Marine AFC v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers’ troubles continued as a goal midway through the second half condemned them to their fifth consecutive defeat.

Matt Hill stayed loyal to the XI that started at Hyde on Saturday with the only change being the return of Joe Kenton to the substitute’s bench in place of Akeem Hinds.

An entertaining first half ended goal-less but it wasn’t for the lack of chances.

Rangers could have gone ahead inside the first minute as Tom Tonks went wide of the upright after trying his luck from 20 yards out.

Soon after, Kaiman Anderson got the same outcome with a shot from a similar position.

Play immediately switched to the opposite end of the field. Jimmy O’Neill failed to clear his lines allowing Mo Touray to square for Andrew Scarisbrick but Cam Belford made a fine block to keep his goal intact.

Ethan Stewart went close again for Stafford on 10 minutes when his header landed on top of the Marine goal while Callum Saunders was denied by a good save from the Marine keeper.

Stafford continued to press and saw O’Neill hook a shot over and Jack Baxter drag his shot wide of the near post before Bayleigh Passant made another good stop to keep out a close range header from Anderson.

After an impressive opening half hour chances began to dry up and the game became more evenly contested.

It was a similar story after the interval with the first chance coming just before the hour mark.

It fell to Stafford sub Ethan Morgan a couple of minutes after coming on for Alex Kiwomya but he fired straight at Passant.

Marine began to pose a greater threat to the Stafford goal as Craig Curran sent a header looping high over the crossbar.

Stewart was on hand to clear the danger as Sol Solomon fired the ball into the six yard box following a quick free kick on the Marine left.

It was the impressive Solomon who got the all important goal on 67 minutes. He received the ball from Curran on the right then cut back inside the challenge of Andy Burns to allow him time to shoot past Belford.

Neither side created much in the final 20 minutes to threaten to add to the scoring.

Stafford’s best chance fell to Kenton but he found his way blocked by Jonathan Spittle.

Too often the visitors played into the hands of Marine and right back Josh Solomon-Davies who barely put a foot wrong all night.

Marine: 1 Bayleigh Passant, 2 Josh Solomon-Davies, 3 Sean Smith, 4 Jordan Lussey, 5 Josh Wardle, 6 Jonathan Spittle, 7 Craig Curran (15 James Barrigan 71m), 8 Charley Doyle, 9 Mo Touray (14 Alex Doyle 75m), 10 Sol Solomon, 11 Andrew Scarisbrick. Unused Subs 12 Luke Clark, 16 Lucas Weir, 17 Lewis Earl

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Jack Baxter, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 Alex Kiwomya (15 Ethan Morgan 56m), 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Callum Saunders (17 Joe Kenton 56m), 11 Alex-Ray Harvey. Unused subs 12 Joe Willis, 14 Luis Morrison-Derbyshire, 16 Darius Smith

Referee: Callum Jones

Cautions: Dunne, Baxter (Rangers)

Att: 987

Report by Chris Elsley