Try telling FN Rangers’ head coach Arreshaat Daniels that his outfit are firm favourites and the team to beat in Stream A of the ABC Motsepe League and rest assured that Daniels will be as diplomatic as ever.
But their 2-1 comeback victory against Ubuntu FC in Ocean View on Saturday has once again proven that very few can outfox and outclass the team from Royal Road in Maitland.
Trailing 0-1 at half-time against the home side Rangers and Daniels needed to raise their game to save their blushes – they left it late after Giovanni Philander (72nd minute) and Glen Hahn (88) struck to steal all three points for the visitors.
Just to put things into perspective, Rangers have only lost one match thus far in all competitions – a regional Nedbank Cup against the Maties.
Without taking anything away from the Maties’ Cup success, Rangers have bigger fish to fry and that is winning the league and qualifying for the national First Division playoffs later in the season.
They have come close on numerous occasions, only to be beaten by a very good Zizwe United outfit in the past – so, the heartache and yearning to go one step better by giving themselves a go at the playoffs, remains Daniels’ primary objective.
And yes, there might be more than two-quarters of the season (11 games) left, very few can argue that it is their stream to lose.
Second-placed Ikapa Sporting and other challengers in their stream, like Santos, have tried but to no avail. The quality and depth Rangers possess is just on another level. They are a team that not only plays attractive and attacking football but also a unit that plays till the proverbial fat lady sings.
Needless to say, Rangers have from the best Unders in the league in the former Silver Spur product Tristan Brandt who is one for the near future. Not to mention Dondre Gordon and Morne Bennet. The latter came on at half-time and made a meaningful impact – this is due to the trust and confidence that Saatjie has installed in the youngsters.
Credit must also go to Daniels for not only handpicking his young talent to compliment his squad and accommodate the Under-rule but is also one of the very few coaches who implement this rule to the tee – striking the balance and making it work for both the young guns and his team, Daniels has certainly found a winning recipe.
Next up for Rangers is the struggling Ukhanya United (away) whose status has been acquired by Eagles Performance Academy, and judging by how the season has transpired for both clubs, it’s a case of keeping the score down for the Ukhanya as they have only won one of their previous four matches.
Alas, there is just one team preventing Daniels and his troops from achieving their objective, and that is Rangers themselves – they are the only threat as one cannot see any other club that can match them toe-to-toe.
