Vauxhall Motors FC — Stafford Rangers

REPORT

The breakthrough came shortly after the interval, with Motors taking control against a Rangers side reduced to ten men just before half-time.

For Rangers, the main task had been completed a week earlier when victory over Clitheroe had secured their NPL status but they still wanted to end the season on a high.

Manager Graham Deakin made one change, with Regan Riley coming in for Joe Thompson. There was also a boost with Adisa Osayande keeping his place following a successful appeal against suspension.

Referee Kyle Lord was called into early action after just three minutes when Riley fouled Conor Harwood in the Rangers half. The Rangers’ midfielder was cautioned though the resulting free kick came to nothing.

Midway through the half, a slip from Callum Wilson allowed Xenon Bahula to deliver a cross to Conor Harwood, whose effort was brilliantly blocked on the line by Andy Burns and cleared for a corner.

Motors continued to threaten, and on 31 minutes, another effort took a deflection off Wilson before going behind for a corner.

Rangers gradually grew into the game after a slow start and nearly took the lead in the 40th minute. A corner from Jack Birch found Matt Hearsey, whose flicked effort drifted just wide of the post.

Hearsey came closest for Rangers this afternoon

The game’s key moment came in the 44th minute. Ashley Fallon appeared to win the ball with a strong challenge on Nick Rushton, but the referee deemed it a foul and produced a straight red card, reducing Rangers to ten men.

Fallon is shown the red card

The resulting free kick was comfortably dealt with by Scott Moloney.

Half Time: Vauxhall Motors 0 Stafford Rangers 0

The opening goal arrived early in the second half, shifting momentum firmly in favour of the hosts. Before that, Moloney was called into action to deny Rushton with a smart save.

Motors took the lead in the 52nd minute when a cross from the right found Kevin Ellison, who flicked home from close range. Tempers flared slightly in the aftermath, with both Moloney and John Atherton receiving bookings.

John Atherton keeping the ball in play

Rangers responded well and nearly equalised in the 56th minute when Ben O’Hanlon’s dangerous free-kick caused problems in the box but was eventually cleared.

However, Motors doubled their advantage just two minutes later. Harwood found space outside the box, and his effort struck the post before finding the back of the net.

Despite being a man down, Rangers continued to push forward. Kaiman Anderson delivered a cross that found Hearsey, but he was denied by a fine save from Calvin Hare in the Motors goal.

Motors almost added a third late on when Harwood met a cross with a header, but Moloney was on hand to make the save.

Moloney makes the save

Full Time: Vauxhall Motors 2 Stafford Rangers 0

Vauxhall Motors: 1 Calvin Hare, 2 Finlay Heath, 3 Xenon Bahula (12 Joe Malkin 57m), 4 Toby Jones, 5 Michael Grogan, 6 Ben Holmes (16 Nathan Sandison 52m), 7 Sam Mann (15 Jawad Jebrin 70m), 8 Conor Harwood, 9 Kevin Ellison (17 Ismail Sonko 77m), 10 Nick Rushton, 11 Kyle Sambor (14 Jordan Deer 75m).

Stafford Rangers: 1 Scott Moloney, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 Ashley Fallon, 5 Adisa Osayande, 6 Callum Wilson, 7 John Atherton (14 Kaiman Anderson 62m), 8 Regan Riley (15 Joe Thompson 63m), 9 James O’Neill (12 Dan Cockerline 58m), 10 Jack Birch (17 Ben Woods 80m), 11 Matthew Hearsey (16 Dylan Scott 74m)

Referee: Kyle Lord

Cautions: Sandison 90m, Sonko 90m (Vauxhall), Moloney 54m, Burns 68m, Atherton 54m, Riley 3m (Stafford)

Sent Off: Fallon 44m (Stafford)

Goals: Vauxhall Motors: Ellison 52m, Harwood 58m

Att: 487

Report by Mark Bennett

Interview: Graham Deakin