The post-match thoughts of Rangers Assistant Andy Fearn were spot on when he described this as a “strange game”, as Rangers were ultimately undone by around twenty minutes of clinical finishing and poor defending.

The opening stages saw both defences on top and there was no real sign of what was to come. Rangers enjoyed more than their fair share of possession in the early stages but did not force any clear chances. The hosts eventually came to life after twelve minutes as James Askey slipped in the left back position and that allowed Jude Oyibo around the back but when his cross was met by Diego Degirolamo his effort was miscued and danger was cleared. Rangers responded as Harry Benns was slipped in down the right channel and his shot was smartly saved by Theo Roberts. The corner was then played to the back post and Tom Marshall saw his effort cleared off the line as Rangers went close again. On twenty-one minutes Oyibo again beat Askey on the wing and when he cut in he beat Adam Whitehouse at the near post to give Bucks the lead. This was the start of the crazy twenty minutes that proved Rangers’ downfall. Rangers looked shaky and Harrison Holgate then conceded a free kick in the right back position, but Brad Grayson fired his free kick straight at Whitehouse. On thirty-one minutes Oyibo again beat Askey on the wing and he cut to the bye-line to cut back for Degirolamo to beat Whitehouse at his near post. On thirty-nine minutes it was three, as an excellent ball from left back Alex Brown evaded Luke Jones and Degiloramo was again round the back for his second. Just three minutes later it was four nil as Grayson battled to win the ball back and fed Brown who was still in an advanced position and he made no mistake from ten yards. Rangers briefly rallied, heading towards half time as first Benns forced a great save from Roberts and then Izak Reid headed against the angle as the half drew to a close with Rangers seriously needing to re-group.

The second half saw Louis Briscoe and Lewis Banks replace Bailey-Jones and Cuff, and the changes started to make for a more solid performance as the tide was stemmed. The lively Benns threated a couple of times as Rangers tried to get back into it, whole Reid also had a tame effort saved. Buxton, for their part, were much more contained and the free-flowing attacks were largely reduced by a more determined opposition. A Gee shot was deflected into the air and as Whitehouse came out, the ball dropped to Oyibo and his side footed effort somehow took a deflection and went wide rather than into the corner of the net. Rangers looked livelier now and Benns got into the box, from the left, where he squared back to Josh Green who reduced the deficit on sixty-three minutes. Rangers continued to limit Buxton and impose themselves on the game, to their credit. Greg Young hit a rising shot but that was the hosts’ final effort while Jones got forward and headed an effort straight at Roberts and Rangers tried to gain some pride. Rangers run of four straight wins came to a halt and a few more lessons are to be learned to get that run going again.

Att: 501

Report by Alan Gee

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League | Tuesday 11 September 2018
Report by Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers made it four wins in four in an entertaining match against Witton Albion at Marston Road.

The Boro were without the suspended Jack Sherratt, allowing Josh Green his first start, while Theo Bailey-Jones came in for Louis Briscoe who dropped to the bench.

Bailey-Jones was soon in the action as he burst past two Witton defenders and into the area but his path was eventually blocked as he shaped to shoot.

It was the recalled midfielder that was on hand to fire Rangers ahead on 10 mins after the Witton defence had failed to deal with a long ball. Green almost took advantage only to be denied by a last ditch tackle from Billy Smart. The ball fell nicely for Bailey-Jones and he drilled in a low shot which slipped through the fingers of Greg Hall in the Witton goal.

The Rangers goalscorer then linked with Tom Thorley to get in a cross that Joe Cuff volleyed at Hall but the home side suffered a set back on 21 mins when striker Kyle Perry went off with a groin injury.

Harry Benns went close to adding a second when his shot deflected off Michael Wilson and out for a corner but, gradually, Rangers let Witton back in to the contest.

Adam Whitehouse had to punch clear following Will Jones’ header then did well to force the same Witton man to lose control after he had been put in by the impressive Danny McKenna.

James Foley volleyed over from the edge of the Rangers area following a McKenna free kick while it needed an excellent header off the line from James Askey to prevent Rob Hopley from putting Witton back on level terms.

Rangers had the better of the early exchanges in the second half – Benns firing their best opportunity over the bar when well placed after some good work by Harrison Holgate near the right hand corner flag.

The Boro’s efforts were rewarded on the hour when they went 2-0 up although, once again, there was an element of good fortune as Thorley’s well struck drive came back off the post only to rebound into his own net off the helpless Wilson.

Benns and Cuff combined well to set up Izak Reid but keeper Hall came out to tackle the Rangers’ sub.

Witton were then handed a 66th minute lifeline when Matty Devine’s pull back reached Foley and he found a way past Whitehouse from the edge of the area.

Buoyed by their goal, Witton kept up the pressure and Rangers looked a little shaky for a time although the visitors didn’t really create much for Whitehouse to worry about.

Instead, the best chances were falling to Rangers and Benns was off target with two that came his way while Cuff saw his shot deflected wide off James Yates.

Louis Briscoe fired over after following up his own free kick but Rangers finally put the game to bed in the 86th minute.

Benns did well, holding off the challenge of Foley, before he picked out the run of Lewis Banks who calmly slotted past Hall to make it 3-1.

Whitehouse beat away a 25 yarder from McKenna while Lingouba almost found a way through for Witton in the final stages, but there was no denying Rangers who now move up to 9th.

Stafford Rangers:1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Harrison Holgate, 3 James Askey, 4 Luke Jones, 5 Josh Green (12 Louis Briscoe 79m), 6 Tom Marshall, 7 Theo Bailey-Jones (15 Lewis Banks 74m), 8 Tom Thorley, 9 Kyle Perry (16 Izak Reid 22m), 10 Harry Benns, 11 Joe Cuff. Unused Subs:14 Sam Coulson, 17 Osebi Abadaki

Witton Albion: 1 Greg Hall, 2 James Yates, 3 Matty Devine, 4 Josh Wardle, 5 Michael Wilson, 6 Billy Smart (14 Delial Brewster 63m), 7 Danny McKenna, 8 Cesair Lingouba, 9 Rob Hopley, 10 Will Jones, 11 James Foley. Unused Subs: 12 Chris Noone, 13 Paul Moore,15 River Humphreys,

Cautions: Thorley, Benns (Rangers) Devine, Lingouba (Witton)

Ref: Richard Cattell

Att : 483