Wasteful in front of goals all day, Northern Rangers were made to pay late in a 3-0 loss on Sunday to Olympia.
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In a game that was highlighted by a taste of end-to-end football, Rangers were found wanting down back.
The Warriors exposed the home side’s frailties with two goals both heading and entering into injury time.
The defeat leaves Rangers languishing in the bottom three and six points adrift of Hobart Zebras.
The fifth-placed side had dropped two spots overnight on the NPL Tasmania table courtesy of Olympia’s win, but also their own 5-2 defeat at the hands of South Hobart.
Ken Morton’s men had dissected their Hobart rivals that was reminiscent of their Lakoseljac Cup quarter-final, with two doubles in the early stages of the first and second halves before South later conceded consolation goals.
The result certainly proved favourable for competition frontrunners Launceston City, only having Devonport City within two wins of the Prospect side’s early lead.
But for flagging crosstown rivals, the final scoreline brought about more frustration than anything.
Rangers could feel quite aggrieved from the number of attacking thrusts, especially in the second half when an equaliser seemed inevitable.
Harry Thannhauser was the biggest proponent of the near misses in a more attacking role than just playmaker.
That rejigged role became more prevalent when captain Nick Lanau-Atkinson could not carry his limping body any further and was substituted out of the game inside the last half hour.
Thannhauser came close to scoring on three occasions in the second half.
But the 20-year-old went one better in the first half when he netted what had appeared Rangers’ first, only to find the linesman holding up his flag for offside.
That would have relieved some pressure on tireless goalkeeper Sam Whatman in doing his best to swat away several Olympia chances.
The New Zealander had conceded a 10th minute goal to Eduardo Castaneda in the top right-hand corner, but went the next 70 minutes without giving a chance.
By then Daniel Cristy looked to equalise when his header struck the crossbar and Thannhauser’s shot off the deflection went wide.
But enter Gordon Gurson, who had a knack of catching Rangers out multiple times on the counterattack.
After threatening all game with his pace running into open space, the diminutive American scored first from a free kick that curled around the Rangers’ wall.
Gurson’s second was more indicative of his day when he launched a passing shot into the net to ice the win.