MORETON Rangers secured a comfortable 3-0 Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two win over Soudley.

Having triumphed 2-1 at titlechasing Bredon the previous week, Rangers needed to follow up a good performance against the Forest of Dean strugglers.

They did not disappoint, cruising to victory as Douglas Wallace was in excellent form with a hat-trick.

With a three-match suspension coming up for Wallace, the seventh- placed Cotswolds side will miss his goals.

Rangers started in control with impressive build-up play but they were unable to deliver in the final third.

This changed on 15 minutes when Wallace finished well after a fine passing movement put him in on goal. The second 10 minutes later was fortunate when his shot from the edge of the box took a deflection to beat the visitors’ keeper.

Soudley posed little threat to the Moreton defence as keeper John McAteer, stepping in to cover for the injured James Carter, had a quiet first-half.

The second period continued in the same vein with Moreton dominating possession.

Wallace completed his hat-trick when he used his strength to turn a defender in the box and slip the ball under the advancing keeper.

The only scare for Moreton came when Mark Boydell gave away a penalty after he fouled a visiting striker just inside the box but McAteer responded with a fine save from the spot-kick.

Moreton travel to high-flying Hardwicke, who won 4-2 at Barometrics last weekend, in the league on Saturday (2.30pm).

Meanwhile, Bredon suffered disappointment in the Worcestershire FA Junior Cup semi-finals, going down 2-1 at Midland Combination outfit Fairfield Villa.

They will look to make up ground on the leaders when returning to league action on Saturday at home to Barnwood United.

Bredon reserves, from the Cheltenham League, reached the Minor Cup last four but were handed a 6-1 loss at West Hagley.

Winchcombe Town, who entertain lowly Smiths Athletic on Saturday, lost 2-0 at mid-table rivals Shortwood United Reserves in Division One.