Stafford Rangers v Guiseley AFC

Oct 22, 2022

A 76th minute penalty from Tom Tonks earned Stafford Rangers a share of the spoils against an impressive Guiseley.

The visitors were not happy with the decision of referee Ben Robinson but could really have few complaints having benefited from an equally contentious decision which had given them a first half lead.

Joe Kenton, who missed the midweek draw at Ashton United due to injury, was back in the starting line up in place of the suspended Ntumba Massanka while U18’s keeper Jack Sandel was named among the substitutes for the first time.

After a quiet opening, the game sprung to life in the 10th minute when Mohammad Qasim rattled the Rangers’ cross bar with a shot from nowhere. Keeper Cam Belford could only stand and watch as the 25 yard thunderbolt bounced down and was cleared away.

The visitors appeared to pose the greater threat without giving Belford any further concerns but were then gifted a free shot on goal when Robinson penalised Derek Ubah after the ball bounced up on to his hand while trying to deal with a corner. Callum Chippendale struck home the spot kick to give Guiseley a 29th minute lead.

The game was played out in between the two penalty areas with neither side doing much to suggest any further addition to the score in the opening 45 minutes as the defences dominated.

Rangers managed just one shot on target but Jack Baxter’s effort was an easy gather for Kyle Trennery.

At the opposite end, it needed the combined efforts of Ethan Stewart and Andy Burns to deal with a dangerous cross from Jake Cassidy while Joe Ackroyd could only put a free kick straight at Belford.

Guiseley had half an opening in the early stages of the second half when Kwame Boateng sent Cassidy away when he cut out a Joe Dunne throw. The Guiseley captain played a square ball into the area where Ubah stuck out a long leg to cut out the immediate threat. Ackroyd followed up but his shot was blocked by a Stafford defender.

A minute later, Baxter did well to get into a good position but wasted the opportunity with a sliced shot that swung wide and high over the Social Club roof.

Guiseley introduced Luke Dean for the injured Chippendale and the substitute was immediately in the action with a long ball to Qasim and it took an excellent intervention from Stewart to deny him a shot on goal.

The best chances continued to fall to the Guiseley number 7 as he hooked a shot at Belford from Nicky Walker’s cross.

Rangers made their own swap with Jaiden White replacing Kenton and it was a foul on the attacking midfielder that ultimately led to the Stafford equaliser.

Baxter’s free kick was won by the head of Ubah and referee Robinson saw the ball bounce on to the hand of Guiseley player manager Danny Ellis. Tonks sent Trenerry the wrong way with his spot kick to level the scores.

Although Rangers looked at their most dangerous in the final 15 minutes as they chased the win, the two best chances fell to the visitors and that man Qasim.

His first came on 80 minutes when he picked up on a mistake at the back from Stewart only for Belford to keep Stafford in the game with a good save. Then, in a dramatic counter attack, he skied over after being put clear by Adam Haw. Seconds earlier, Stafford had seen shots by Baxter and Burns blocked by a packed Guiseley defence.

The draw saw Stafford drop another place to 9th in the table but the league is so tight that just 7 points separate the top 15 sides.

Stafford: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Jack Baxter, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Derek Ubah, 7 Alex Kiwomya (14 Joe Willis 86m), 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Alex-Ray Harvey, 11 Joe Kenton (16 Jaiden White 72m). Unused Subs 12 Darius Smith, 13 Jack Sandel, 15 Luis Morrison-Derbyshire

Guiseley: 1 Kyle Trennery, 2 Kwame Boateng, 3 Jameel Ible, 4 Ross Daly, 5 Danny Ellis, 6 Lebrun Mbeka, 7 Mohammad Qasim (15 Donald Chimalilo 86m), 8 Callum Chippendale (14 Luke Dean 58m), 9 Jake Cassidy, 10 Joe Ackroyd (12 Adam Haw 67m), 11 Nicky Walker. Unused Subs: 16 George Smith, 17 Ethan Vaughan

Referee: Ben Robinson

Cautions: Tonks (Rangers); Daly, Ellis, Mbeka, Ackroyd (Guiseley)

Att: 704

Report by Chris Elsley

 

Ashton United v Stafford Rangers

Oct 18, 2022

A goal with virtually the last kick of the game cost Stafford Rangers victory at Ashton United.

The Boro looked to have withstood a late push from the home side but Ashton captain Harry Coates had other ideas and fired in the equaliser following a 95th minute corner.

Seconds earlier, Ashton sub Jack Kenny had headed against the bar.

Rangers were missing Joe Kenton through injury – his place was taken by Alex Kiwomya- while Ntumba Massanka came in for John Atherton from the XI that started Saturday’s defeat at Morpeth.

The home side had the better of the opening 15 minutes without doing anything to threaten the Stafford goal.

After weathering the early pressure, it was Rangers who struck first on 18 minutes when Kaiman Anderson stabbed home the rebound after Gregory Hartley had blocked Ethan Stewart’s header following a Jack Baxter corner.

Once ahead, Rangers looked the better side with Tom Tonks twice denied on the edge of the area.

At the other end, Ashton missed out when Coates and Callum Saunders both went for the ball and only combined to head it wide.

Rangers held on to their lead into the half time break but only thanks to Cam Belford’s 43rd minute penalty save.

Matty Regan stepped up after Stewart had brought down Saunders but Belford guessed right to make the save. Ashton’s new signing Darius Osei put the rebound into the side netting.

Baxter blazed one over early in the second half while penalty appeals were turned down when Anderson went down under a challenge from Sam Baird.

A double substitution from the home side brought additional height to the home attack but it was Rangers who almost added to the scoring when Tonks slid in with a half volley.

Stafford’s central defensive pairing of Stewart and Derek Ubah kept their side in front as the former blocked a shot from Joe Robbins and the latter got in a foot to deny Osei.

Stafford had chances to double the lead but couldn’t find the important second goal.

It looked like they had done enough as the clock reached the fourth minute of added time and Kenny’s header came back off the bar but Ashton won a corner and Coates took full advantage.

 

Ashton: 1 Gregory Hartley, 2 Niall Battersby (12 Michael Phenix 57m), 3 Matty Regan, 4 Sam Baird, 5 Harry Coates, 6 George Milner, 7 Ben Hardcastle, 8 Ben Hough, 9 Darius Osei, 10 Callum Saunders (14 Jack Kenny 57m), 11 Joe Robbins (17 Jordan Scanlon 73m). Unused Subs: 13 Luke Taylor, 16 Cole Lonsdale.

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

Referee: Jack Neild

Cautions: Regan, Baird, Hough, Kenny (Ashton), Anderson (Rangers)

Att : 247

Report by Chris Elsley