NORTH had expected to be all but clinching the U18s title at Northfield tonight.
But they found Rangers more than just stubborn opposition, the red and blacks deservedly taking the points and with it once again opening up the title race.
Although Rangers' own title ambitions have gone, the win leapfrogged them two spots and into third spot in the table.
With three games to go clinching the runner-up spot should not be beyond us, especially showing this commitment.
The result also served as a timely reminder to the rest of the league that next year Rangers will surely be a formidable outfit with very much the same side available at this level and some cracking U16s emerging to bolster the group.
Here there were several U16s on view and they all excelled, not least Olly Miller who was outstanding as he returned between the sticks to answer a keeping crisis.
Miller (pictured) has been playing very effectively as a left-sided raider all winter, but here he re-donned the gloves and produced a series of outstanding saves, including one double-stop late on which was reminiscent of Jim Montgomery for Sunderland in a distant FA Cup final.
In addition, Joe Tempest was terrific at left back, Callum Simmonds proved to be a fine foil to Goubert in central midfield and Pearce Le Poidevin was his usual lively self further forward.
Two more U16s, Monty Wyatt and Luke Shaw, also played a part in the success which stemmed from dogged defensive work after the two first quarter goals from George Goubert and Zac Batiste.
Goubert struck first at a simple free-kick routine and Batiste spun well before lashing high into the net.
The latter briefly looked destined to make it three but having rounded the keeper was denied by a brilliantly timed tackle.
At the other end Miller twice denied North, once with a flying dive high to his left to keep out a free-kick.
He was then caught late by a very late challenge which led to a deserved booking for McNeela.
Into the second half Rangers initially looked secure enough and Tom Solway nearly got a third, only to be denied by the keeper’s right boot.
North then came on strong and when skipper Jacques Cauvin was not denying the home side, they found Miller in top form and stopping everything that came his way.
A word of praise too for Cauvin who was dropped back into central defence to solve the problem of dealing without the injured duo of Harry Tester and Jake Mahy.

Team
Olly Miller, Alex Mourant, Jacques Cauvin, Moe Gontier, Joe Tempest, Tom Solway, Casey Mackrell, Cal Simmonds, George Goubert, Zac Batiste and Pearce Le Poidevin.
Subs: Luke Shaw and Monty Wyatt.