Jul 30, 2022
Stafford Rangers picked up a moral boosting victory over their close rivals after the reverse fixture nine days earlier had ended in favour of The Pitmen.
Rangers have not been too prolific in front of goal during their pre-season campaign – this was an area where many placed the blame for their failure to reach the play offs last season – but they wasted no time in finding a way through the Hednesford defence.
There were just six minutes played when Tom Tonks’ ball back into the Hednesford area took a deflection off a visiting defender and Kaiman Anderson reacted quickest to stab the ball past Lewis Gwilliams.
Claims for a Hednesford penalty just before the half hour mark received no support from the man who mattered – referee Ben Stott – before Cam Belford was called into action to tip away a shot from Andre Landell.
Rangers were the better organised of the two sides with Hednesford not giving their fans much to cheer. The experience of Leroy Lita in their attack failed to flourish as the home defence did a better job of containing him than on the last showing.
It was still very much Rangers after the interval. Jaiden White, back ijn action after picking up an injury at Coleshill, hit the side netting following a cross from Andy Burns then a long range effort from Tonks was well saved by Gwilliams.
Rangers had a number of corners and it was from a Jack Baxter flag kick that the deserved second goal eventually came on 70 minutes as Ethan Stewart climbed highest to head home from Jack Baxter’s ball in from the right.
The two sides exchanged further chances without adding further to the scoring. For Hednesford, Riley O’Sullivan was denied by Belford while one of the Boro’s triallist players sent an effort high over the Social Club roof.
Stafford Rangers: Cameron Belford, Andy Burns, Joe Dunne, Jack Baxter, Ethan Stewart, Luis Morrison, Theo Bailey-Jones (Triallist B 67m), Tom Tonks, Kaiman Anderson (Triallist C 83m), Joe Willis, Trialist A (Jaiden White 57m)
Hednesford Town: Lewis Gwilliams (Rhys Willias 70m), Lewis Hayden (Chay Tilt 59m), Harvey Portman Carter Lycett 59m), Martin Riley, Lewis Ison, Luke Rowe, Riley O’Sullivan, Todd Parker, Leroy Lita, Cameron Ebbutt (Numair Rashad 70m), Andre Landell (Harry Manton 59m). Unused Subs: Romehl Seraton, Trialist, Joe Morley
Ref Ben Stott
Att 463
Jul 26, 2022
Stafford Rangers were on the end of a heavy beating by big spending Hanley Town in their latest pre-season fixture.
Although the scoreline will not be what Rangers wanted, defeat wasn’t totally unexpected after manager Matt Hill announced that he would be fielding a side with a number of triallists. Hanley, meanwhile, fielded a side packed with experience, including Carl Dickinson, Louis Dodds and Danny Glover.
The hosts dictated play from the early stages and Glover forced a save from Cameron Belford who then denied Reece Jones.
Glover put Hanley ahead in the 13th minute after a bit of luck helped him bring Chris Dagnall’s long ball under control and take it past Belford.
One of Rangers’ more familiar faces – Joe Kenton – had his evening cut short when he twisted his knee after being fouled by Charlie Walford.
Rangers created a smattering of first half chances for their triallist players – the no 11 fired over after being set up by Jack Baxter while the best came from the no 9 who forced his way through the Hanley defence only to see his shot come back off the post.
Rangers started the second half well with players switching positions but a howler at the back from the no 5 gifted Hanley their second goal on 51 minutes – Dodds converting after the defender had failed to cut out a long ball.
Chris Dagnall made it 3-0 on 59 minutes before Dodds added a fourth when the Stafford no 5 was again at fault having failed to stop the former Port Vale man.
Hanley had chances to score again before Glover wrapped things up at the second attempt in the 87th minute.
It was a night where Hill will have made more decisions about players who will not feature further in his plans rather than potential signings.
Hanley Town: 1 Kieran Harrison, Rhys Thompson, Charlie Walford, Jake Twyford, Jayden Cottrell, Carl Dickinson, Reece Jones, Chris Dagnall, Danny Glover, Louis Dodds, James Lawrie (Ryan Campbell-Gordon 66m).
Rangers: Cameron Belford, Andy Burns (Taylor Draper 73m), Triallist A, Jack Baxter (Theo Bailey-Jones 73m), Triallist B, Ben Forrest, Joe Kenton (17 Ryan-Jay Malbon 26m), Triallist C, Triallist D (Triallist F 46m), Joe Willis (Will Holt 81m), Triallist E
Report: Chris Elsley
Jul 23, 2022
Stafford Rangers made the trip to Coles Lane hoping to turn Thursday night’s defeat at Hednesford into a win.
Rangers made the stronger start and in the 2nd minute of the game Kaiman Anderson was on the end of a Tom Tonks cross but was flagged offside.
Rangers continued to make the early running and in the 10th minute of the game Ryan-Jay Malbon fired over the Sutton cross bar.
Rangers eventually got the break through in the 11 minute when Tonks ran past a couple of the home defenders and drilled his shot into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
Rangers second goal came in the 17th minute of game when a Tonks free kick on the edge of box found the bottom corner of the net despite Jono Brown’s best efforts to save.
In the 26th minute, Sutton should have pulled a goal back but, with just the keeper to beat, the home player put his shot wide of the target.
Rangers made it 3-0 in the 31st minute when Jack Baxter’s pass over the top of the defence put Anderson clear to score.
Soon after, Anderson had a chance to add further to the score. He took the ball around Brown but saw his shot blocked on the line by a defender.
A quiet start to the second half didn’t see much happening until the hour mark when Theo Bailey-Jones went through on goal only to be denied by Brown and his follow up stopped on the line.
Rangers had a further chance to put the score beyond Sutton but Tonks sent a free kick just wide while a penalty appeal was rejected by the referee.
With several personnel changes made on the field by Rangers, Sutton pulled a goal back on the 83rd with a close range tap in.
The home side added a second two minutes later when the forward ran through the Rangers defence and placed his shot into the back of the net.
With the last action, Bailey-Jones had a free kick but fired straight at Brown
Rangers team:
Belford, Burns, Dunne, Baxter, Stewart, Morrsion, Bailey-Jones, Tonks, Anderson, Willis, Malbon
Subs
Dunne for Trialist A at Half time
59: Forrest for Willis
63 Trialist B and Trialist C for Baxter and Anderson
70 Trialist D for Stewart
76: Draper, Wright and Trialist E for Burns, Tonks and Malbon
Att 152
Report by Mark Bennett
Jul 21, 2022
Stafford Rangers were beaten in their latest pre season outing.
It was a short trip across the Chase for Rangers for a game that was delayed by 48 hours due to the record high temperatures on Tuesday.
Matt Hill’s starting line up was another strong one, although not quite the strongest available, with only one triallist on show when the game kicked off.
Rangers started brightly with Tom Tonks shooting wide under pressure from a Hednesford defender while Theo Bailey-Jones was unable to take full advantage after a slip at the back by Carter Lycett.
At the other end, veteran Leroy Lita gave the Stafford defence plenty to think about and only a last ditch tackle from Ethan Stewart prevented the former Premier League striker from opening the scoring.
Jack Baxter’s shot bounced to safety off Hednesford keep Lewis Gwilliams, but it was the home side who found the net on 28 minutes when Lita’s flick sent Cameron Ebbutt clear to score.
Hednesford triallist Nathan Cameron was left unmarked to power home his side’s second from a corner on 35 minutes but Rangers pulled one back three minutes later when Gwilliams allowed a high ball from Joe Willis to find its way into the net.
The first half scoring was not yet over and Lita converted a penalty on the stroke of half time after the referee had disapproved of Ben Forrest’s block.
The early exchanges after the interval saw Hednesford looking the most likely scorers before they replaced all 11 players on the hour mark.
Rangers’ six substitutions were made at various intervals. One of the triallist replacements – playing at the heart of defence – showed his attacking qualities with a well taken header from a Tonks free kick to reduce the arrears on 71 minutes before Joe Morley struck a superb volley to restore the two goal margin once more with 15 minutes remaining.
With three weeks to go before the NPL season kicks off, Hill and assistant Dale Belford will be working hard to eliminate the mistakes that resulted in the concession of four goals but there is no cause to panic just yet!
Hednesford make the return journey next weekend.
Hednesford Town
First Half: Lewis Gwilliams, Josh Webb, Carter Lycett, Martin Riley, Triallist 1, Luke Rowe, Triallist 2, James McQuilkin, Leroy Lita, Numair Rashad (Joe Cuff 24m), Cameron Ebbutt.
60 minutes: Rhys Williams, Lewis Hayden, Harry Manton, Taylor Carter-Byrne, Lewis Ison, Romehl Seraton, Chay Tilt, Todd Parker, Riley O’Sullivan, Andre Landell, Joe Morley
Stafford Rangers: Cameron Belford, Andy Burns (Taylor Draper 82m), Joe Dunne, Jack Baxter, Ethan Stewart (Triallist B 46m), Ben Forrest (Luis Morrison 60m), Theo Bailey-Jones (Joe Kenton 72m), Tom Tonks (Triallist C 72m)), Kaiman Anderson (Triallist D 46m), Joe Willis (Triallist E 60m), Triallist A (Triallist F 46m)
Referee B Scaife
Att 525.
Chris Elsley
Jul 16, 2022
Stafford Rangers stepped up their pre-season training with a trip to NPL Division One South side Coleshill Town.
Having fielded completely different line ups in each half of their previous two friendlies, this outing saw a more familiar and settled Stafford side with only one triallist featuring in the starting XI.
Most of the players already signed up for the new season got at least an hour under their belts, the notable exception being winger Jaiden White who was withdrawn on the half hour mark as a precaution after a hamstring strain.
Missing the day’s action altogether was club captain Alex-Ray Harvey who fractured a bone in his foot at Newcastle Town last week.
On a scorching afternoon, it was a keenly contested game which produced few clear chances on either goal.
Coleshill attacking midfielder Kai Tonge gave Rangers a few things to think about and he nearly put his side ahead on 15 mins from a tight angle.
The ball spun goalwards off Cameron Belford forcing Luis Morrison to make an acrobatic goal- line clearance.
Rangers’ best chance before the first drinks break fell to Tom Tonks but the home keeper got down to make a comfortable save.
Soon after, Tonge had another chance for Coleshill but sliced his shot wide.
With Joe Kenton having earlier replaced White, Rangers made one further change at half time with the triallist A – player who has featured in all three matches to date – being replaced by triallist B – a player who featured for the club last season.
After newcomer Jack Baxter had fired wide for Rangers, it was Coleshill who opened the scoring on 59 minutes through Jamie Ashmore who beat Belford with a well struck drive from around 25 yards following a counter attack by the home side.
As the game moved into the latter stages, the pace and energy levels of the Coleshill players started to diminish with Rangers’ Triallist B frequently getting away on the left.
Finally, the equaliser came with 5 minutes of the 90 remaining.
It came from the boot of Kenton who fired under the body of the home keeper from the edge of the area – the Coleshill custodian should really have made the save.
Triallist B almost hit a late winner for Rangers as his shot bounced back off the post.
Coleshill (starting): Paul Hathaway, Jamie Ashmore, Harry Higginson, Niall Rowe, Kyle Burke, Fraser Doyle, Kai Tonge, Josh Willis, Gio Dainty, Reinaldo Forbes, Alex Tomkinson.
Rangers: Cameron Belford, Andy Burns, Joe Dunne, Jack Baxter (Triallist C 76m), Ethan Stewart (Taylor Draper 79m), Luis Morrison (Ben Forrest 63m), Jaiden White (Joe Kenton 32m), Tom Tonks (Theo Bailey-Jones 63m), Kaiman Anderson (Luis Wright 82m), Joe Willis, Triallist A (Triallist B 46m)
Att c80
Report: Chris Elsley
