City of Liverpool v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers afforded already relegated City of Liverpool no sympathy as they ran out 8-0 winners at the DCBL Stadium.

Rangers recorded their biggest win in the league for 94 years as they took a giant step towards securing their NPL status for another season. The goal fest turned Rangers’ goal difference in to positive while results elsewhere helped the club to climb to a season high 12th in the table.

Rangers were without Liam Brazier who was on duty with Port Vale while pre-match preparations were hampered by a late arrival at the ground due to heavy traffic on the M6.

Although they always looked in control, Rangers struggled to find a breakthrough until a super ball from Mason Rees put Jon Atherton away and he steered the ball past Connor Robson to put Rangers ahead on 26 minutes.

Minutes later, Atherton was in again but this time he was denied by the feet of the Liverpool keeper and James McQuilkin’s follow up was blocked.

Rangers were now opening up the home side with increasing frequency. Kaiman Anderson headed wide and then saw Atherton’s cross taken away by the slightest deflection.

Dan Cockerline doubled the lead a couple of minutes before half time with a smart finish from just inside the ‘D’. Simon Wills denied Anderson a third before the interval.

Despite the gulf in class, the 2-0 goal lead was vulnerable but Ben O’Hanlon increased the lead a couple of minutes after the break when his cross cleared Robson and went in at the far post.

Anderson made it 4-0 on 53 minutes when he converted a low centre from Atherton after some good approach play which also involved Cockerline and James McQuilkin.

Cockerline headed home Rangers’ fifth on 62 minutes from O’Hanlon’s cross after which Rangers went a little flat as a couple of substitutions settled.

During this spell, Liverpool enjoyed their best spell and a well worked free kick created a great chance for Kostas Misios but the ball skidded off the top of his boot.

After a quiet spell, Rangers finished with a flurry. Scott Wara powered in the sixth goal on 88 minutes from Joe Morley’s corner then Morley got on the scoresheet himself two minutes into added time when he fired in a free kick after Wills had been sent off for a ‘last man’ foul on Anderson.

The rout was completed in the 5th minute of added time when Anderson and Henry Brereton combined well and the latter fired in his first goal for the club.

The win was Rangers’ best in the league since they defeated Kettering Town 10-3 in a Birmingham Combination fixture in April 1931!

City of Liverpool: 1 Connor Robson, 2 Kostas Misios, 3 Musa Jobe, 4 Simon Wills, 5 Jadel Musanhu, 6 Evan Smith, 7 Ismail Sonko, 8 Astley Mullholland, 9 Hugo Rodriquez (15 Xenon Bahula 54m), 10 Lewis Williams (14 Andy Owens 79m), 11 Deacon Smalley (12 Alex Northover 60m). Only 3 subs named

Stafford Rangers: 1 Leon Phillips, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 Mason Rees, 5 Scott Wara, 6 Jimmy O’Neill (16 Jack Schollar 84m), 7 John Atherton, 8 Ashley Fallon (15 Max Barlow 63m), 9 Dan Cockerline (14 Joe Morley 73m), 10 James McQuilkin (17 Henry Brereton 84m), 11 Kaiman Anderson. Unused Subs 12 Joe Thomas

Referee: Adewunmi Soneye

Cautions: Williams (City of Liverpool)

Sent Off: Wills (City of Liverpool)

Attendance: 171

Report by Chris Elsley