Stafford Rangers v Newcastle Town

REPORT

Stafford Rangers are off the mark with a point from an entertaining game against fellow Staffordshire side Newcastle Town as they opened their home programme.

The point was a fair outcome although Rangers had promised more after taking a two goal advantage early in the second half. But, Newcastle refused to lie down and claimed a deserved share of the spoils.

Rangers had made the perfect start when Sean Cooke put them ahead from the penalty spot in the 3rd minute. Cooke himself had been tripped in the area as the referee judged that he had beaten former Ranger Jack Sherratt to a corner driven in by Joe Robbins.

The visitors responded well to going behind and Cam Belford had to push away a long range effort from Jake Twyford before a looping header from George Lewis went over.

An error from Kyle Stubbs let in Joe Morley for Rangers but his shot was blocked. A surging run from Ben Hockenhull caused some excitement in the home crowd but it almost led to a goal at the other end as a counter attack ended with Jake Avery’s curler just clearing the Stafford cross bar. Another long range shot from Isaac Graham also went over.

Rangers had a great opportunity to extend their lead when Morley beat Ben Woods on the right but Luca Whitney and Cooke appeared to get in each other’s way and the chance passed by.

Boro’s Oliver Jepson led by example with a superb goal saving tackle to deny Avery after a poor back pass from Dylan Barkers had put his side in trouble and the home captain was again the saviour to clear his lines a minute before the break.

Just as Rangers had struck early in the first half, they did so again at the start of the second and it was a super strike from Whitney. The 17 year old on loan from Shrewsbury Town picked up possession just outside the area, turned one way and then the other before firing past Joe Slinn in the Newcastle goal.

But Newcastle reduced the deficit just five minutes later when Twyford was in at the back post to convert from close range after Tom Jones had sent in a low ball from the right.

Cooke snatched at a shot and Hockenhull saw his loop off a defender as Rangers looked to restore their two goal lead but their play became scrappy as the visitors upped the search for an equaliser.

It came in the 70th minute when Avery raced away down the inside left channel and slotted past Belford.

Belford kept his side level when he tipped over Graham’s free kick soon after but both sides had chances to win it in the final 10.

Rangers’ best fell to Jepson as he came in from the back to meet a corner but planted his header well wide. At the other end, man of the match Jepson came from nowhere to make a crucial tackle to deny Graham following an error from Stafford sub James McQuilkin.

The final chance of the evening fell to the visitors and Avery will rue his miss when well placed at the back post.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Sean Lawton, 4 Dylan Barkers (12 James McQuilkin 74m), 5 Oliver Jepson (14 Jimmy O’Neill 90+1m), 6 Ben Hockenhull, 7 Theo Knight (17 Diego Esquivel McGann 60m), 8 Joe Robbins, 9 Luca Whitney, 10 Sean Cooke, 11 Joe Morley (15 Lewis Porter 87m) Unused Sub Jacob Edwards

Newcastle Town: 1 Joe Slinn, 2 Guilherme Baltazar, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Jack Sherratt, 5 Tom Thorley, 6 Kyle Stubbs, 7 Isaac Graham, 8 George Lewis (17 Jack Van Der Laan 76m), 9 Jake Avery, 10 Tom Jones (16 Nathan Barry 76m), 11 Jake Twyford. Unused Subs 12 Jack Derbyshire, 14 Oliver Ritchie, 15 Callum Besford

Cautions: Burns, Cooke (Rangers), Sherratt, Lewis (Newcastle)

Referee Jack Shepherd

Attendance 589

Report by Chris Elsley