Stafford Rangers v Ashton United

REPORT

Stafford Rangers’ relegation from the NPL Premier Division was confirmed as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to play off hopefuls Ashton United.

The Boro’s survival was always an unlikely scenario after last week’s defeat at Atherton but this loss – coupled with Basford United’s late equaliser away to champions Radcliffe – was enough to condemn Stafford to step 4 football next season.

Manager Dave Cooke sprung a surprise by leaving out Jimmy O’Neill after the central defender had been outstanding against Whitby Town a couple of weeks earlier. Isaac Lee came in for his first start in four.

Rangers came within a whisker of making the perfect start when Kaiman Anderson hit the post inside the first minute. Sean Cooke played the ball over the top of Sam Baird to put Anderson in but, with the angle tight, the club’s leading scorer saw his shot crash against the goal frame.

It took some time for Ashton to create any sort of threat on the Stafford goal. Their first opportunity came via a corner which was headed high and wide by Sean Newton. They went closer when Kielen Adams caught Lee trying to shield the ball out for a goal kick. George Burroughs didn’t clear the subsequent cross with any degree of certainty allowing Alex Byrne to get in a shot which Cam Belford pushed up and over.

Chances were few but the best fell to Rangers and Kian Taylor probably should have done better when he fired over from around six yards out after AJay Leitch-Smith had done well to retain possession.

The latter’s participation came to an early end when he limped out of the game to be replaced by Jack Stafford and the sub almost marked his entrance with a goal only for Paul Cooper to make a decent save to his right following Andy Burns’ cross.

Ethan Stewart also missed out early in the second half following a counter attack launched after Jack Stafford had cleared a header from Baird off the line.

But it was Baird and his Ashton side who got what proved to be the winner on 50 minutes with a diving header from Byrne’s free kick.

After missing out on a couple of good chances in the first half, Rangers were restricted to less clear cut opportunities as the visitors put bodies behind the ball to preserve their lead.

Anderson, Cooke and Jack Stafford all had shots blocked before Connor Heath drilled his effort wide.

Stafford became more desperate in the final stages, pushing bodies forward and nearly paid the price when Nathan Lowe spotted Belford off his line but his long range effort went just wide.

When Jack Stafford’s deep cross just eluded the heads of both Heath and Anderson in the final minute of normal time, Rangers’ hopes of taking their battle to the final day went with it and next week’s long trip to Morpeth will be in search of little more than pride.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 George Burroughs, 4 Joe Willis, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Isaac Lee (12 Connor Heath 67m), 7 AJay Leitch-Smith (14 Jack Stafford 29m), 8 Owen German, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Sean Cooke, 11 Kian Taylor (16 Fletcher Rushbury 67m). Unused Subs: 13 Jack Sandel, 15 James O’Neill

Ashton United: 1 Paul Cooper, 2 Daniel Cowan, 3 Sean Newton, 4 Nathan Lowe, 5 Luke Burke, 6 Samuel Baird, 7 Alex Byrne (12 Bradley Abbott 76m), 8 James Hardy (15 Mitchell Rose 82m), 9 Jake Charles (17 Bernado Cuoto 69m), 10 Kielen Adams, 11 Warren Clarke. Unused Subs 14 Marcus Cusani, 16 Jason Caton

Referee: Keiran Forrest

Cautions: Lee, German (Stafford)

Att: 748

Report by Chris Elsley