The Vultures handed the Rangers their first loss for the season when they met in late April, but Warrnambool coach Cameron Pyke said his charges have come a long way since that earlier encounter.

“We were a different side then than what we are now,” he said.

“Earlier in the season we were having a few ‘teething problems’.

“We’ve had a few players come into the side.

“We’ve bonded more as a team; our chemistry is just a bit better.”

The Rangers sit one position and two-and-a-half wins ahead of the Vultures, and are knocking on the door of the top four with six rounds remaining before finals.

Pyke was confident that the Rangers’ best soccer could propel them into finals and lead them all the way to a premiership, but it was a matter of getting all the pieces in place.

The Warrnambool side will be without top-scorer Isaac Slater – who has slotted in nine goals this season – for the next four rounds as he travels overseas, but Pyke said with three games coming up against teams lower than them on the ladder, it was vital the Rangers bag wins.

“Hopefully we score a few goals, too – our goal differential is not great,” he said.

Ryan Bail, who is the next most prolific scorer after Slater, will look to step up and add to his five goals for the season, but the Rangers will also need to find more contributors to add to their goaling prowess.

The Rangers will be looking to bounce back from a “pretty embarrassing” 4-nil loss to top team Sebastopol Vikings.

Pyke said the bigger pitch at Jones Oval would suit the Rangers, who like to use the wings and their pace to open games up.

The Warrnambool Rangers’ division one women’s team will be looking for another goal differential-boosting win when it hosts Forrest Rangers in the earlier game at Jones Oval on Sunday.