Stafford Rangers v Bootle

REPORT

Stafford Rangers were beaten for the first time in six matches with a performance that manager Neil Kitching described as disappointing.

The Rangers boss went with the same starting XI that had earned a point at Atherton three days earlier but he was forced to make an early change after striker Dan Cockerline went down with a hamstring injury with less than two minutes played. Port Vale youngster Liam Brazier came on as his replacement.

Although Rangers did create a half chance in the early stages, they were slow to get into the game and it was visitors Bootle who looked the most threatening. They were assisted too often by some wayward passing from the home side.

The game was approaching the 15 minute mark before either side produced a serious shot on goal. When they did, it came from Bootle’s Ben Hodkinson who intercepted a header out of defence and cut inside before firing just over from around 20 yards out. A decent effort but never really troubling Cam Belford.

When Bootle took the lead on 25 minutes it was simple, route one, football. Jack Leneham played a perfectly weighted long ball out of defence. Kyle Campbell got behind the Stafford back line and Belford was left stranded in no man’s land as the Bootle man lobbed the keeper.

Stafford didn’t show much sign of an equaliser until just before the break. John Atherton linked well with Brazier but his shot was an easy catch for Anthony Thompson. Then, two minutes later, the Bootle keeper made an excellent reflex save to keep out a flicked header from Michael McGrath. Another shot from Atherton was easily saved but Rangers finally appeared to be waking up to the task.

They continued the improvement after the break with an early chance for Scott Wara.

The deserved equaliser came on 55 minutes from the head of McGrath following a James McQuilkin free kick on the left although Bootle were claiming a foul as players from both sides went to ground in the penalty area.

Rangers thought they had gone ahead three minutes later when Wara headed past Harrison from another McQuilkin free kick but his effort was ruled out for offside – a decision that Rangers felt aggrieved by.

Rangers looked most likely to go on and win it as Bootle rocked but they held out and it was they who scored what proved to be the decider on 77 minutes.

A free kick into the Rangers area wasn’t properly dealt with but Belford quelled the initial danger with a good save to deny Campbell who then saw his follow up blocked.

But, from the resulting corner, it was Sam Hughes who saw his close range header flash past the Stafford keeper to the delight of his team-mates.

Rangers created one good chance to salvage a point with a shot from Brazier that was well saved by Thompson at the foot of his right hand post.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 Michael McGrath, 5 Scott Wara, 6 James O’Neill, 7 John Atherton (17 Joe Thomas 81m), 8 Jack Burgess (12 Ashley Fallon 71m), 9 Dan Cockerline (16 Liam Brazier 4m), 10 James McQuilkin (14 Ackeme Francis-Burrell 81m), 11 Kaiman Anderson. Unused Subs: 15 Joe Morley

Bootle: 1 Anthony Thompson, 2 Jay Roberts, 3 Sean Smith, 4 Ben Dufton-Kelly, 5 Thomas Hannigan, 6 Lewis Earl, 7 Jack Lenehan (17 Jordan Lussey 66m), 8 Sam Hughes, 9 Courtney Duffus (12 Conor Harwood 75m), 10 Kyle Campbell, 11 Ben Hodkinson (14 Sean Williams 66m). Unused Subs 15 Michael Simpson, 16 Jack Morris

Referee: Owen Moreton

Cautions: O’Hanlon (Rangers), Thompson, Dufton-Kelly, Earl, Campbell (Bootle)

Attendance: 522

Report by Chris Elsley