Clitheroe v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers ended their season with a goal-less draw at Clitheroe. The result meant that Rangers failed to leapfrog their hosts for a top half finish but still maintained a satisfying 12th place.

Kaiman Anderson was left out of the starting line up after picking up an injury against Hednesford. His place in an otherwise unchanged line up was taken by Joe Morley.

Rangers started the better of the two sides and came close to an opener through Scott Wara but he couldn’t convert from Jimmy O’Neill’s long throw.

Clitheroe came into the game and Leon Phillips was forced into a fantastic save to keep out Jordan Windass after a square ball from Jacob Hanson.

A short time later, Hanson sent in a dangerous cross but there was no Clitheroe player on the end of it then Jack Massey, one of two former Stafford players in the home line up, almost broke through but the ball ran through to Phillips.

Phillips continued to thwart the home side as he made another good save, tipping over another effort from Massey while Sam Oluwami’s shot was blocked in the latter stages of the half as the sides went in at the break on level terms.

After early Stafford pressure at the start of the second period, Clitheroe were again in the search for a goal but Phillips wasn’t prepared to give up his clean sheet and parried away a powerful drive from Windass.

Zac Scutt replaced Ben O’Hanlon for Stafford and was soon in with a chance of putting his side ahead but saw his shot saved by James McClenaghan.

Although play remained competitive, further substitutions from both sides took much of the life out of the game.

Ross Dent fired just over the Stafford bar with a shot from distance and, in the closing stages, it needed some good defensive work from Andy Burns to prevent Dent having another shot on goal.

Stafford Rangers ended the season in 12th place with a 7 game unbeaten run and an undefeated away run of 9 games. Their last defeat on the road was away to ultimate champions Widnes in the game that immediately followed Dale Belford’s departure as manager.

Clitheroe: 1 James McClenaghan, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Jake Carroll, 4 Sam Olawumi, 5 Cameron Lancaster, 6 Jack McEvilly, 7 Jack Massey (14 Luke Gill 46m), 7 Ross Dent, 8 Ntumba Massanka (15 Jake Connelly 82m), 10 Jordan Windass, 11 Dylan Dwyer (12 Vernon Parny 72m). Unused Subs 16 Charlie Turnbull, 17 Sean McConville

Stafford Rangers: 1 Leon Phillips, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon (17 Zac Scutt 57m), 4 Mason Rees (16 Henry Brereton 57m), 5 Scott Wara, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 John Atherton, 8 Ashley Fallon (12 Joe Thomas 79m), 9 Dan Cockerline, 10 James McQuilkin, 11 Joe Morley 55m). Unused Subs 14 Kaiman Anderson, 15 Max Barlow

Referee: Graeme Kearney

Cautions: Gill (Clitheroe) Fallon, Cockerline (Stafford)

Att: 1,005

Report by Mark Bennett