INTEGRO LEAGUE CUP | TUESDAY 29 JANUARY 2019
Rangers hopes of a first ever Integro Cup success disappeared at the quarter final stage with a heavy defeat at home to Farsley Celtic. The visitors, who are high flying in the league, proved too strong in all departments and put on a clinical display to end Stafford’s three game unbeaten run. Rangers were dealt a blow shortly before kick off when Sam Coulson picked up an injury and then received a further set back when Josh Green was forced out of the game in the 8th minute after picking up an injury in a tackle but there was little else of note in the opening quarter as the two sides more or less cancelled each other out – Farsley just about shading the play.
But it was an error from Dan Burns that led to Farsley’s opener on 24 mins. The Stafford central defender gave away possession 15 yards inside his own half and a grateful Paul Walker snapped up the chance as he advanced to slot past Adam Siviter.
Further errors cost Stafford again on 39 minutes. Lewis Turner picked up possession in midfield playing the ball to Walker on the right. He exchanged passes with Dave Syers then picked out Luke Parkin on the overlap and he fired home to double Farsley’s advantage. If it wasn’t game over by then, there was certainly no way back by half time as Farsley scrambled in a third on 44 minutes through Turner after Siviter had twice saved, firstly denying Isaac Baldwin then Nathan Cartman before Turner stabbed home. Syers made it 4-0 on 49 minutes when he fired home via the inside of the post after forcing his way through.
Farsley seemed content to just sit back and soak up anything Rangers could offer, and they did it so effectively that it wasn’t until the 86th minute that Theo Bailey-Jones managed to muster up Stafford’s first shot on target which was greeted by ironic cheers from a handful of the hardy fans who turned up on a cold night. Farsley responded with a fifth goal two minutes after – a somewhat hopeful strike from Adam Clayton wrapping up a comfortable night’s work for the visitors.
Stafford: 1 Adam Siviter, 2 Izak Reid, 3 Josh Green (12 Peter Williams 8m), 4 Dan Burns, 5 Matt Hill, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Theo Bailey-Jones, 8 Tom Thorley, 9 Ben Mills (15 Jake Charles 56m), 10 Max Dixon (14 Jed Davies 53m), 11 Lewis Banks. Unused Subs 16 Lucas Burnett, 17 Declan Arber
Farlsey: 1 Kyle Trennery, 2 Lewis Turner, 3 Isac Baldwin, 4 Jack Higgins, 5 Danny Ellis (16 Romi Rehman 80m), 6 Danny Clayton, 7 Dave Syers (15 Mark Bett 84m), 8 Chris Atkinson, 9 Paul Walker, 10 Nathan Catman (14 Asa Mitchell 69m), 11 Luke Parkin. Unused subs: 12 Will Hayhurst, 13 Mark Bower (gk)
Cautions: Williams (Rangers) Baldwin (Farsley)
Ref: Richard Eley
Att: 149
Report: Chris Elsley
