BDSA: Forest Rangers' victory spurs young team on

FOREST Rangers have enjoyed their biggest victory of the Ballarat and District Soccer Association season, defeating North United 3-2 at West Wendouree.On a wet, muddy pitch, Rangers handled the condition better than their top-four opponents to record only their second win of the season against a depleted North United team. Forest Rangers assistant coach Jason Thurgood said the result was a sign of better things to come from the club's young players."It was an upset, for sure," Thurgood said. "We haven't played that well this year and lost a lot of players at the end of last season. It has taken time for the team to gell together with so many young players added to the senior squad."The condition of the park played a part and a bit of luck as well, but I'd reckon the main thing is it was the best we've played this year. "It showed the players that they can do it."Forest Rangers scored in the first half from a cross into the box for Wayne Baststra.Rangers' second goal came from an error by the North United keeper, when the ball got stuck in the mud and he slid past it, allowing Michael Loughnan to score.The third goal was a scramble from a corner. The ball sat in the mud and Chris Lee toe-poked it into the net.Simon Jebramik and Paul Larkin each scored one goal for North United.Jake Derbyshire, who played under-15 last year was one of Forest's better players, along with Lee and Loughnan.Callum Best, another young player in the Forest squad, was also a good contributor, along with current under-15 player Phil Lepoidevin.Jebramik and Larkin were among North's best.In other senior grade matches, Sebastopol defeated Warrnambool 1-0, while Vic Park easily defeated Creswick 3-0.