Lancaster City v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers started the new season with a loss away from home at Lancaster City.

Lancaster started the brightest with Charlie Bailey who was free on the right who got in a shot which was blocked by Dunne.

A great run from Stafford’s new right back Sam Bird saw him win a free kick but the opportunity came to nothing.

Play switched ends again as Kyle Brownhill headed over from Jake Connelly’s cross. Lancaster tested Cam Belford again in the 19th minute with a Christian Sloan cross which Brad Carroll headed straight at Belford.

Rangers were close on the 25th minute when good work from Niah Payne allowed him to create an opening but his shot went over the Lancaster bar.

The game turned into a midfield battle for long periods but the deadlock was finally broken deep into added time at the end of the first half. Sadly for Stafford, it was the home side who went ahead as Charlie Bailey saw Connelly with space in the area and he fired home the opener.

Lancaster pushed for an immediate second but efforts from Carroll and Charlie Bailey failed to add to the tally.

Lancaster started the second half the better of the two teams and Carroll should have made it 2-0 in the first minute after the turn around but his close-range effort was saved by Belford. A scramble in the area followed and the ball was force out for a corner.

Rangers had their best effort of the game in the 54th minute. Joe Willis was free on the edge of the box and sent in a powerful drive which Lewis Forshaw managed to tip over the bar for a corner.

Lancaster won a penalty in the 57th minute after Jake Moult clipped the heels of Charlie Bailey but Belford kept Stafford in touch with a save from Sam Bailey’s spot kick.

Forshaw did well to keep out Kaiman Anderson but the Stafford forward was flagged offside anyway.

Kyle Brownhill secured all three points for the home side when he doubled the lead in the 70th minute. Matty Clarke and Charlie Barnes combined on the right. The latter’s cross fell to Brownhill who struck on the half volley past Belford.

In added time, Tyreece Onyeka had a chance for a consolation goal for Stafford but could only pick out Forshaw.

Teams:
Lancaster City: 1 Lewis Forshaw, 2 Sam Bailey (12 Matty Clark 67m), 3 Kyle Brownhill, 4 Charlie Barnes, 5 Andrew Teague, 6 Jamie Mellen, 7 Christian Sloan, 8 Niall Cowperthwaite, 9 Jake Connelly (14 Nic Evagelinos 72m), 10 Bradley Carroll (15 Ackeme Francis Burrell 77m), 11 Charlie Bailey. Unused sub: 16 Simon Grand, 17 Dominic Lawson

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Sam Bird, 3 Joe Dunne (15 Ben Woods 46m), 4 Alex-Ray Harvey, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Andy Burns, 7 Tyreece Onyeka, 8 Jake Moult, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Joe Willis, 11 Niah Payne (12 Nathan Blissett 66m). Unused Subs 14 Tom Tonks, 16 Ethan Morgan, 17 Rory Roberts

Referee: Jordan Crossley
Cautions: S Bailey, Barnes, C Bailey (Lancaster)
Att 402

Report by Mark Bennett