Driffield Rangers travelled to Beverley Leisure Centre for the second week running but this time to take on Molescroft Rangers looking to end the calendar year on a high.
Manager Shaun Walker was without defender Les Johnstone but welcomed back Damon Jenkinson as they set up in a changed 4-4-2 formation with Kev Tate restored to the starting line up.
Rangers made a slow start to the game but with Molescroft offering little threat going forward the pace and tempo of the game was flat with neither side looking to dominate.
Molescroft were the first to have a shot on target but the effort barely tested Baker who made a routine save as the game was still struggling to come to life, not helped by the poor playing surface which wasn’t helping either side play their football.
With 20 minutes gone Rangers opened the scoring when Mark Woodcock met a Kev Tate corner and powered home his header past the stranded Molescroft keeper to give them the lead they didn’t deserve, but hopefully would wake them up and start to take control of the game.
The lead didn’t last long though as Molescroft equalised when their winger took advantage of an injury to Paul Wilkinson to use the space provided and their player finished well into the bottom corner.
Wilkinson was then replaced by Josh MacKenzie.
Rangers were still struggling to get any rhythm going but they were starting to create a few half chances with Dave Brent and Jimmy Syme both seeing efforts on goal saved or blocked by defenders as they looked to put the pressure on.
Half time came with Rangers knowing they can improve and do more than they did in the first half and the players reacted by flying out of the blocks and nearly took the lead minutes into the second half, but Syme’s effort was saved by the keeper and Hopper’s follow up came back off the post as Rangers threatened.
They were not to be denied for long though and did take the lead when skipper Dave Woodcock flicked home a cross from Tate after good link up play.
Rangers were dominating now and they increased their lead when Brent ran on to a through ball from Kev Woodcock to slot past the keeper and it was Brent again who scored the fourth after being found by Syme he turned superbly in the box to find the bottom corner to give Rangers complete control of the game with his eighth goal of the season.
Molescroft didn’t know what had hit them and were struggling to cope with Rangers’ urgency and attacking threat and when they did look threatening themselves they were being halted by determined defending lead superbly by Rich Thompson.
After scoring those three quick goals in the second half Rangers knew the job was done and were starting to knock the ball around with Mutch seeing plenty of it and was looking dangerous down the right flank linking up well with Tate.
Rangers made their second change of the game with Jenkinson replacing Mutch and they had keeper Baker to thank for keeping their three goal cushion as he pulled off two great saves to prevent giving the home side a lifeline.
With the game petering out Baker once again made a great save when a back pass from Dave Woodcock fell short but he reacted well to turn the ball round the post to give Rangers another win and three more valuable points which lifted them to third in the table.
Team: Baker, Mutch (Jenkinson), M Woodcock, Thompson, Wilkinson (MacKenzie), Tate, D Woodcock, K Woodcock, Hopper, Syme, Brent.
Many thanks to Bob and his staff at the Rose and Crown for their after match refreshments.