Stafford Rangers are away at Barwell next Tuesday 27th March. We will be running a team coach and due to the fact that a number of players will be making their own way to the ground we can offer our supporters a number of places on the coach. The cost will be £12 per head and supporters are asked to contact the club if interested in taking up this offer. Departure time not yet confirmed but it will be between 5pm and 5.30pm
On Tuesday night 20th we play our sixth consecutive home fixture as Kidsgrove make the short journey down the A34 for the Staffs Senior Cup tie. We all know that they have a habit of upsetting us in cup ties so we hope to overturn that hoodoo as a win gives another home tie with Wolverhampton Sporting Community. The final this season is at Stoke’s home ground rather than Port Vale, so added incentive to progress in what is our only silverware we can win this season.
Six home games in a row is tough on the wallet, but your attendance is vital to give support for the team,
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Saturday 17 March 2018
Stafford Rangers extended their unbeaten league run to five games with victory over Coalville Town at a bitterly cold Marston Road.
But this wasn’t as comfortable a victory as the score may suggest as Coalville were well in the contest for an hour. Rangers didn’t always look assured in defence but the visitors didn’t take advantage and paid the price. Both sides struggled in the conditions early on as snow swept down the length of the pitch, creating a white out and making the surface greasy.
There was only one real chance in the opening 10 mins – that fell to Kyle Perry who fired tamely at Coalville keeper Elliot Taylor. But it was Perry who put Rangers ahead on 13 mins, beating Dean Freeman to Dan Vann’s centre to head past Taylor.
Coalville should have been level a minute later when Nathan Watson went round Adam Whitehouse only for Kieran Morris to make an incredible goal line clearance when a goal looked a certainty. Watson put another chance wide after Freeman’s header created the opportunity before Morris went close at the other end with a volley across the face of goal after good work from Osebi Abadaki.
Having missed out twice, Watson got his goal on 20 mins when he ran onto another Freeman’s header to shoot past Whitehouse. Stafford restored their lead just six minutes later through Robert Thompson-Brown’s direct free kick – awarded after Danny Jenno had fouled Perry – though Taylor should have done better with his efforts to keep it out.
Coalville’s Watson flashed another effort over and Dan Creaney headed against Whitehouse’s legs as the visitors sought another equaliser and they looked set to get it on the stroke of half time when Whitehouse’s attempted clearance hit Tom McGlinchey but he was forced wide and Morris was there to make another goal line clearance.
Coalville came close again just before the hour mark when Alex Howes crashed his free kick against the intersection of post and bar and then put another just over four minutes later. But that was to be as good as it got for the visitors as Rangers made it 3-1 on 62 mins when Taylor failed to take Jack Sherratt’s corner and Morris headed in from close range.
Rangers missed a number of chances to add further to the score as Perry headed over, Tyrell Waite’s shot went the same way and Sherratt was kept out by Taylor’s boot. But Rangers were now in command and Perry grabbed his second and Stafford’s fourth, ten minutes from time, from a narrow angle after getting round Taylor.
Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Dan Vann, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Jordaan Brown, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Jack Sherratt, 8 Robert Thompson-Brown, 9 Kyle Perry, 10 Tyrell Waite (15 Izak Reid 79m), 11 Osebi Abadaki. Unused subs: 12 Levi Reid, 14 Joe Thomas, 16 Sam Griffiths, 17 Dan Westwood
Coalville: 1 Elliott Taylor, 2 Cleveland Taylor, 3 Lee Torr, 4 Danny Jenno, 5 Dean Freeman, 6 Jermaine Hollis (12 Jake Woolley 75m), 7 Tom McGlinchey, 8 Alex Howes, 9 Dan Creaney, 10 Nathan Watson (15 Anthony Carney 84m), 11 Alex Dean (14 Brad Munn 65m). Unused subs 13 James Dillon, 17 Kyle Bryant
Cautions: Sherratt (Rangers), Howes (Coalville)
Ref: Ollie Williams
Att: 301
Report: Chris Elsley
Stafford Rangers Directors and staff would like to thank their supporters for braving the extreme weather conditions today. The gate of 301 was the second highest in our division bettered only by league leaders Altrincham.
Can we also bring to your attention that the 50/50 draw winning ticket has not been claimed. The number is 57831 and the winning ticket is worth £91.Please claim by ringing the office on 01785 602431.
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Tuesday 13 March 2018
Levi Reid was the unlikely hero as Rangers held high flying Warrington Town to a draw at Marston Road on Tuesday night. The veteran midfielder came on as a 55th minute substitute for keeper Brad Caswell and, despite standing at just 5’ 5” and wearing a shirt that looked two sizes too big, kept out the promotion hopefuls to earn his side a draw.
In truth, Reid was only tested once – in the final minute of the game – but he did what he needed to do in making the save from Jack Higgins. Rangers made four changes to the starting eleven after Saturday’s dramatic draw with Lancaster. Getting a recall were Sam Griffiths, Jack Sherratt, Tyrell Waite and Massiah McDonald while Kyle Perry, Joe Thomas and Levi Reid dropped to the bench. Dan Vann was missing through illness.
Rangers found themselves on the backfoot for much of the first half as Warrington moved the ball around when in possession and closed down quickly when defending. The visitors took no time to settle and saw Jamie McDonald come close to opening the scoring inside the first minute when he forced Caswell to save low to his right after a move involving Devarn Green and Tony Gray. But that was the only real chance they created in the first 20 mins and it needed a slip from Jordaan Brown to present them with their next opportunity. A quick throw from McDonald allowed Gray to centre but the ball went across goal and just beyond Sean Williams.
Rangers responded through Massiah McDonald who wasn’t too far off with a shot from in excess of 30 yards but although the tempo was fast and frantic, chances at either end remained a premium. Things did pick up after the half hour as shots came in from Gray and Williams but both were well off target. William Hayhurst was closer with his effort but still went wide. For Rangers, Josh Craddock also went wide with a looping header following Robert Thompson-Brown’s free kick.
Rangers looked sharper after the break, matching Warrington for their attacking intent while remaining solid at the back. Then came the moment that brought Levi Reid into the action as manager Neil Kitching decided not to risk Caswell’s groin injury any longer. But the team rallied and decided that attack was the best form of defence and continued to press the Warrington goal.
Massiah McDonald through a crowd of Warrington players to pick out Craddock but the skipper’s shot went through tamely to Luke Pilling then McDonald curled a decent effort just over the bar. Warrington took 20 minutes to create any sort of threat to the stand in Rangers keeper when they won a corner but it was defended well before Reid eventually claimed possession.
In the latter stages, the visitors saw Mathias Bakare balloon a shot over when well placed but they should have snatched victory in the final minute of added time. Kieren Westwood lost possession on the break allowing Liam Goulding to launch the counter. Warrington’s McDonald laid off to Higgins but Reid saved with his legs. The ball ran back to McDonald but he somehow managed to fire over an inviting goal from around 6 yards.
A deserved point for Rangers, it’s just a shame there were only 301 to watch it.
Rangers: 1 Brad Caswell (15 Levi Reid 55m), 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Jordaan Brown, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Izak Reid (16 Osebi Abadaki 68m), 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Tyrell Waite (12 Kyle Perry 81m), 10 Robert Thompson-Brown, 11 Massiah McDonald. Unused subs: 14 Joe Thomas, 17 Dan Westwood
Warrington: 1 Luke Pilling, 2 Adam Carden, 3 Rory McKeown, 4 Steven Jennings, 5 JackHiggins, 6 Liam Goulding, 7 Devarn Green (17 Mathias Bakare 66m), 8 Sean Williams, 9 Jamie McDonald, 10 Tony Gray (16 Bradley Barnes 80m), 11 William Hayhurst (14 Joe Piggott 74m). Unused Subs: 12 Jamie Davis, 15 Anthony McMillan
Cautions: Morris (Rangers), Goulding, Gray (Warrington)
Ref: Greg Rollason
Att: 301
Chris Elsley
