Hanley Town v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers picked up their first league win of the season with victory in the Staffordshire derby at Hanley Town.

Rangers’ boss Dave Cooke was able to call up on Dan Cockerline for his first appearance since joining the club and the tall striker marked his debut with a fine header to double his side’s advantage with a little under 15 minutes remaining.

Twenty minutes earlier, Joe Mwsaile had fired the Boro ahead and the victory was no more than what Rangers deserved as they played some good and patient possession football throughout the match.

Oliver Jepson was absent after picking up an injury in Saturday’s FA Trophy victory as Long Eaton which meant a re-shuffle in defence. Andy Burns moved in to partner Jimmy O’Neill in the middle with Jacob Edwards dropping in to the right. Stanley Anaebonam returned to the starting XI.

A couple of chances fell Cockerline’s way early on. Both went over but the signs were there that this was the type of player that Rangers have been looking for.

Sean Cooke headed straight at Adam Whitehouse as Rangers made the better start to the game.

The biggest threats to the Stafford goal were from their own doing. The home side launched a counter attack after Cooke lost possession but Dylan Barkers cut out the danger. Soon after, Joe Robbins gave the ball away and Barkers again came to the rescue.

Ollie Heywood advanced after Rangers had again conceded possession and, this time, it was Cam Belford with a flying save to his right.

Robbins, playing largely as a defensive midfielder, joined an attack and saw his drive thump into the body of a Hanley defender but the best chances of the half fell to the home side as Reece Jones shinned a volley in front of the goal and also put a header straight at the Stafford keeper.

There was one more chance before the half time whistle and that fell to Robbins but he was unable to convert and the teams went in at the break all square.

Hanley started the better of the two sides in the second half with Tom Pope in the thick of it but Rangers survived and took the lead in the 56th minute when Anaebonam put Mwsile away on the left and he advanced to fire past Whitehouse.

Belford kept Rangers in front with a good save to deny Pope after Jack Degruchy had poked the ball to the former Port Vale man.

But it was Rangers who got the vital second on 76 minutes. Edwards did well on the right to win a free kick and James McQuilkin’s kick was firmly met by Cockerline who had outjumped his man and planted his header in to the top corner.

Degruchy skimmed the top of the Stafford bar with a long range effort and Joel Stair headed wide while a poor kick out from Belford forced Robbins to foul Tyrone Ofori but Will Igoe’s free kick was wide of the mark and Rangers had three points and a clean sheet to celebrate.

Hanley Town: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Josh Green, 3 Louis Keenan, 4 Marc Grocott, 5 Joel Stair, 6 Jake Moult, 7 Jack Degruchy, 8 Ollie Heywood, 9 Tom Pope (17 Tyrone Ofori 70m), 10 Will Igoe, 11 Reece Jones (16 Sam Turner 77m). Unused Subs 12 Ben Chapman, 14 Tim Sanders, 15 Kyle Blake

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Jacob Edwards, 3 Sean Lawton, 4 Dylan Barkers, 5 Andy Burns, 6 James O’Neill, 7 Joe Mwasile (14 Theo Knight 70m), 8 Joe Robbins, 9 Dan Cockerline (12 Luca Whitney 77m), 10 Sean Cooke (16 James McQuilkin 70m), 11 Stanley Anaebonam (15 Joe Morley 84m). Unused Substitute 17 Alex Harrison

Cautions: Grocott (Hanley), Robbins (Stafford)

Referee: Jacob Viera

Attendance: 330

Report by Chris Elsley