Northern Premier League
Tuesday 20 October 2020
It was a familiar story for Stafford Rangers as they slipped to their fifth league defeat in six outings – a record that sees them stuck at the bottom of the table. The inability to score goals once again proved Rangers’ undoing in a game where they dominated play for 75 minutes.
In contrast to the poor showing against FC United three days earlier, Rangers looked positive from the off with a good passing game that saw them create a number of chances but they failed to make possession count and pretty football will get you nowhere without an end product. Joe Cuff was the first to try his luck with a 25 yarder, but it was straight at home keeper Jordan Pierrepont.
A couple of minutes later, Cuff sent a ball flying across the face of the Basford goal with no Stafford player on hand to add the finish. After Liam Langford had headed over from a corner, Joe Kenton tested the keeper following his run from midfield and though Pierrepont spilled the shot, he was able to recover before Mo Sebbeh-Njie could get in.
The best chance of the half fell to Jamie Sleigh at the back post, but he was at full stretch and unable to convert Kenton’s cross. Twice the home keeper had to come out of his area as Rangers threatened to open the scoring – firstly just beating Cuff to a ball over the top then clattering into Sleigh, leaving the Stafford man requiring treatment.
Basford looked sharper at the start of the second half without really posing a threat to the Stafford goal – a glanced header from Niall Towell going across goal then a shot high over from Kyle Dixon being the nearest they came. Rangers should have gone ahead on the hour when Mo Sebbeh-Njie put Cuff through after dispossessing Callum Chettle, but Cuff declined to shoot, instead trying a return pass and the chance was lost.
Sebbeh-Njie produced Rangers’ best effort of the game after Cieron Keane’s centre was only half cleared but Pierrepont managed to tip the ball onto the post. Chettle and sub Alex Howes both wasted good chances for Basford before captain Stef Galinski powered home a 71st minute header from Ryan Wilson’s corner. Rangers threw on Fis Adarabioyo and debutant Aaron Cole in an attempt to get back level, but the Basford defence denied them a look in as the winless streak was extended to six games.
Basford United: 1 Jordan Pierrepont, 2 Dom Roma, 3 Ryan Wilson, 4 Declan Dunn, 5 Stef Galinski, 6 Lewis Carr, 7 Kyle Dixon (15 Brad Gascoigne 83m), 8 Callum Chettle, 9 Niall Towell (18 Alex Howes 65m), 10 Kane Richards, 11 Rev James (16 Wayde Hines 90m). Unused Subs 12 Matt Thornhill, 14 James Clifton
Stafford Rangers: 1 Lewis King, 2 Michael Williams, 3 Cieron Keane, 4 Sam Coulson, 5 Liam Langford, 6 John Welsh (16 Aaron Cole 79m), 7 Mo Sebbeh-Njie, 8 Alex-Ray Harvey, 9 Jamie Sleigh (14 Fis Adarabioyo 74m), 10 Joe Cuff, 11 Joe Kenton. Unused Subs 12 Reece Jones, 15 Callum Coyle, 17 Ben Forrest
Ref: Ruebyn Ricardo
Cautions: None
Goals: Galinski 71m
Attendance: 257
Report by Chris Elsley
