around.
“The Creswick pitch is good, nice and flat, and suited our game plan.
“We didn’t rush ourselves and when we do that our skills rise a bit.”
Pyke said Ryan Bail, who scored a hat-trick, opened the Rangers’ scoring, converting a penalty shot at the 25-minute mark.
The Rangers then scored three goals in three minutes to break the game open.
Sebastian Hulme scored their second from outside the box before captain Isaac Slater pounced on a mistake by the Creswick goal keeper.
Bail drilled his second goal soon after to give the visitors a commanding buffer.
He scored their fifth in the second half.
“The hat-trick was good for him because whenever he seems to score, we manage to get a win,” Pyke said.
Warrnambool hosts Vic Park, one of its top four challengers, at Jones Oval on Sunday. Pyke said the Rangers’ home ground held up well despite the recent heavy rain and the players were excited to test themselves on their home deck.
“I said to the boys yesterday that after all the work early in the year, the last two or three weeks have been spot on,” he said.
“We’re playing the football we want to play. It was a matter of fine-tuning a few things and we’ve done that now.”