Hyde United v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

It’s now four defeats on the trot for Stafford Rangers after a single goal was the difference between the two sides at Hyde United.

The home team went to the top of the league with their victory as they took advantage of South Shields being out of action following the freezing temperatures that decimated the NPL programme. Only one other game went ahead but there was no danger of postponement at Ewen Fields which possesses a 4G pitch.

After being left out of the starting line up for the previous two games, Jack Baxter’s second half display against Matlock earned him a recall in place of Joe Willis in what was the only change for Stafford.

Baxter had earned his side a point when the two sides met a Stafford earlier in the season and the midfielder came close to repeating the feat in this return fixture as he hit the post with a little under 20 minutes to go.

It was Rangers’ best effort of the afternoon but overall they will be disappointed that they didn’t test the home keeper enough.

Hyde had started well with Manasse Mampala causing problems on both wings.

The Hyde number 7 sent in the first shot on goal, after 5 minutes, with Cam Belford forced to his left to make the save. Joe Dunne was on hand to clear the loose ball for a corner.

Rangers had the ball in the net a couple of minutes later when Callum Saunders diverted Alex Kiwomya’s shot past Dan Atherton but the flag went up with Saunders clearly offside.

The two sides traded half chances with Andy Burns making an excellent intervention to take the ball off the toes of Will Russ after a good break from Tom Pratt.

Rangers created a couple of opportunities around the half hour mark but Burns slipped as he cut inside his man while Kiwomya kicked thin air rather than the ball. Burns eventually got the shot in but it went over the bar.

Saunders was the next Stafford player to find himself with a chance on goal, heading over from close range after the home defence had failed to deal with Tom Tonks’ throw.

Hyde’s response came through Callum Spooner who shot wide from just outside the area after neither Jimmy O’Neill or Joe Dunne had cleared the lines from Matthew Fearnley’s cross.

The second half produced even fewer openings at either end but this was down to a combination of strong defensive play and a poor final ball to the relative front lines.

After a bright start, Mampala had drifted out of the game, and was replaced by Edy Maieco on 66 minutes.

Just 3 minutes after joining the action, the Hyde sub had made his mark.

Hyde put together a string of passes before Spooner sent a deep cross from the left which was met by Maieco on the volley at the back post.

Baxter hit the inside of the post three minutes later and Tonks put the rebound over.

Although Stafford kept pressing, they didn’t create any more chances to get back level.

At the other end, some clever footwork from Maieco almost doubled the lead but Belford managed to parry before Luis Morrison-Derbyshire cleared the lines.

There wasn’t much between the two but Hyde scored the goal that mattered to stretch their unbeaten run against Stafford to 13 matches.

Hyde United: 1 Dan Atherton, 2 Harry Ditchfield, Aaron Fleming, 4 Callum Spooner, 5 Jordan Agbola, 6 Bradley Roscoe, 7 Manasse Mampala (15 Edy Maieco 66m), 8 Matthew Fearnley (14 Liam Tongue 82m), 9 Will Russ, 10 Jack Redshaw, 11 Tom Pratt. Unused Subs 12 Alex Perry, 16 Javid Neavin, 17 Donay O’Brien-Brady

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Jack Baxter, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 Alex Kiwomya (14 Ethan Morgan 72m), 8 Tom Tonks (12 Luis Morrison-Derbyshire 83m), 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Callum Saunders, 11 Alex-Ray Harvey. Unused subs 15 Joe Willis, 16 Akeem HInds, 17 Darius Smith

Referee: Lee Hibble

Cautions: O’Neill (Rangers)

Att: 988

Report by Chris Elsley