THURSDAY:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
WARRNAMBOOL Rangers will have a bye this weekend after their Ballarat and District Soccer Association round two opponent asked for the match to be rescheduled.
The game against Bacchus Marsh was to be played at 1pm Saturday at Jones Oval.
It will be played later in the season, during a pre-scheduled bye round, after Bacchus Marsh highlighted player availability issues on the Anzac Day weekend.
MONDAY:
WARRNAMBOOL Rangers are aiming to capitalise on their early season form when they play a rare Saturday afternoon home game.
Coach Cameron Pyke said the Ballarat and District Soccer Association club usually played on Sundays.
"With Anzac Day being Sunday, we have a Saturday fixture at Jones Oval," he said.
"It is something a little bit different for us. We don't play many Saturday games and even then we normally play Saturday night games."
The round two clash against Bacchus Marsh will tip off at 1pm.
Pyke is hopeful the new-look Rangers' outfit can build on a 1-0 season-opening win against Ballarat North United.
The club unveiled club debutants Connor Bellman, Wade Griffin, Will Van Der Starre and George Paspiliaris in round one.
Under 17-listed duo Chance Kelly and Harry Bermingham also played their first senior games while Isaac Welsh, Cam Jennings and captain Josh Bourke returned to the pitch in Rangers' colours after time away.
Pyke said the team showed cohesion in its first outing together.
"In the first half we applied a lot of pressure. I think we did a really good job in making sure they didn't have too much time of the ball," he said.
"It's something we want to work on as much as possible this year - to be the team to put the opposition on the backfoot.
"The first 20 minutes we came out and we did that really well."
Paspiliaris scored Rangers' goal.
"He's a bit older but he's very experienced," Pyke said.
"He's moved across from Adelaide. He plays more of an attacking midfield role."
The Rangers suffered two accidental facial injuries against Ballarat North United.
"George copped an elbow to the chin and he has a deep laceration which I think might require some stitches or a bit of glue," Pyke said.
"Ryan Bail copped an elbow to the mouth. Both players had to go off with the blood rule."
Owen Kirby was man of the match after playing a pivotal role in the midfield.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters.
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Tap here to open our Google News page.
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group.
- If you have subscribed, join our subscriber-only Facebook group.
- Subscribe.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.