Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Saturday 23 December 2017
Stafford Rangers returned to league action for the first time in three weeks but were forced to settle for a draw against a Buxton side who had to play the entire second half with ten men.
Rangers were looking to end a poor run of form that had seen them lose their last three league games – all at home – against a side who had beaten them 4-1 when the two sides met at Marston Road back in August.
Rangers’ goalscorer that day was Dan Westwood and the striker took his season’s tally into double figures when he nipped in behind the Buxton defence to put Rangers ahead in the 14th minute.
It was no less than Rangers deserved after Kieran Morris and Westwood had both had efforts cleared off the line inside the first five minutes. Westwood missed out again when Jan Budtz saved after Massiah McDonald’s flick on then Richard Batchelor headed wide from a cross from newcomer Richard Thompson-Brown.
The breakthrough came when Westwood ran onto the path of Josh Craddock’s long range shot in his path before calmly slotting past Budtz.
A great save from Adam Whitehouse denied Matt Baker an equalizer 5 mins later before Ant Wilson sent the rebound wide.
Rangers were dealt a blow when Kieren Westwood suffered a recurrence of a back injury with Jack Sherratt taking his place.
As half time loomed, Budtz beat away a shot from McDonald but first half added time produced a flashpoint following a dreadful challenge from Ricky Ravenhill on Sam Griffiths.
Having failed to blow immediately for the initial foul referee Jamie Rhodes then took five minutes to discuss the events with his assistant before showing Bucks’ skipper Ravenhill the red card while Griffiths was carried off the pitch, unable to take any further part in the game.
McDonald forced another save from Budtz early in the second half but the home side got back on level terms on 52 mins when the referee gifted them a penalty, judging Whitehouse to have brought down Wilson when no contact appeared to have been made. Joe McGee scored from the spot.
Jack Broadhead’s free kick went close to giving Buxton the lead but much of the second half was focused around some bizarre decisions from referee Jamie Rhodes which angered both camps. At one point he failed to spot a foul because he just wasn’t looking!
A free kick driven low into the area by Joe Maguire was diverted wide by Wilson as Buxton worked hard to compensate for their numerical disadvantage.
Rangers struggled to create much at the other end although Sherratt went close to grabbing a late winner when he fired over with the last kick of the game but it was the performance of the referee that everyone was talking about.
Buxton: 1 Jan Budtz, 2 Matt Baker, 3 Andy McWilliams, 4 Ricky Ravenhill, 5 Kern Miller, 6 Joe Maguire, 7 Josh Meade, 8 Jack Broadhead, 9 Ant Wilson (14 Curtis Morrison 83m), 10 Luke Hinsley, 11 Joe McGee. Unused Subs 12 Jake Williams, 15 Ryan McDermott, 17 William Biggs
Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Sam Griffiths (12 Izak Reid 45+8m), 3 Kieren Westwood (17 Jack Sherratt 37m), 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Mat Bailey, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Josh Craddock, 8 Robert Thompson-Brown, 9 Dan Westwood, 10 Massiah McDonald, 11 Richard Batchelor. Unused subs 14 Osebi Abadaki, 15 Michael Calveley, 16 Joe Thomas
Goals:
Buxton- McGee 52m pen
Rangers – D Westwood 14m
Cautions: Maguire, Wilson (Buxton) Thompson-Brown, McDonald, Sherratt (Rangers)
Referee: Jamie Rhodes
Att 300
Chris Elsley
