Stafford Rangers will play Hednesford in the final of the staffs senior cup Tues 24th April 2018 at Stoke City’s Bet 365 Stadium. K.O time 7.30pm.
Tickets available on the gate admission prices:
Adults £10.00 Children £5.00
Stafford Rangers are the “home team” and will be using the home dressing room and wearing black and white strip.
Stafford Rangers 3 Wolverhampton Sporting Community 1
Tuesday 17 April 2018
Stafford Rangers set up a fitting farewell for departing manager Neil Kitching as they booked themselves a place in the Staffs Senior Cup final with a hard fought victory over Wolverhampton Sporting.
Rangers had to battle hard to see off a Wolves side who showed why they have dominated the West Midlands Regional League this season, scoring 120 goals in just 30 games, but ultimately the three division gap between the two sides proved too much.
Rangers got off to the perfect start when Jack Sherratt fired them ahead in the 5th minute. The goal came after Kieren Westwood and Massiah McDonald had linked well on the left. Westwood’s centre was only half cleared and bounced up nicely for Sherratt who hooked the ball home from just outside the area.
Wolves Sporting were a lively side showing pace up front with Jon Letford showing pace on the left and making a number of runs into the Rangers’ area.
One such advance saw Letford threaten as he ran on to Angelo Franco’s flick but his touch let him down allowing Jordaan Brown to clear the danger.
Sporting’s best chance of the first half came in the 25th minute. Tom Hill hooked a long ball from Dan Scraggs back to Dimitri Dunkley. His first shot was spilled by Adam Whitehouse. Dunkley was quickest to the rebound but the Rangers keeper raced out to make sure he made the block.
For Rangers, Robert Thompson-Brown went close when he curled one over from around 22 yards then Kyle Perry twice missed out in a matter of seconds first from a Thompson-Brown corner then a cross from the same player.
But Perry was not to be denied and three minutes before the interval he glanced home Rangers’ second from Sherratt’s inswinging free kick.
Tyrell Waite tried to add a spectacular third early in the second half with an overhead kick but was instead the provider on 55 mins with some excellent play to beat Degville-Cross. Dale Reaney made the block but could not prevent McDonald from making it 3-0 with a simple tap in.
Rangers lost some discipline picking up three yellow cards in a five minute spell and Wolves reduced the arrears on 66 mins Dunkley supplying Letford who slotted past the advancing Whitehouse.
The same two players were involved a minute later but this time Letford created the chance for Dunkley who fired inches wide.
Sherratt had a shot saved by Reaney and Degville-Cross kept out McDonald’s stunning volley with a brave block though he may not have known too much about it.
Jak Barnes missed a good opportunity to pull another back for Wolves when he missed the target at the far post following a corner while Kieren Westwood was forced to clear off the line from Barnes.
Rangers missed chances of their own in the final minutes when Thompson-Brown blazed over then Reaney was forced to go full stretch to his left to turn away a shot from Waite but they had done enough to secure an meeting with local rivals Hednesford Town at Stoke City’s BET 365 ground next Tuesday.
Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Levi Reid, 5 Jordaan Brown, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Tyrell Waite, 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Kyle Perry, 10 Robert Thompson-Brown, 11 Massiah McDonald (15 Joe Thomas 90+2m). Unused subs 12 Kieran Morris, 14 Richard Gregory, 16 Lucas Burnett, 17 Riley Stephenson
Wolverhampton: 1 Dale Reaney, 2 Chadd Degville-Cross, 3 Jamal Fuller, 4 Kieron Northwood, 5 Jak Barnes, 6 Mitch Clarke, 7 Dimitri Dunkley, 8 Angelo Franco, 9 Tom Hill, 10 Dan Scraggs (14 Chadd Birch 75m), 11 Jon Letford. Unused Subs: 12 Wes Grey, 15 Curtis Ellis, 16 Alex Moore, 17 Ben Perks
Cautions: Reid, Craddock, Thompson-Brown (Rangers); Degville-Cross, Fuller, Northwood, Barnes (Wolves Sporting)
Referee: Jamie Howe
Att: 292
Report: Chris Elsley
We entertain Wolverhampton Sporting Community tonight in the semi final of the Staffs Senior Cup.
Do not be put off by their lower league standing as they are top of that league and have scored over 100 goals already this season.
Tonight’s match has the makings of a cracking game, with the winners playing Hednesford in the final on Stoke City’s ground on the 24th April.
Come along and be the 12th man!!
K.O 7.45pm
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Saturday 14 April 2018
Stafford Rangers survived a late Witton penalty and the sending off of keeper Adam Whitehouse to more or less end Witton’s play off hopes.
Rangers will be pleased with the win which takes them up to 12th in the table but they came back from Cheshire a frustrated party after referee Matt Corlett brandished seven yellow cards to Stafford players.
Stafford made the ideal start, taking the lead in the 2nd minute through Robert Thompson-Brown’s free kick, awarded following a foul by James Foley on Tyrell Waite.
It could have been two or even three inside 15 mins but two key decisions went against Rangers as Kyle Perry was flagged offside as he stabbed in a Kieren Westwood cross then, seconds after Calvin Hare had denied Jack Sherratt, strong penalty appeals were turned down after Massiah McDonald went to ground. Rangers continued to ask most of the questions and Hare denied Sherratt once more before acrobatically turning away a good drive from McDonald.
Witton always looked a threat going forward but didn’t create too much until the half hour when Steve Tames beat he offside trap on the right and squared for Will Jones but somehow the Witton forward put the ball over from a couple of yards out.
Tom Owens and Rob Hopley both missed out with half chances that came the way of the home side before Sherratt doubled the Boro’s lead on 40 mins. The midfielder picked up a loose ball midway inside the Witton half and, with few options available, he fired in a 25 yarder past Hare.
The second half saw Witton apply more pressure. Hopley planted a free header at Whitehouse from Tames’ cross, sub Prince Haywood went close with a free kick and Tames struck another shot straight at Whitehouse.
At the other end, Tyrell Waite missed the best chance to extend Stafford’s lead when he fired over following a quick free kick from Thompson-Brown.
But the Witton pressure finally produced some reward, and a nervy finish, four minutes from time when Sam Griffiths felled Matty Devine and Tames netted from the spot. In the aftermath, Whitehouse, already booked for time wasting, was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away.
Tames got the ball in the Stafford net again in added time but was flagged offside and Stafford held on for the points.
Witton: 1 Calvin Hare, 2 Danny McKenna (16 Anthony Gardner 59m), 3 Matty Devine, 4 Nick Ryan, 5 Michael Wilson, 6 James Foley, 7 Owen Dale (12 Prince Haywood 46m), 8 Tom Owens, 9 Rob Hopley, 10 Will Jones (15 Paul Williams 66m), 11 Steve Tames. 12 Unused subs 14 Micah Evans, 17 Ryan Neild
Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Dan Vann, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Tyrell Waite, 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Kyle Perry (17 Riley Stephenson 89m), 10 Robert Thompson-Brown (12 Jordaan Brown 90+4m), 11 Massiah McDonald (14 Levi Reid 77m). Unused subs 15 Kai Davis, 16 Ben Chilcott
Cautions: Devine, Tames (Witton), Griffiths, Craddock, Waite, Perry, McDonald (Rangers)
Sent Off: Whitehouse – 2 cautions (Rangers)
Referee: Matt Corlett
Att: 316
Report: Chris Elsley
Two first half goals from Thompson-Brown and Sharratt were enough to give Rangers the three points. An over zealous referee booked 7 Rangers player s with keeper Adam Whitehorse getting his marching orders after receiving 2 yellows. Wilton Albion scored a late consolation goal.
Full report to follow
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