WHAT a debut!
Ben ‘Lanky’ Lanyon entered the fray at KGV with half an hour remaining and trudged off with a hat-trick on his Priaulx League debut.
Critics will say he should have had a couple more, one of those near-misses having struck a post, but, hey, who cares?
The tall reserve striker was all energy and running after coming on the moment Shane Billien made it 3-0.
But , guess what, he was not the only debutant celebrating.
Young Mark ‘Max’ Wall, still 16, made his first start in the absence of senior keepers Seb Sheppard (ill) and Adam Gontier (away), and the youngster certainly played his part in securing Rangers’ biggest first-team triumph in many a long year.
It was an important result in more than one way, as the three points and six-goal difference also lifted Rangers above Sylvans and into sixth place in the table.
And the lads certainly did it in style, taking charge from the very first minute when Lewis Battle started a superb move and was on hand to finish from close range.
It was electric football and within six minutes we had doubled the lead, Zac Batiste forcing home after a defensive tangle, one of many in the Ridunians 90min nightmare.
And in between those two strikes both George Goubert and Shane Billien had gone preciously close to doubling the lead.
Rangers were playing high, aggressive football.
Nobody was more effective than midfielder Battle who is developing so nicely under the stewardship of our excellent coaching team.
The shame is that after half an hour Battle’s battle against something afflicting him, was lost and young Jake Mahy came into the side with Tim Solway switching from right back to midfield.
Young ‘Solly’ was a perfectly able midfield replacement and his influence on the game for someone so young, is so encouraging for the club.
Goubert hit the post on 36min, the first of four occasions when we hit the woodwork.
But by then Alderney were coming more into the game and Wall made his first serious save, aim instinctive point-blank stop, while also being floored by a hefty, late challenge.
Encouragingly, the kid shook off the experience and kept a clean sheet until well in the second half, by which time Rangers were 5-0 up and cruising.
Billien’s goal and Rangers’ third with 54min on the clock, had proved crucial.
The veteran’s quality chipped finish was reward for another highly committed individual performance and no sooner had he made sure of the points, Lanyon shot into an empty net after a defensive mix up and Jacques Cauvin got the fifth after a peach of a feed from Batiste who, by now, had reverted back to the wing after starting as a central striker in Stef Timms’ absence.
Goubert and Batiste both struck the woodwork when it was easier to score, but the influence of these two U18s on the game continued to be strong.
Batiste was again frustrated when he passed up two clear chances in the same attack, while fellow U18 Harry Tester planted a towering header just wide.
Then, amid a string of Rangers changes to involve the whole squad, Alderney clawed two goals back in quick succession.
But before long normal service was resumed and in the space of five minutes Batiste got his second of the game and Lanyon added two more, as well as striking a post.
Overall, though, nothing was more pleasing than seeing Seb Sheppard supporting the side from the touchline just a fortnight after he was fighting for his life in intensive care.
Seb, who has been outstanding for us this campaign, came along to watch half the game and undoubtedly seeing their recovering team-mate before kick off proved a big fillip to the squad.
Seb remains a long way from playing football again, but that is a secondary consideration after the issues he has bravely faced.
It was great to see him at KGV and from all at Rangers we wish you a full and speedy recovery Seb. You, like all our talented youngsters, are the future of this proud old club.

Team
Mark Wall; Tom Solway, Harry Tester, Matt Solway, Chris Hackeson; Joe Clatworthy, Lewis Battle, Shane Billien, Jacques Cauvin, Zac Batiste, George Goubert.
Subs used: Jake Mahy, Toby White, Jack Travis.
Sub keeper: Josh Bisson.

Note: Today’s squad may well be the youngest ever to play for Rangers in their Priaulx League history.
When Jake Mahy came on he became the seventh U18 in a side that also had a youth sub keeper in Josh Bisson.