AFTER a solid start to the season Hall Road found themselves still in all entered competitions going into the month of October.
This did mean though that they lost ground in terms of the upper echelons of the division but had games in hand.
It was frustrating therefore that a home fixture with Teversal was postponed at the end of September with Hall Road flying.
The cancellation coming through no fault of their own.
The break gave Dave Ricardo and Bill Gill the opportunity to freshen up the pack.
Jody Barford had moved on to Bottesford Town by this point and was soon followed out the door by Adam Stevens who switched to Armthorpe Welfare.
Phil Dobson, a vastly experienced keeper was drafted in though and Thibault Granger, a French student studying at Hull University also joined.
There was further movement into the club in therms of outfield positions as well.
The club swooped to land Ash Allanson from neighbours Bridlington Town, after the 28 year old had spent nine years with 'The Seasiders'.
There was also room for Ricardo to bolster his attacking options when Josh Batty, a precocious talent and another former Barton player joined the club from Winterton Rangers.
Allanson, Dobson and Batty all made their debuts in a disappointing day at Grimsby Borough at the beginning of October, going down 5-2 to a side who have proven to be a thorn in Rangers side in previous seasons.
Three nights later the team were looking to bounce back at Shirebrook Town.
Rangers could only pick up a point though and had to thank Josh Batty for sparing their blushes as he cancelled out Mark Robinson's opener with fifteen minutes remaining.
This was the only consistent dip in results the club suffered throughout the season.
Ricardo and his assistant Bill Gill were busy bringing another player in, this time James Whittingham a young left-back from Bridlington Town.
'Witty' made his debut in a crunch match at home to Pontefract Collieries, whilst Thibault Granger also made his full debut in between the sticks in a fiery encounter.
The first half was far from memorable and it wasn't until ten minutes into the second half that the game sparked into life.
Josh Batty's opener was instantly cancelled out by Kane Reece for the visitors.
Batty popped up again four minutes later, on his 21st birthday to restore his side's lead.
Brad Ricketts was dismissed following an ugly brawl but this only acted to spur Rangers on further.
A spectacular Ash Dexter volley made it 3-1 on 65 minutes.
Chris Jackson reduced the arrears for the visitors once more with fourteen minutes to play.
Rangers remained comfortable though, and made certain of the points on 84 minutes, when Scott Phillips showed great work rate to force a mistake on the right flank and bury his effort at the second attempt.
Rangers run in the League Cup did come to an end at the third round stage as they were beaten by an impressive Pickering Town side, flying in the division above.
Hall Road had a real go at their more illustrious opponents, and lost captain Ash Dexter early on who had to go to hospital to receive stitches in an eye wound.
Rangers were in the tie throughout, but Lewis Taylor broke the deadlock with thirteen minutes remaining for the visitors, and Hall Road never recovered.
Throwing everything to try and force extra time, they were hit by a smart counter attack which resulted in Ged Dalton netting in injury time.
The cup trail continued though in the FA Vase with a thrilling 3-2 away win at North West Counties Premier side Congleton Town in the First Round proper.
A Chris Spinks hat-trick including a stunning free-kick for his third sparked wild celebrations.
After a long day in Lancashire, Rangers returned home to professionally see off Worsborough Bridge at Haworth Park.
Spinks netted twice, following his weekend hat-trick up with further additions to his tally.
Seven games were played in the month of October and a fixture pile up was a real possibility such was Rangers continued involvement in cup competitions.
They were left disappointed in their final game of October.
Rangers were guilty of missing a plethora of chances by drawing 1-1 at home to Dronfield Town as Scott Phillips, 64th minute penalty meant they had to settle for a point.
With their first midweek spare for over a month, Rangers returned to put five past a struggling Nostell MW a week later as a Spinks and Batty brace each was rounded off by Jamie Reeson's first goal since returning from injury after over a month on the sidelines.
Rangers then advanced in the East Riding Senior Cup.
Archie Brown's first senior goal for the club, a scorching 30 yard thunderbolt was a particular highlight, as was a Joe Cooper free-kick.
The FA Vase run came to an end though at the hands of Bottesford Town who avenged the earlier pre-season defeat at Haworth Park with a 2-0 win.
Rangers falling at the second round stage but a journey they will be hoping to replicate and progress further in future years.
A big night in Rangers season though came in mid-November, at Penistone Church.
Penistone had gone 29 league games unbeaten, a monumental run, spanning back to a defeat against Dave Ricardo and Bill Gill's, Selby Town team in January.
Ricardo and Gill returned to beat them again.
Rangers rode their luck at times and Phil Dobson made a number of excellent saves with his best, denying Gareth Barlow.
After soaking up the pressure, and with seven minutes to go, Chris Spinks cut in from the right and his shot deflected off debutant Gareth Owen to loop into the net, to win the game 1-0.
Owen had joined from Bridlington Town earlier that day.
The result instilled a real belief that Ricardo's side were in fact automatic promotion contenders, but were still playing catch up in terms of fixtures, at one point having played six fewer then some teams above them.
Further wins though at home to a dogged Campion side and away at Brigg Town only served to back that statement up.
A defeat in the fog at Yorkshire Amateurs was only a minor blip before Sam Belcher's first half header in the re-arranged Teversal fixture soon returned Rangers to winning ways.
As the fixture chaos began to ease in November and December, Rangers recorded more maximum points in each of their next three games.
After moving into the transfer market once more, securing the signature of midfielder Connor Harman from Bridlington Town, Knaresborough Town (4-3), Rossington Main (3-0) both succumbed at Haworth before a 5-0 away win at Worsborough Bridge moved Hall Road upto fourth.
The home game with Shirebrook Town, eight days before christmas, lacked anything but festive spirit.
As 3-0 up at the break and seemingly cruising to another well deserved three points Rangers were in full control.
The visitors refused to take the pitch for the second half, forcing an abandonment, leaving the result in doubt before the points were finally awarded to Hall Road in the new year.
The Boxing Day and New Year double header saw Ricardo and Gill return to their old club, Selby Town and despite falling to a lacklustre 2-1 defeat on Boxing Day, Rangers set the record straight with a resounding 4-1 win a week later at Haworth Park as they entered the new year.
As the year rolled into 2017, Rangers switched through the gears as they embarked on an eleven game unbeaten run.
They dominated at Glasshoughton Welfare, predominantly always a tough place to visit.
Spinks, Joe Cooper, Jake Vernon, James Piercy and Gareth Owen all scored to see Rangers romp home 5-0.
With Hall Road safely nestled in the top six at this point they began to dream further.
It was a fortnight later when they travelled to Hallam another side pushing for the play-offs.
In a nip and tuck encounter, it was captain Ash Dexter again leading from the front who proved the hero, bundling home a spilled free kick before running up the slope in a wild celebration seven minutes after the break.
Hallam threw everything at Rangers but the defence like so many times stood tall.
The result meant that much to those involved that young Harry Stanforth, who had brought Dave Ricardo to the game, left him standing in the Hallam clubhouse afterwards.
Not was it until they had got halfway back to Hull and a timely phonecall from the manager did they realise their faux pas.
Ricardo saw the funny side though and got the last laugh as his side rattled their second five star show of January a week later at home to a struggling Westella.
With only three months of the season remaining, Rangers were bang in form and few were doubting their push for automatic promotion.
They did still have trips to Pontefract and AFC Emley to negotiate, as well as home matches against Grimsby Borough and Penistone Church but knew they had their destiny in their own hands as they bid to forge their places in the club's history.

The third and final part will be available tomorrow at 9am