Marine AFC v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers were outplayed from start to finish as they were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline at Marine.

The Crosby club’s Rossett Park venue is a poor hunting ground for Rangers and it was unlikely to change after the visitors went ahead as early as the 4th minute.

A poor clearance from Stafford keeper Cam Belford was intercepted by Louis White. Fin Sinclair-Smith picked out Marine’s new signing Bobby Grant and he clipped his shot over Belford and in via the underside of the bar.

It was just the start Rangers didn’t want. Belford prevented further damage when he pushed away a shot from Sinclair-Smith but the second goal wasn’t long in coming and the home side doubled their lead on 15 minutes.

A series of passes on the Marine right saw the ball played back to Matty Waters and he struck a left footer from around 30 yards over Belford.

Simon Njaria blocked a goalbound flick from Sinclair-Smith then hit a free kick low to Belford’s right.

The Stafford keeper made the save but hit his head against the post and required lengthy treatment before eventually resuming. He passed his first test with a flying save from the ever threatening Sinclair-Smith who was then denied by Ethan Stewart’s intervention after an error from Jake Moult.

The half time whistle couldn’t come soon enough for Rangers who were spared further misery when White hit the post. The Marine midfielder should have done better.

Connor Heath was a half time replacement for debutant Kingston Fligg and he did inject a little more positivity to the Boro’s play A run in from the left ended with a shot just wide from around 25 yards out.

If Rangers were going to salvage anything they needed to score early but Marine put the outcome beyond doubt on 54 minutes when White made it 3-0 from the penalty spot.

A poor kick out from Belford ended with Joe Willis hauling down Harvey Gregson and White completed the punishment.

A Sean Cooke effort on the Marine goal failed to test Luke Hutchinson while Grant missed a chance to net a fourth for the home side with an unnecessary chip with just the Stafford keeper to beat.

Gregson fired wide and Belford saved well from Christopher Doyle’s header as Marine kept looking for more.

The fourth eventually came four minutes into added time when Cooke lost possession in midfield and Sinclair-Smith was sent clear and finished with a clever chip over the exposed Belford.

Rangers have lost on six of their last seven visits to Marine.

Marine: 1 Luke Hutchinson, 2 Matty Waters, 3 Freddie Sass (14 Joseph Ferguson 81m), 4 Jalil Saadi, 5 Christopher Doyle, 6 Joshua Wardle, 7 Fin Sinclair-Smith, 8 Louis White (12 Jordan Lussey (16 Manasse Mampala 70m)), 9 Bobby Grant, 10 Owen Robinson, 11 Harvey Gregson. Unused Subs 13 Richard Cowdery, 15 Liam Nolan

Stafford: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Simon Njaria (16 Nathan Blissett 77m), 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Jake Moult, 7 Tyreece Onyeka (12 A-Jay Leitch-Smith 58m), 8 Joe Willis, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Sean Cooke, 11 Kingston Fligg (15 Connor Heath 46m). Unused Subs: 16 Niah Payne, 17 Derek Ubah

Referee: Jordan Crossley

Cautions: Robinson (Marine), Burns (Stafford)

Att: 1,292

Report by Chris Elsley