A BATTLING and organised effort by Chris Tardif’s eventually came to nothing under the lights at Northfield.
An under-strength Rangers side were a match for the title contenders in a goalless first period, but once Danny Cooley broke the deadlock with a back post diving header just short of the hour mark our sterling resistance was broken.
On 70 minutes Brandon Wallace rifled home a second and the points were secured.
Rangers arrived without the holidaying Seb Sheppard and Jacques Cauvin, the latter away celebrating his 18th birthday.
Sheppard was brilliant when the two sides met at KGV earlier in the season, but any worries that we would be found out in that area second time around were soon dispelled by the authority shown of veteran keeper Adam Gontier.
Although our first-team keeper of many years back was relatively unworked, everything he did was with assurance and his confidence helped settle a back four which was well marshalled by another veteran, Matt Solway, who was also celebrating a birthday.
Alongside ‘Solly’ Harry Tester had an excellent game, as did 16-year-old Tom Solway.
It was also good to see Chris Hackeson back after the nasty head injury against Belgraves recently.
Early on Gontier was out quickly to deny Stuart Roussel who also wastefully headed over, but it was North’s own stand-in, Archie Drillot, who arguably had the bigger saves to make in the first half.
Drillot first denied George Goubert another goal and just past the half hour mark he threw himself to his left to deny Zac Batiste a goal.
Playing against the wind our chances were more restricted in the second half but even after going two down we continued to battle away and in stoppage time Batiste was again denied by Drillot, this time at the near post.
Overall, the performance again showed how far the team have come since August under the guidance of the coaching team.

Team
Gontier, T Solway, Tester, M Solway, Hacakeson, Clatworthy (c), Billien, Collenette, Batiste, Timms, Goubert.
Subs used: Miguel Jardim, White, Camacho, Travis.
Unused: G/k Josh Bisson.
Referee: B Blondel.