Stafford Rangers v Warrington Rylands

REPORT

Stafford Rangers were left still searching for their first point of the season after losing their opening home game of the campaign to a determined Warrington Rylands.

Matt Hill made one change from the side beaten at Lancaster City on the opening day with Nathan Blissett replacing Niah Payne. Kaiman Anderson moved to the wing with Blissett taking the number 9 shirt.

But the changes didn’t reap any rewards. The first half saw play the majority of play taking place in the Stafford half and although Rangers did show a little more intent after the break, it needed a 75th minute goal from Warrington to bring any real life to the game.

Despite the visitors’ early pressure, it was from a Rangers attack that Rylands produced their first real opportunity, Adama Sidibeh cutting inside Sam Bell before forcing Cam Belford to fling himself to his left to save.

James Nield could only find the side netting after Mo Touray’s initial effort was deflected into the path of the visiting captain. Further efforts from Touray, Joe Piggott and James Butler also failed to test Belford.

Rangers’ best chance of the half came after Jake Moult had dispossessed Nield in the centre of the field. The veteran midfielder advanced to the edge of the Rylands area but looked to be caught in two minds at the vital moment and the chance was lost.

Moult had another opportunity soon after but declined to shoot. Touray launched a solo counter attack and it needed Andy Burns to match him for pace to prevent a clean shot on goal.

Rangers did pose a slightly greater threat after the break with Joe Willis managing to get in a shot on target while Tyreece Onyeka and Blissett also went close.

But it was Rylands who still looked the stronger and a couple of minutes after Belford had turned over a shot from Touray, the Rylands’ dangerman struck – a slightly fortuitous deflection taking the ball past Belford.

But half chances which fell to both Anderson and Ethan Morgan went unconverted and Touray made sure of the points for the visitors 5 minutes into added time when he intercepted a pass from Belford and walked the ball into the next with the Stafford keeper stranded yards out of his area.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Sam Bird, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Alex-Ray Harvey, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Andy Burns, 7 Kaiman Anderson, 8 Jake Moult, 9 Nathan Blissett , 10 Joe Willis (16 Ethan Morgan 76m), 11 Tyreece Onyeka (12 Niah Payne 76m). Unused Subs, 14 Jay Ford, 15 Ben Woods, 17 Rory Roberts

Warrington Rylands: 1 Luke Pilling, Clive Smith, 3 Javid Swaby-Neavin, 4 Matthew Regan, 5 James Butler, 6 Dean Furman, 7 Benjamin Hardcastle, 8 James Neild, 9 Joe Piggott (15 Scott Bakkor 70m), 10 Momodou Touray, 11 Adama Sidibeh (12 Maieco Braulio, 71m). Unused Subs 14 Benjamin Hough, 16 Chinedu Uche, 17 James Baillie

Referee: Jonathan Chadwick
Cautions: Bird, Dunne, Burns, Moult, Blissett (Stafford) Touray, Braullio (Warrington Rylands)
Att 600

Report by Chris Elsley