Courage, discipline and determination are qualities FN Rangers St Agnes Football Club displayed at the 2024 Bayhill under-19 Premier Cup.
Despite going down 4-1 in the final against Cape Town Spurs, at Athlone Stadium, on Monday April 1, this is a Rangers side that impressed friend and foe at the soccer spectacular.
The Maitland team will forever be remembered for reaching the prestigious tournament’s Roger Clayton final, named in honour of the tournament stalwart, former media liaison officer who died in 2020.
On the road to the final against eventual winners, Cape Town Spurs, Rangers beat Highlands Park 3-1, convincingly.
It was interesting to watch how Rangers moved the ball between the defenders and the midfield players. In the final, for instance, they built their confidence slowly from the back.
The goalkeeper, Matiyash Domingos, is a baller who knows how to use his feet. In the majority of the passes that were played backwards, he was able to control and spread the ball wide for the centre-backs to play possession to the right back or the left back, depending on which side the ball was kicked.
On many occasions, the midfielders, Tristan Brandt and Sibabalwe Ningi would drop to collect the ball, or the defenders would drive the ball and hit a pass to the striker and captain, Liam Hempe, who would then lay it back to an attacking midfielder. The attacking midfielder, would then play it to the wingers, who drove the ball and crossed it into the box for the striker to finish.
This worked for Rangers throughout the tournament. They piled up tension in the opposition’s backline, disturbing them with crosses from wide angles. To solidify their effort, they were awarded with a goal in the final.
Going back and defending, however, became a hard shuffle on three occasions for Rangers.
Against a side like Spurs, when a team drops its guard, at any given moment, they get punished. Spurs were ruthless going forward, they were awarded with four goals, including a penalty, to reclaim gold.
Nonetheless, in the all Cape Town-affair, it was the effort, team work and spirit, that head coach Warwick Hector’s side displayed in the 35-year-old tournament that continues to produce stars.
“We are a young group so it became a bit difficult for the legs and injuries at the end but it is something to learn. The journey itself has been amazing. It is something we started last year. Getting into the Bayhill, playing the Bayhill and reaching the final is something we dream of as kids and to make that a reality for the kids is only a special moment,” said Hector.
He was awarded the coach of the series, while his goalkeeper, Domingos, picked up the goalkeeper of the series trophy.
“Most of the boys are still young, the majority of us are like 16 years old, so we still have a lot of work to do with the coaches,” said Domingos.
Midfielder, Brandt, from Athlone, was one of the key players throughout the tournament for Rangers, he even scored a cracker against Highlands in the semis, at Erica Park Stadium, on Sunday night. Brandt encouraged his teammates to lift their heads high.
“The Bayhill experience has been a good experience. My goal before the tournament was to encourage and push the boys. It all comes down to determination. Look where the boys got to, to the finals. This is not the end goal, this is the future ABC Motsepe League team. I am very proud of the boys, each one of them are stars,” said Brandt.
The Bayhill Premier Cup started on Wednesday March 27, at Erica Park, in Belhar, and the finals were played at Athlone Stadium on Easter Monday, April 1.
