This Saturday we welcome Marine to Marston Road in what is yet another “6 pointer fixture”.
Marine are only 4 points above us, yet they had been putting a very good run of results prior to their home defeat to relegation threatened Workington.

We need you as the 12th man to help us to another 3 points as we attempt to move away from the drop zone.
Two weeks ago, we were overjoyed as our win over Bamber Bridge gave us not only 3 points but all the sides around us all dropped points. However, the reverse occurred last Saturday when after our hard-earned deserved point at Basford was overshadowed by all those around us picking up points. This shows how tight this league is and how “strange” results will happen over the next two months.
As the season develops, we will often look back at what if’s, and our defeat at Marine last October certainly emphasises that. The game was heading towards a 0-0 draw when with a few minutes to go we were awarded a penalty and the chance to take 3 points. That spot kick did not go in, so it looked like we had lost 2 points. Sadly not, as a last-minute penalty to Marine saw us go home empty handed. In just a few minutes we had all the highs and lows as we had 1 point, then possibly 3, back to 1 and finally nil.
March could be a pivotal month for Stafford Rangers, as in the month we play the current leaders Warrington, home and away, go away to second placed Farsley and away to mid table Witton and Hyde. Therefore the 3 points we are after on Saturday could become essential. So please spread the word and lets get another big gate to cheer on the lads to the safety of mid table.

Games played on March 2nd this century

Note the fixture from 2013

2002       Welling                 H             2-1          Southern League

2010       Redditch              H             0-1          Conference North

2013       Marine                 H             0-0          Northern Premier League

Next Saturday we travel to Basford, a suburb in North West Nottingham. How can I persuade fans to travel to this game? 1. They play on a synthetic pitch. 2. They have already beaten us 4-0 on that pitch in this seasons F A Trophy. That aside we will travel in hope of getting something out of this game, so there is every reason to travel to this game to support the team.

 Basford lie 7th in the league with 47 points from their 30 games. At home they have won 11 and lost 4. They have yet to register a home draw. I think many of us would be happy with a point. Strangely, Basford have scored 67 goals but conceded 55. We too have conceded 55 so while they tend to win well at home they do not appear to travel well as our 3-1 win in September over them will testify. It would be a great result if we could break our duck on synthetic pitches, especially as we still to travel to Hyde.

Basford started this season, their first at step 3 in very good form but experienced a blip either side of Christmas. December saw 2 wins and 3 defeats in the league while January saw 1 win and 4 defeats. Their one win was a 2-1 at North Ferriby while one of the defeats was an alarming 8-3 reverse at home to Hyde. Sadly, as we arrive, they have won both of their February games.

Although a very young senior non-league club, Basford were formed in 1900, but played mostly in local Nottinghamshire Leagues. 1991 Basford moved to their current ground. In 2006 they joined the Notts Senior League. In their first season they finished 3rd. The next few seasons saw them come 5th, 3rd, 2nd and 2nd. In 2011-12 they won the Central Midlands League South in their first season in the competition and this success earned them promotion to the East Midlands Counties League for 2012-13 where they again ran out champions, setting a record points total as well as becoming the first club to complete the EMCL League and Cup double. That saw promotion to the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, where they finished in a creditable fifth place in 2013-14. That was to be their only season in the NCEL as they were moved into the newly formed Midland League Premier Division for 2014-15. This was to prove a memorable season for the club as they won the Premier Division in some style, finishing six points clear of their nearest challengers and winning the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in 27 years. The Midland League success earned the club promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One South, and then a further promotion to the Northern Premier League.

Other than the FA Trophy game this season our only other visit to Basford was our league 1 championship season of 2015/16 when we played out a 1-1 draw. Again, such a score would go down well with us this season. So, get behind the team and travel to this fixture. Our synthetic pitch hoodoo must come to end sometime. Basford play at Greenwich Avenue, Nottingham, NG6 OLD. Admission is, Adults £9, Concessions £6, and under 16s £2. For those travelling by train there are frequent services taking about 90 minutes changing at Tamworth for around £30 return. To get to the ground from the city centre take any tram to Phoenix Park or Hucknall and alight at Highbury Vale tram stop for a short walk to the ground.

Games played on February 23rd this century

2002       Folkstone                            A             1-2          Southern League

2008       Halifax                                  A             0-0          Conference

2009       Hinkley                                 A             0-4          Conference North

2015       Norton                                 A             0-0          Northern Premier League Division 1

While Bamber Gascoigne will give you a starter for 10, Bamber Bridge will give Stafford Rangers a starter for 13. Yes, we now have unlucky 13 league games to play as we attempt to pull away from the relegation trap door, and yet again it is a potential 6 pointer fixture. Bamber Bridge lie 13th but only 5 points above Stafford Rangers. This highlights the narrow gap in place and the effect a win for the Rangers can have on league placings. Therefore, your support is very much needed to be the 12th man in the Shedend to help us to 3 precious points and send Bamber Bridge back up the M6 to Preston pointless. Bamber Bridge are a relatively “new” football club in the non-league pyramid and as far as I am aware, this will be their first visit to Marston Road.

On their travels in the league, Bamber Bridge have won only once, that being on the artificial pitch at Buxton. They have drawn 7 and lost 6 of their other away games. Their most recent away game last Saturday saw them to become the first side to stop South Shield’s 100% home record with a very creditable 3-3 draw. Bamber Bridge will therefore arrive next Saturday in fine form and looking to add to their 6-1 demolition job they did on us on September 29th. That day Alistair Waddicar scored 4 goals and Andy Haworth scored their second goal on 27 minutes. Let’s hope Andy can repeat his goal in this fixture, obviously this time scoring for us.

Games played this century on 16th February

2008 Forest Green A 2-1 Conference
2010 Chasetown H 0-4 Staffs Senior Cup
2013 North Ferriby A 1-1 Northern Premier League

An away game at a seaside resort. Perhaps not so in February so avoid the beach and go and watch Stafford Rangers take on Scarborough.

It has been a long time since we played Scarborough away, but this is a new Scarborough and they no longer play at Seamer Road. The current Scarborough were formed on 25th June 2007 following the liquidation of Scarborough FC, so our only competitive game was the 3-1 defeat at Marston Road last October. 

The old name brings back many memories, with an FA Trophy Final, and both clubs representing the Northern Premier League in the Anglo Italian Cup. Our frequent league fixtures disappeared when Neil Warnock, and his team became champions of the Conference in 1987 becoming the first club to be automatically promoted into the Football League, and we helped them do it by defeating Barnet away in the final midweek fixtures. Incidentally their first game in the football league was at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Scarborough lost their league place on the last day of season 1998/99, when the famous last gasp goal from keeper Jimmy Glass ensured Carlisle’s survival and relegate Scarborough back to the Conference, twelve years after they had left it, and this being the first relegation in the history of Scarborough FC. By the end of season 2006/07 Scarborough were wound up.

Saturday’s game will be a stern test for our current league run of games. They lie 5th with 50 points from their 29 games but have tasted defeat 5 times at home in the league to sides in the top promotion chasing group, namely, Nantwich, Gainsborough, Hyde, South Shields and Farsley. Despite getting gates in excess of 1000, they are currently experiencing a dip in form having lost 7 of their last 11 league games. Perhaps a repeat of our Gainsborough game could be repeated.

For independent travellers, Scarborough now play at the Flamingo Land Stadium, Scarborough Sports Village, Ashburn Road, Scarborough, YO11 2JW. Admission is £10 adults, £5 concessions and kids under 11, free with an adult. For those looking at train travel, the 10:03 changing at Manchester and Huddersfield will get you to Scarborough at 13:35, returning 17:50, with the same changes getting home 21:24. Could be an expensive trip as adult return fares are around £90.

Games played this century on 9th February

2002       Merthyr               H             1-0          Southern League

2008       Weymouth         H             2-1          Conference

2013       Frickley                 H             3-3          Northern Premier League