Stafford Rangers — Kidsgrove Athletic

REPORT

Graham Deakin made one change to the same starting XI that had performed well against Bury with Callum Wilson replacing John Atherton. Matt Hearsey – a new arrival from Stafford Town – had to settle for a place on the bench.

First Half

Rangers began the better of the two sides and nearly went ahead inside 20 seconds via what would have been a freak own goal, but they couldn’t find a way through. Kidsgrove were allowed to bully their way into the game and, once ahead, they were the masters of game management.

Apart from the early chance when Joshua Thorpe’s back header beat Aaron Woolrich but was spared embarrassment when the ball went inches wide, Rangers’ best effort came from Wilson who fired just wide from around 20 yards out.

A minute earlier, Stafford keeper Scott Moloney had saved from Nat Morley to keep out Kidsgrove’s best opportunity of the opening 10 minutes.

The visitors began to establish a stronger grip of the game with Moloney going to his left to save from Alex Barnett before the unmarked Thorpe headed wide at the back.

Kaiman Anderson missed a chance for Rangers after being played in by Dan Cockerline. Forced to rush his shot, he couldn’t beat Woolrich who gathered at the second attempt.

The final 20 minutes of the first half belonged to Kidsgrove and in that time, they struck twice.

Harry Flowers blocked two efforts from Barnett before Jay Ford fired over. Logan Cousins, back in a Kidsgrove shirt after a short spell with Rangers, also fired over before the visitors took the lead in the 34th minute.

Barnett and Matt Rhead exchanged passes before the latter played Cousins in with a ball behind Ben O’Hanlon. His cross was met by Barnett and although Moloney saved, Morley followed up to fire in the rebound.

The lead was doubled three minutes before the break. Rangers switched off as Ford appeared to over hit his free kick but Morley kept it in play and had time to pick out Thorpe with a deep cross and this time the Kidsgrove defender made no mistake.

Second Half

Deakin made two changes at half time with Hearsey and Osaze Okuonghae replacing Wilson and Ash Fallon and the two debutantes soon made their mark as both were involved in Rangers pulling one back on 53 minutes.

Osaze Okuonghae took a pass from Jimmy O’Neill and advanced before releasing Hearsey on the left. His well placed cross was met by Anderson’s head at the back post and Rangers were back in it.

But it was Kidsgrove who looked the most likely to add to the scoring in the following quarter of an hour.

Morley got behind the Stafford defence and looked a certainty to score when Moloney was only able to parry the shot but O’Hanlon raced back to make a goal saving clearance just ahead of the Kidsgrove man.

The Stafford keeper then made a well timed dive at the feet of Natty Stewart.

Rangers upped their game as substitute Atherton fired over when well placed, Flowers headed wide while another Stafford sub, Dylan Scott, couldn’t find a clean shot.

But it was Cousins, impressive on his return to Marston Road, who struck the killer blow on 84 minutes. Receiving a long clearance from Woolrich, he was gifted too much time and despite being surrounded by three defenders, he got in a shot from the edge of the area that beat Moloney at his near post.

Tempers on both sides got a little heated in the last 15 minutes, culminating in Thorpe being sent off for two poor tackles on Andy Burns and Cockerline.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Scott Moloney, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 James McQuilkin (16 Jack Sherratt 84m), 5 Jimmy O’Neill, 6 Harry Flowers, 7 Callum Wilson (15 Matthew Hearsey 46m), 8 Ashley Fallon (17 Osaze Okuonghae 46m), 9 Dan Cockerline, 10 Jack Birch (14 Dylan Scott 75m), 11 Kaiman Anderson (12 John Atherton 65m).

Kidsgrove: 1 Aaron Woolrich, 2 Reuben Fielding, 3 Zayn Sadiq (15 Henry Brereton 80m), 4 Jack Bromfield, 5 Oliver Jepson, 6 Joshua Thorpe, 7 Alex Barnett (16 Natty Stewart 62m), 8 Jay Ford (12 Ritchie Sutton 90m), 9 Matt Rhead, 10 Logan Cousins (14 Charlie Bradbury 90+4m), 11 Nat Morley. Unused Subs 18 Ryan Brown (gk)

Goals: Stafford: Anderson 53 mins – Kidsgrove: Morley 34m, Thorpe 42m, Cousins 84m

Referee: Kieron Rogers

Cautions: Stafford: Flowers 17m, McQuilkin 59m, Anderson 59m, Burns 90+6m; Kidsgrove: Jepson 73m

Sent Off: Thorpe – 2 cautions 77m & 90+4m

Att: 738

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