Nov 9, 2017 | Club News
This Saturday Rangers host South Shields in the Buildbase FA Trophy, 2nd qualifying round.
South Shields are currently in second place in the Evostik North, but only on goal difference and with three games in hand. Their record of played 12, won eleven, lost one, ranks amongst the best in non-league football and at this stage they look odds on for promotion.
This is a formidable task for Rangers but one which the team relish having lost just once in the last 9 league and cup games
Our information is that South Shields will be bringing around three to four hundred supporters.
A very competitive game is in prospect and Boro’ are hoping for a big attendance and for a place in the next round.
Nov 8, 2017 | Club News
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Tuesday 7 November 2017
A dramatic start and an even more dramatic finish as Rangers beat bottom club Sutton Coldfield at Coles Lane.
Manager Neil Kitching made three changes to the side that drew at Whitby three days earlier with Izak Reid, Dan Westwood and Richard Batchelor coming in for Sam Griffiths and Louis Briscoe who dropped to the bench while loan signing Massiah McDonald was suspended.
Rangers got off to the ideal start as Dan Westwood celebrated his return to the starting line up with a goal after just 13 seconds.
Rangers kicked off and the ball quickly found its way to left back Kieren Westwood. His long ball up field was won by Izak Reid who headed into the path of Westwood who, spotting keeper Nicky Draper off his line, sent in a dipping volley from just outside the area.
Rangers could and should have been out of sight by the 15 minute mark as Dan Westwood had one cleared off the line, Richard Batchelor sent a header against the post then had another cleared off the line by former Rangers defender Tyler Lyttle.
Jack Sherratt fired wide from just outside the area but the home side stunned Rangers with an equaliser on 17 mins.
It was a soft goal from Rangers’ point of view as Gurjit Singh’s ball through a static defence picked out Lee Knight who clipped in a cross for Danny O’Callaghan to head home via the underside of the bar.
With their tails up, Sutton pressed for more and Singh was just wide with a 30 yarder while the former Hednesford man went close again with free kick.
It needed a timely clearance from Batchelor to deny James Beresford then, seconds later, Lyttle sent a fierce drive just over the Rangers bar.
But it was far from being all Sutton as Boro captain Mat Bailey fired a shot straight at Draper.
And it was Rangers who got back in front three minutes into the second half when Kieran Morris rose high to head home from Izak Reid’s free kick.
A great diagonal ball from Alex Fletcher almost produced a spectacular goal from Kieren Westwood whose volley was saved by Draper while Reid’s volley 10 minutes later went just the wrong side of the post.
But the one goal advantage was always going to be a fragile one for Stafford to hold on to in the closing stages and Sutton threatened with two efforts from sub Mickael Partodikromo.
Then, in the third and final minute of added time, Jack Sherratt needlessly conceded a free kick ten yards outside of the Boro area. Singh stepped up and sent his kick low to Caswell’s right. The young Boro keeper made the ground but fumbled the ball and it squirmed over the line to bring the scores level.
But Rangers were not yet finished and, straight from the restart, they went down to the other end to snatch a dramatic winner through Kieren Westwood who created himself a yard of space before curling the ball home from the edge of the area.
Sutton Coldfield: 1 Nicky Draper, 2 Tyler Lyttle, 3 Nathan Kelly, 4 Reece Webb (14 Brian Smikle 46m), 5 James Beresford, 6 James Haran, 7 Matthew Walters (15 Mickael Partodikromo 65m), 8 Alexander Perry, 9 Lee Knight, 10 Danny O’Callaghan, 11 Gurjit Singh. Unused subs: 12 Lewis Probert, 16 Bozhidar Alexandrov, 17 Harri Lovett
Rangers: 1 Brad Caswell, 2 Alex Fletcher, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Mat Bailey, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Izak Reid, 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Richard Gregory (12 Louis Briscoe 90+1m), 10 Dan Westwood (14 Sam Griffiths 81m), 11 Richard Batchelor. Unused subs 15 Joe Thomas, 16 Kai Davis, 17 Josh Craddock
Cautions: Beresford (SCT)
Referee: Scott Postin
Att: 211
Chris Elsley
Nov 5, 2017 | Club News
Whitby Town 0 Stafford Rangers 0
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Saturday 4 November 2017
Rangers picked up a hard earned point with a goal-less draw at Whitby Town.
There wasn’t much between the two sides in a somewhat scrappy first half though it was the Boro who were creating the better chances, all of which fell to Massiah McDonald.
The first, created after good work from Richard Gregory and Sam Griffiths, flashed past McDonald’s boot just a couple of feet from an empty net.
Towards the end of the half, the Stafford striker fired just wide from 20 yards after a good lay off from Gregory while Louis Briscoe’s ball into the box a minute later was just too far ahead of its target.
For Whitby, the best chance fell to Connor Smith midway through the half when he drilled just wide after Rangers had failed to clear a cross while John Campbell’s free kick deflected wide off team mate Kieran Weledji.
McDonald had another great chance for Rangers early in the second half when Gregory’s header put him behind the Whitby back line but he was denied by Ryan Whitley. Shortly after, Kieran Morris headed straight at the Whitby keeper.
But the last half hour saw Whitby step up the pressure and Rangers had a major let off when keeper Brad Caswell dropped a routine free kick at the feet of Niall McGoldrick but Matthew Tymon needlessly added a finishing touch and was flagged offside.
A Jack Sherratt snap shot just cleared the Whitby bar but the home side looked the most likely to break the deadlock and Caswell made amends for his earlier error with an excellent save to keep out Tymon with the home fans already celebrating what looked a certain goal.
Caswell then denied John Campbell who got behind the Boro while James Risborough should have done better with two chances that came his way.
But Rangers could have won it themselves late on with both Dan Westwood and Sam Griffiths going close but a draw was a fair outcome.
Whitby: 1 Ryan Whitley, 2 Callum Martin, 3 Daniel McWilliams, 4 Luke Bytheay, 5 Niall McGoldrick, 6 Andrew May, 7 Steven Snaith, 8 Adam Gell, 9 John Campbell (15 James Risborough 84m), 10 Kieran Weledji (17 Matthew Tymon 56m), 11 Connor Smith. Unused subs 12 Anthony Hume, 14 Andrew Monkhouse, 16 Kyle Fryatt
Rangers: 1 Brad Caswell, 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Mat Bailey, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Josh Craddock, 8 Alex Fletcher, 9 Richard Gregory (12 Dan Westwood 73m), 10 Massiah McDonald (14 Izak Reid 86m), 11 Louis Briscoe (16 Jack Sherratt 70m). Unused subs: 15 Joe Thomas, 17 Kai Davis
Cautions: None
Ref: Michael Andrews
Att: 303
Chris Elsley
Nov 4, 2017 | Club News
Rangers made one change from the side which defeated Barwell on Tuesday night. Brad Caswell replacing the injured Adam Whitehouse in goal.
Rangers return home from the long trip north with a point from the goal-less draw.
Full report to follow.
Nov 2, 2017 | Club News
Rangers make the long trip north to Whitby Town this Saturday for our 17th league game of the season.
Just one point separates the two teams with Rangers one point ahead of Whitby but with 4 games in hand. The form guide shows that Whitby are unbeaten in 5 games at home, whilst Boro’ are unbeaten in 4 away, having picked up 10 of the 12 points on offer.
A long journey awaits the Rangers players and fans but hopefully the current good run of results will continue.
