Stafford Rangers v Stalybridge Celtic

REPORT

It was an afternoon to forget for Stafford Rangers who were thumped 3-0 at home by Stalybridge Celtic.

The visitors arrived as a bottom four side but left having hauled themselves out of the relegation zone, thanks to a double strike from Raul Carreia after former Stafford striker Nathan Caine had given them an early lead.

Caine, who didn’t get much of a look in during a two month spell for the Boro at the start of this campaign, was one of four former Stafford players in the Stalybridge squad with substitutes Theo Bailey-Jones, Harry Benns and Osebi Abadaki also making an appearance on their old turf.

Rangers showed a change with Andy Burns only making the bench after the injury that forced him off early during last week’s victory at Lancaster. Ethan Stewart made a return to the matchday sixteen after injury but was also an unused substitute.

Stalybridge looked the livelier side in the first exchanges but Rangers responded with a series of Tom Tonks throws that put the defence under pressure.

Having withstood the threat from Tonks, Stalybridge took the lead in the 9th minute via a tap in from Caine.

The finish was simple enough but visitors had done well in the build up with Chris Dagnall and Carreia involved on the left hand side before Dagnall picked out Caine for the finish.

Derek Ubah had half a chance to level when he flicked the ball over from Jack Baxter’s pass while Tonks was someway off the mark with a 25 yard free kick shortly after.

Tonks also sent a header over following an inswinging free kick from Baxter while Ubah couldn’t find enough of a connection to worry Stalybridge following a Tonks free kick from the left.

Joe Dunne shot straight at Greg Hall who then pulled off an excellent save to tip over an Ubah header.

Next it was the turn of Ntumba Massanka to fail in front of goal when he drove across goal and inches wide of the far post.

It was Rangers’ best period of the afternoon but their failure to convert this into goals was to prove costly as Stalybridge doubled their lead on 36 minutes.

Carreia combined with Caine midway inside the Stafford half. Caine’s return pass sent the Stalybridge number 9 clear and he made no mistake.

It could have been even more miserable for Rangers as Caine had a chance to make it 3-0 just before the break but Cam Belford ensured his side still had a glimmer of hope as they went in to half time.

But the glimmer soon faded as Rangers didn’t give their supporters much to cheer about after the turn around. A volley from Baxter and a shot straight at Hall from Tonks were about all they could muster up to the hour mark.

From then on, it was Stalybridge who looked most likely to add to the scoring, although a free kick wide of the target from Matthew Carson was the best they could muster. That was until Luis Morrison-Derbyshire needlessly tripped Carreia in the area and the Stalybridge man slotted home the penalty in the 87th minute to round off a miserable afternoon for Rangers.

Stafford: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Darius Smith (16 Ethan Morgan 66m), 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Jack Baxter, 5 Derek Ubah, 6 Luis Morrison-Derbyshire, 7 Alex Kiwomya, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Ntumba Massanka, 10 Alex-Ray Harvey, 11 Jaiden White (12 Joe Kenton 72m). Unused subs 14 Ethan Stewart, 15 Andy Burns, 17 John Atherton

Stalybridge: 1 Greg Hall, 2 Tom Miller, 3 Matthew Carson, 4 Kyle Harrison, 5 Dharius Waldron, 6 Domaine Rouse, 7 Raheem Hanley (12 Osebi Abadaki 62m), 8 Godwin Abadaki (14 Theo Bailey-Jones 61m), 9 Raul Carreia, 10 Chris Dagnall, 11 Nathan Caine (15 Harry Benns 72m). Unused Subs 16 Ethan Padden, 17 Dillan Moonan

Referee: Ashley Clarke

Cautions: Ubah, Harvey (Rangers) Carson, Rouse, Hanley, Bailey-Jones (Stalybridge)

Att : 693

Report by Chris Elsley