El Staffico spoils shared in behind closed doors!

This was quite a surreal “El Staffico”, with Covid-19 restrictions ensuring a double figure crowd and none of the usual passion from Keys Park terraces as two developing squads went head to head. Rangers were straight on the attack with a first minute attack and dangerous cross from their wing back trialist being cleared for a corner.

From then, the hosts took charge, with early pressure on the Boro goal. A strong looking George Cater looked to impose himself on his former club and he drew Sam Coulson into committing a foul on the left side of the box, before another couple of threatening runs that showed Rangers might be in for a hard time. On ten minutes Danny Glover put Dan Turner in with a header through the right channel. He bore down on goal but fired over when he should have tested Lewis King. Not long after this, a cross into the box saw Glover plant a header onto the bar where it struck, then bounced back down onto the bar before danger was cleared.

Then an excellent diagonal ball found Cater and he found the side netting with a powerful drive and then Bailey came close with a header into King’s arms. From the half hour mark Rangers were starting to impose themselves and John Welsh first drew a save with a shot then, from the resulting corner, fired just wide from 18 yards. More pressure followed as the tide turned and Joe Cuff worked the ball down the left and curled a ball to the back post where trialist (9) managed to head wide when under the bar.

Half time came and Rangers persisted with the first half team while Pitmen rang a few changes. Sebbeh-Njie curled an effort just wide after half time and on 50 minutes the hosts took the lead as Cater fed Glover who found the bottom corner from 18 yards with a neat finish. This half was a bit more even and the rare sight of a booking in a friendly came on 58 minutes as Pitmen’s Rhys Thompson hauled down Mo Sebbeh-Njie on halfway.

Not long after this Rangers made changes with 7 players being swapped. Those moves seem to shake things up and they had more bite and ideas. The hosts chances were now more limited, and Rangers had more control in the middle and more movement up front with the introduction of Jamie Sleigh and Andre Johnson.

More movement and more pressure eventually added up. on 76 minutes, as a low ball delivered into the box was turned in with a real poacher’s finish by Sleigh making it 4 goals in his first 3 appearances to make it 1-1. On 82 it was almost a snatched lead for Rangers as Josh Green cut in and curled just wide of the post. The closing stages saw both sides hold firm and another moment of note was Boro former boss Alex Meechan coming on as a sub for George Cater!

Hednesford Starting line-up
Wycherley, Griffiths, Lycett, Bailey, Mendez-Jones, Smith, Cater, Thompson, Glover, Dodds, Turner

Rangers starting line-up
King, Coulson, Moran, D. Burns, Trialist, Welsh, Sebbeh-Njie, Trialist, Thorley, Cuff, Trialist.

Second half subs –
Off – Moran, Welsh, Thorley, Cuff, Coulson, Trialist1, Trialist 2.
On – Green, J. Burns, Sleigh, Johnson, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.