Pitching In Northern Premier League Saturday 4 December 2021
Ten man Stafford Rangers dug deep to pick up all three points from their trip to high flying Matlock Town.
Despite the appalling conditions the two sides served up an incident packed thriller that contained a penalty and two red cards.
Rangers’ pre-match plans were hampered when captain Alex-Ray Harvey picked up a back injury in the warm up. Louis Malandrou stepped up from the bench and did an excellent job – until a moment of madness saw him sent off later in the game.
Facing a strong wind and driving rain, Rangers found themselves a goal down before their shirts had got wet. Luke Pilling clawed away Alex Byrne’s corner but only as far as Liam King who fired home a first time shot.
Liam Hughes headed over from another Byrne corner but it was Rangers who struck next when Jake Charles levelled the scores on 19 minutes with a 22 yard strike after he had held off Ioan Evans.
Alex Fletcher went close to putting Rangers in front but the better chances were falling Matlock’s way as Jesurun Uchegbulam fired across the face of goal before Pilling parried a shot from Byrne out for a corner.
It was Byrne who restored Matlock’s lead on 31 minutes when a cross / shot from the right floated in at the far post.
A similar ‘effort’ from Tom Tonks a minute later was inches away from levelling matters once more.
With the wind behind them after the interval, Rangers were a more dominant force. Theo Bailey-Jones miskicked inside the area when well placed then Ryan Qualter headed a Tonks corner off the line.
Tonks was in the right place at the near post when he forced home the equaliser on 56 minutes, getting on the end of Andy Burns’ centre from the right.
Matlock introduced striker Ross Hannah to the proceedings as the home side looked to get back in front and Hughes was denied by an excellent tackle from James O’Neill when well placed.
The game turned Rangers’ way when they were awarded a penalty after Evans hauled Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls to the ground. But before the spot kick could be taken, Malandjou raised his hands to Byrne and was sent off. Charles kept his focus and fired home the penalty to put Rangers in front with 14 minutes remaining.
A man down, it was backs to the wall as Matlock threw everything forward in search of the point that would have taken them to the top of the table.
Hannah glanced home a header on 85 minutes but his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
Reece Kendall fired wide and O’Neill cleared off the line before lady luck showed she was on Rangers’ side when Hughes’ shot struck the post and ricocheted on to Pilling and over the bar while O’Neill made another block to deny Alex Wiles.
Rangers held on to record back to back league wins for the first time since beating Matlock at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Shortly after the final whistle, Matlock skipper Hughes was shown the red card for comments made to the referee.
Matlock Town: 1 Paul Cooper, 2 Jamie Sharman (15 Ross Hannah 60m), 3 Reece Kendall, 4 Ioan Evans, 5 Ryan Qualter, 6 Mark Lees (17 Luke Hall 77m), 7 Alex Byrne, 8 Alex Wiles, 9 Liam Hughes, 10 Jesurun Uchegbulam, 11 Liam King (12 Callum Chippendale 72m). Unused Subs: 14 Matt Sargeant, 16 Craig King
Stafford Rangers: 13 Luke Pilling, 2 Andrew Burns, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Louis Malandjou, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Kenton, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Jake Charles, 10 Alex Fletcher, 11 Theo Bailey-Jones (14 Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls 67m (16 Michael Lennon 86m)). Unused Subs: 12 Michael Tait-Moran, 15 Jon Moran, 17 Jude Hill
Cautions: Kendall, Evans, Dave Wild (Asst Manager) (Matlock), Pilling (Rangers)
Sent Off: Hughes – after final whistle (Matlock), Malandjou (Rangers)
Staffordshire Senior Cup Round 2 Tuesday 30 November 2021
Stafford Rangers had to overcome a determined effort from local rivals Stafford Town to make progress in the Staffs Senior Cup.
Despite the three league gap, there was little to choose between the two sides as Town looked to cause a cup upset in front of an excellent crowd of 507 at Evans Park.
Having had their game against South Shields postponed at the weekend, Rangers fielded a strong side for what was just the second competitive fixture between the two clubs and they went close inside 5 minutes when recent signing Michael Tait-Moran was just off target.
Town responded immediately as Declan Arber sent the ball across the face of the Rangers’ goal then, with the pressure still on, Arber could only head Leon Ashman’s cross straight at Luke Pilling.
It was end to end and Town’s keeper Henry Smith did well to hold on to a close range effort from Tait-Moran before also keeping out Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls after a good move from the Boro.
Chances came and went for both sides with Pilling making a save from Arber and Tait-Moran heading wide.
Bailey-Nicholls spurned a couple of good chances to open the scoring as Smith kept out one effort before the Rangers’ newcomer shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
Town’s best effort came a couple of minutes before the break when Josh Wilson forced Pilling to push away a shot that was heading for the top corner.
Bailey-Nicholls missed out again in the second half when his drive from the edge of the area thumped against Smith’s right hand post but, a minute later, it was the Boro’s turn to breathe a sigh of relief as Arber just failed to connect with Ashman’s centre.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 67th minute. Rangers caught the home defence napping as Joe Cuff was given time and space to fire in a shot under Smith.
Cuff went close to doubling the lead five minutes later with a rising volley over the bar.
But Town refused to give in and Chris Anderson should have done better when he got on the end of Kaz Danilian’s cross but side footed wide at the back post.
Pilling turned a dangerous cross from Nathan Scott over the bar then only a superb intervention from Andy Burns denied Arber as the former Rangers man looked set to level the scores.
Arber sent another opportunity for Town high over and with it went the home side’s hopes.
Rangers could have added a couple more goals in the dying stages as Jake Charles and Theo Bailey-Jones were both denied by Smith at the end of an entertaining night for local football fans.
Stafford Town: 1 Henry Smith, 2 Matt Dudley, 3 Harry Bowers, Charlie Swingwood, 5 Chris Anderson, 6 Ben Wood (15 Nathan Scott 57m), 7 Ryan Taylor (12 Kaz Danilian 57m), 8 Declan Arber, 9 Josh Oultram, 10 Josh Wilson (14 Morgan Payne 76m), 11 Kyle Ashman. Unused Subs: 16 Sam Amadu, 17 Ben Vangoucci
Stafford Rangers: 13 Luke Pilling, 2 Andrew Burns, 3 Michael Lennon, 4 Louis Malandjou, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Cuff (17 Jaden Henry-Dean 89m), 8 Theo Bailey-Jones, 9 Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls, 10 Alex Fletcher (14 Tom Tonks 85m), 11 Michael Tait-Moran (16 Jake Charles 65m). Unused Subs: 12 Joe Kenton, 15 Alex-Ray Harvey
Pitching In Northern Premier League Saturday 20 November 2021
Joe Cuff marked his return to action after a six-week absence by scoring the only goal of the game as Stafford Rangers beat bottom side Grantham Town to move up to seventh in the table. It was a scrappy affair with Rangers relying on some dogged defending and keeper Luke Pilling, who once again made a number of fine saves, to earn maximum points.
Grantham shaded the opening 10 minutes and Lee Shaw could have fired Grantham ahead only to shoot straight at Pilling. Rangers got their first look in a couple of minutes later when Cuff picked up on a poor clearance from AJ Adelekan. In turn, Tom Tonks found Joe Kenton on the right, but his effort crashed back off the Grantham cross bar.
After coming close at one end, Rangers found their goal immediately under threat via a Grantham counter attack but the danger ended when Jon Wafula fired over from fifteen yards out. Soon after, a slip from Ben Woods let in Shaw but Pilling made an excellent block. Play switched to the opposite end, Jake Charles pounced on an error from Michael Williams to put Cuff in and he made no mistake to give Rangers a 19th minute lead.
Pilling made another crucial save when he got his finger tips to a shot from Ali Adeymir to allow Rangers to take their lead into the half time break. Charles went close to doubling the lead early in the second half when he got his head to Tonks’ cross, but home keeper Jim Pollard was equal to it with a fine reaction save.
Grantham replaced Williams with Ifeanyi Ofoegbu and the new face made a noticeable difference and forced Pilling into a good save just five minutes after his introduction. Greg Smith headed over and was then denied by Pilling before Andy Burns made a goal-line clearance to keep out Ofoegbu.
The single goal lead always looked vulnerable, and Rangers defended desperately to survive a late scramble in the area to ensure the win.
Grantham Town: 1 Jim Pollard, 2 Michael Williams (15 Ifeanyi Ofoegbu 51m), 3 Thierry Latty-Fairweather, 4 Shane Clarke (14 Jacob Wright 71m), 5 James Williamson, 6 AJ Adelekan (17 Rod Orlando-Young 79m), 7 Ali Adeymir, 8Finley Shrimpton, 9 Greg Smith, 10 Lee Shaw, 11 Jonathan Wafula. Unused Subs 12 Joe Parkin, 16 Nathan Modest
Stafford Rangers: 13 Luke Pilling, 2 Andrew Burns, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Alex-Ray Harvey, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Kenton, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Jake Charles (17 Michael Lennon 90+5m), 10 Alex Fletcher (16 Louis Malandjou 69m), 11 Joe Cuff (14 Michael Tait-Moran 70m). Unused Subs: 12 Theo Bailey-Jones, 15 Khaellem Bailey-Nicholls
Pitching In Northern Premier League Saturday 6 November 2021
It was another frustrating afternoon at Marston Road as Stafford Rangers managed to lose a game that they should have had wrapped up by half time. Rangers dominated first half proceedings, but a number of missed chances meant that they took just a single goal lead into the interval, and they paid the price.
On the front foot from the off, Rangers won a number of free kicks and corners in the opening 10 minutes but a toe poked effort from Jon O’Neill – which went wide of the target – was their only shot on goal. Reward eventually came in the 13th minute via Jake Charles who snapped up the loose ball after O’Neill’s initial shot had been blocked.
Tom Tonks should had doubled the lead four minutes later after some excellent work from Theo Bailey-Jones, but he shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Bailey-Jones went closer himself with a header against the cross bar from a long Tonks throw. Seconds later, Charles put the ball in the net again but was ruled offside.
Bamber Bridge produced their first threat on the Stafford goal midway through the half as Luke Pilling spilled a shot from Robert Apter and Ethan Stewart was required to clear the danger.
A minute later, Ewan Bange headed over from a corner as the visitors began to get into the game. An excellent last-ditch tackle from Ben Woods denied Apter then Stewart made another important intervention after a misplaced header from Joe Kenton set up Sheldon Green.
Luke Pilling tipped over from Bange as Brig began to show the form that has taken them to third in the table and the Rangers’ keeper saved again on the stroke of half time as he denied Green. Rangers had a strong penalty appeal waved away early in the second half when Andy Burns went to ground under the challenge of Green, but it was the visitors who were creating the better chances.
Pilling made a super save to deny Apter then Burns threw himself in front of Bange’s follow up. The seemingly inevitable equaliser came on 65 minutes, but it wasn’t without controversy as Bamber Bridge were awarded a free kick despite an initial hand ball from Nathan Pond. Apter struck home a superb effort from twenty-five yards, via the underside of the cross bar.
With their tails up, Brig went looking for the win. Pond headed straight at Pilling when well-placed then Woods made another brilliant block to deny the experienced Pond. The visitors struck the killer blow ten minutes from time when a slip from Woods let in Apter and although Burns made the block on the line, Green followed up to score. Rangers had one late chance to salvage something from the afternoon, but O’Neill headed over and his side were left to look back on those missed opportunities in the first half.
Stafford Rangers: 13 Luke Pilling, 2 Andrew Burns, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Alex-Ray Harvey, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Kenton, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Jake Charles (14 Max McCarthy 61m), 10 Alex Fletcher (12 Omotolani Omotola 86m), 11 Theo Bailey-Jones. Unused Subs: 15 Michael Lennon, 16 Louis Malandjou, 17 Tom Carr
Bamber Bridge: 1 Mateusz Hewelt, 2 Matthew Thomson, 3 Lewis Coulton, 4 Callum Spooner, 5 Nathan Pond, 6 Akiel Raffie (15 Christopher Churchman 65m), 7 Robert Apter, 8 Danny Forbes (14 Joe Rodwell-Grant 46m), 9 Ewan Bange (12 Matthew Dudley 65m), 10 Craig Carney, 11 Sheldon Green. Unused Subs 16 Cameron Gourlay, 17 Isaac Sinclair
Walsall Senior Cup 2 Round Tuesday 2 November 2021
Stafford Rangers exited their second cup competition in four days as they were beaten by Sutton Coldfield Town in the Walsall Senior Cup.
But this was a much-changed side as Rangers made ten changes to the XI that started the FA Trophy tie at Bedford on Saturday with only Ethan Stewart retaining his place. Making his first appearance since August was keeper Adam Whitehouse while four youth players made their debuts.
The home side raced into a two-goal lead thanks to errors from two of Rangers’ more senior players then added a third with just 20 minutes on the clock. In the 7th minute former Rangers man Ryan Nesbitt benefitted when Jon Moran failed to cut out a long ball from Jamie Ashmore and advanced past Whitehouse to open the scoring.
Six minutes later, Ashmore’s long range free kick from the left-hand side of the area beat Whitehouse at the near post to double the lead. The tie was all but over on 20 minutes when Alex Smith headed home another Ashmore free kick to make it 3-0.
But the story could have been a better read for the Boro had they not spurned a golden opportunity to get back on level terms in the 10th minute after Smith had hauled down Tol Omotola. The forward took the spot kick himself, but Royals’ keeper Keiran Hart went to his left to save.
Sutton wasted several chances to add to their first half score. Stewart blocked a goal bound header from Smith then Whitehouse made an excellent save to keep out James Beresford before Nesbitt headed over from close range.
Rangers started the second half brightly with Hart turning Jaden Henry-Dean’s shot into the side netting. But they shot themselves in the foot again when Omotola missed his second penalty of the night on 52 minutes following a handball from John Dodd. In an almost carbon copy of the first spot kick, Hart dived to his left to make the save.
Rangers’ night went from bad to worse from the resultant corner. Moran headed over but, in doing so, he suffered a serious blow to his nose. Rangers, who had already used two of their three named substitutes following first half injuries to Tre Pemberton and Jenson Griffiths, were forced to field youth keeper Eden Johnson as an outfield player.
Johnson almost reduced the arrears in the closing stages after Hart had only parried from Henry-Dean, but he was denied by Aris Christophorou’s last ditch intervention. A long clearance from Stewart from midway inside the Rangers’ half almost provided a bizarre consolation but Hart was on guard to keep his goal intact.
Sutton Coldfield Town: 1 Keiran Hart, 2 Jamie Ashmore, 3 Aris Christophorou, 4 Dalmar Morrison, 5 James Beresford, 6 Alex Smith, 7 John Dodd, 8 Christian Isichei, 9 Ryan Nesbitt (15 Lamin Dampha 77m), 10 Leo Brown (16 Benni Wilson 77m), 11 Ben Guy (18 Angelo Njong 77m). Unused Subs 12 Maxwell Brogan, 14 Callum King-Harmes
Stafford Rangers: 13 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Taylor Draper, 3 Michael Lennon, 4 Lewis Rowley, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Jon Moran (16 Eden Johnson 57m), 7 Tre Pemberton (14 Jovaan Garrison 33m), 8 Tom Carr, 9 Omotolani Omotola, 10 Jenson Griffiths (12 Jude Hill 39m), 11 Jaden Henry-Dean. Unused Subs – none
Referee: Jamie Conde Att: 120 Report: Chris Elsley
FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round Saturday 30 October 2021
A below par performance saw Stafford Rangers knocked out of the FA Trophy by in form Bedford Town. With the home side flying high in the Southern League Division One Central, Rangers knew they would face a tough challenge, but it was a day that they didn’t execute the basics.
Bedford raced into a two-goal lead inside 11 minutes. Rory McAuley opened the scoring on 8 minutes when he ran in unchallenged to head home Danny Setchell’s corner.
Three minutes later, Callum Donnelly added a second when he was given time and space to convert Connor Tomlinson’s cross. There was some question whether Tomlinson was offside in the build-up but no doubt about the quality of Donnelly’s finish.
Shell shocked Rangers didn’t come into the game until the latter stages of the half, but they failed to create a threat to the home goal.
Rangers began the second half on the front foot, but it was Bedford who created the first chance as Rene Howe found the lively Tomlinson who forced Luke Pilling into a fine save. The ball ran loose to Lewis Miccio but Pilling made another good save to keep Rangers in the contest.
But those hopes were well and truly dashed a couple of minutes before the hour mark when Tomlinson latched on to a long ball from Setchell then cut in from the right before firing emphatically past Pilling.
Rangers gave themselves a lifeline when they pulled one back 10 minutes later after Bedford keeper Alex Street flapped at Alex Fletcher’s free kick and Joe Kenton headed home.
Bedford central defender Charley Sanders was lucky to stay on the field after two separate head-butting incidents, on James O’Neill and Tol Omotola, but it was reflective of the officials’ performance that both went unspotted. Kenton and Tom Tonks both missed chances to reduce the arrears late on and a bad day for Rangers was compounded in added time when debutant Tre Pemberton was sent off after picking up his second yellow card of the game.
Bedford Town: 1 Alex Street, 2 Drew Richardson, 3 Joe Steele (15 Shaun Keane 87m), 4 Rory McAuley, 5 Charley Sanders, 6 Hugh Alban-Jones, 7 Connor Tomlinson, 8 Callum Donnelly (17 Will Summerfield 62m), 9 Rene Howe (12 Craig Mackail-Smith 71m), 10 Danny Setchell, 11 Lewis Miccio. Unused Subs: 13 Elliott Duffy, 14 Olly Swain, 16 Zak Brown, Stafford Rangers: 13 Luke Pilling, 2 Andrew Burns, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Alex-Ray Harvey (12 Omotolani Omotola 57m), 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Kenton, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Jake Charles (16 Max McCarthy 57m), 10 Alex Fletcher, 11 Theo Bailey-Jones (14 Tre Pemberton 59m). Unused Subs: 15 Jon Moran, 17 Michael Lennon
Cautions: Street, Donnelly, Setchell (Bedford), Tonks, O’Neill (Rangers) Sent Off: Pemberton – two cautions (Rangers Referee: Steven Scott Att: 454
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