Nick Lanau-Atkinson latched onto a superb cross from William Humphrey and volleyed one between the legs of the Lions keeper to score the lone goal to secure a narrow 1-0 win for his side. In a game impacted significantly by howling winds that wreaked havoc with the players passing, Rangers were able to score one against the wind, before grinding out the result and holding on for a huge 3 points.

The opening twenty minutes was a frenetic affair and somehow failed to produce a goal. Rangers had a pair of promising moments down the right resulting in good crosses from the Lanau-Atkinson brothers, but it was Kingborough who looked the more likely side to score.

Tim Baker was causing all manner of problems with his searing pace and clever dribbling skills seeing him get in behind the lines three times. The Rangers defence was struggling to deal with him, but they managed to weather the storm as a lack of composure in the box cost the Lions, as this was the Lions best spell of the game.

They then found themselves down as Rangers took the lead with a moment of magic. Humphrey’s deep cross was brilliantly executed given he was hitting it into a strong wind but Lanau-Atkinsons’s execution was even better, striking the volley with an immaculate technique and handing his side the advantage.

The wind was really making it tough for both sides to play any type of attractive game but Chris Downes tried to use the conditions to his advantage as he launched a chipped effort from within his own half that landed on the roof of the net and had Whatman scrambling in the minutes leading up to half time.

Kingborough again started the next half brightly and came close on a couple of occasions, Phil Kantzos nodding a good chance just over the top but as the half wore on, the chances dried up and they found it tough to build much playing into such a fierce wind.

Conversely with the wind now at their backs, the Rangers shifted their game style and played more aerial balls, moving it more directly in what became a battle of field position. With a lead in their pockets they didn’t need to worry about going all out for the goal, yet they nearly did score twice only for O’Connell to deny Cano with some class keeping.

The Lions were struggling to string anything meaningful together late on though, the wind making it hard to get the ball. The last 20 minutes was a fine demonstration of game management from Rangers. Any chance they got to eat up the seconds they took, they kept the ball in the corners and really killed the game off. For a side that had struggled in second halves in 2018 it was a positive sign and another signal of the squads increasing maturity.

The win moves Rangers up to fifth place on the table, jumping over the Lions who fall to sixth place in a very congested looking NPL Tasmania mid-table.