Game postponed
Today’s game at Rushall Olympic has been postponed due to pitch conditions.
SRFC News
Louis Briscoe has joined Sutton Coldfield. We would like to thank him for all his efforts here and wish him all the best for the future.
This Saturday we make the short journey to Rushall Olympic who sit in 20th place in the league after playing 27 games they have 29 points.
After a disappointing Christmas period we will be looking to pick up some points and move up the league.
Hednesford Town 2 Stafford Rangers 1
| Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Monday 1 January 2018 Rangers opened up the new year with defeat at local rivals Hednesford in a game that failed to live up to expectations. As matches go between these two sides, this one lacked the passion and drama needed and it took an over zealous challenge from Boro captain Mat Bailey to ignite any sort of spark into the afternoon’s proceedings. But that was with a little over five minutes remaining and too late for Rangers to salvage a point. It took until the 14th minute for either side to produce an effort on target but Bailey’s header was blocked by Joey Butlin. And, when the home side created their first opening, in the 29th minute, it was Butlin who was there to head Hednesford in front. The chance came after Mason Walsh had got the better of Kai Davis to cross from the right and the unmarked Butlin had time to pick his spot. Rangers had a great chance to get back on level terms soon after when Richard Batchelor put Osebi Abadaki in but he lacked conviction and home keeper James Wren did just enough to concede the corner. Hednesford extended their lead two minutes into added time at the end of the first half. A corner from James Lawrie looked unthreatening, as did Charlie Gatter’s miscued shot but the ball looped over Adam Whitehouse. Not for the first, second or even third time in Staffordshire derbies, Hednesford fans tarnished their image by throwing flares onto the pitch to celebrate their goals. Abadaki missed out on another opening for Rangers early in the second half as Wren denied him then the Hednesford keeper tipped away a shot from Massiah McDonald. Another Abadaki shot flew across the face of the Hednesford goal and with the lack of quality finishing on display it was perhaps fitting that Rangers got back in to the game via an own goal when Callam Mendez-Jones’ attempt to cut out Abadaki’s centre ended in the back of the Hednesford net with 16 minutes remaining. But though sub Joe Thomas had a shot charged down, Rangers never really threatened to get level. Instead, Hednesford came the closest to adding to the score when Danny Glover hit the post with a low drive and put another just over the top but his side had done enough to avenge the double that Rangers completed over them last season. Hednesford: 1 James Wren, 2 Callam Mendez-Jones, 3 Matt Curley, 4 Joe Fitzpatrick (14 Laurence Taylor 89m), 5 Sam Oji, 6 Charlie Gatter, 7 Mason Walsh (15 Reece King 64m), 8 Tom Thorley, 9 Joey Butlin (12 Danny Glover 73m), 10 James Lawrie, 11 James Fitzgibbon. Unused subs 16 Jordan Graham, 17 James Mutton Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kai Davis, 4 Josh Craddock, 5 Mat Bailey, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Osebi Abadaki (14 Karl Hawley 90+1m), 8 Jack Sherratt (12 Dan Westwood 57m), 9 Massiah McDonald, 10 Robert Thompson-Brown (15 Joe Thomas 77m), 11 Richard Batchelor. Unused subs: 16 Izak Reid, 17 Levi Reid Cautions: Thorley (Hednesford), Griffiths, Craddock, Bailey, Bachelor (Rangers) Ref: R Price Att: 892 |
Stafford Rangers 1 Workington 2
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Saturday 30 December 2017
Rangers will feel they deserved at least a share of the spoils but it was Workington who took all three points to move into second spot in the table.
Rangers made the better start and could have taken the lead inside the first minute when Karl Hawley put Massiah McDonald in but Aaran Taylor stuck out his left boot to deflect the ball for a corner.
Workington came into the game and Nathan Waterson was inches away from converting Dave Symington’s cross – the ball flashing across the face of the Boro goal – then Anthony Wright’s shot from distance was deflected just over.
Twice Robert Thompson-Brown combined with Hawley to launch a counter attack that almost produced a goal for Stafford – the first ended with Jack Sherratt shooting just wide while the second saw Taylor keep out a well struck volley from Thompson-Brown who then sent the rebound along the Workington goal line.
Phil McLuckie hit the side netting for the visitors and it needed a timely intervention from Jordaan Brown to halt a threatening run from midfielder Robert Wilson as the visitors began to establish a stronger foothold.
Matt Douglas also missed out with a tame shot while Symington’s low drive came back off the post as the first half ended goal-less.
The second half began in a similar way to the first as Rangers had the better of the play but the trio of Thompson-Brown, Hawley and McDonald all failed to find the target.
Instead, it was Workington who were to break the deadlock on 64 mins with a spectacular 25 yard strike from Conor Tinnion that gave Adam Whitehouse no chance.
Stafford responded well and a good save from Taylor denied Jack Sherratt before the equaliser came, just 5 mins after Workington’s opener. McDonald linked with sub Osebi Abadaki who crossed for Thompson-Brown o steel in at the back post to volley home.
Abadaki then went wide from distance following a poor clearance from Taylor that left the Reds’ keeper out of position.
At the opposite end Whitehouse made an excellent double save to deny Waterson and McLuckie.
Whitehouse went one better on 77 mins with a triple save to deny Waterson but this time McLuckie found the back of the net to restore the Reds’ lead.
Taylor tipped over to deny Abadaki a late equaliser while Sherratt fired wide from around 25 yards.
Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Izak Reid, 3 Kai Davis, 4 Kieran Morris (14 Osebo Abadaki 46m), 5 Mat Bailey, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Michael Calveley (12 Dan Westwood 87m), 8 Robert Thompson-Brown, 9 Karl Hawley, 10 Massiah McDonald, 11 Jack Sherratt. Unused Subs 15 Josh Craddock, 16 Richard Batchelor, 17 Joe Thomas
Workington: 1 Aaran Taylor, 2 Matthew Douglas, 3 Anthony Wright, 4 Daniel Wordsworth, 5 Josh Calvert, 6 Robert Wilson, 7 David Symington, 8 Phil McLuskie, 9 Scott Allison, 10 Nathan Waterson (12 Sam Joel 87m), 11 Conor Tinnion. Unused subs 14 James Earl, 15 Jamie Mellen, 16 Tommy Whitehead, 17 Leo Holliday
Cautions: Bailey, McDonald (Rangers) Calvert (Workington)
Referee: Greg Rollason
Att: 497
Chris Elsley
Boro 1 Workington 2
ATT: 497. MOTM Thompson-Brown.
Full match report will follow in due course.
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