Stafford Rangers 1 Alvechurch 1
(Rangers win 4-2 on penalties)
Integro League Cup 2nd Round
Tuesday 28 November 2017
Rangers made it through to the 3rd round of the Integro League Cup with a penalty shoot out win over Alvechurch on Tuesday night.
Both sides made a number of changes to the line ups that had begun Saturday’s matches. Included in the returning players for Rangers was Levi Reid and it was the local midfielder who netted the Boro’s goal on 10 mins when he fired home at the back post after good work from Osebi Abadaki on the left hand side.
The goal was Rangers’ first in almost 5 hours of football but despite dominating much of the first half play, Rangers were unable to add to their tally.
Alvechurch saw plenty of the ball but rarely threatened Brad Caswell’s goal. Corey Virgo-Brown got himself into a promising position for the visitors but fired over from around 20 yards before Alex Fletcher did likewise for the Boro.
Midway through the half, Richard Batchelor dispossessed Virgo-Brown to set up Richard Gregory but the striker’s touch let him down and he was unable to get a clean shot in. A couple of minutes later, Batchelor headed wide from a Jack Sherratt corner then, in a solo effort, he was kept out by keeper Charlie Price after winning possession on the right touchline.
Luke Yates went wide for Alvechurch after some good approach play involving Nathan Waite and Virgo-Brown before Rangers ended the half with a hat trick of missed opportunities with Price turning Abadaki’s shot for a corner, Sherratt having a shot blocked and Batchelor shooting inches wide.
The pattern of play seemed set to continue after the interval as Kieren Westwood had a shot blocked but Rangers’ failure to add to their score boosted Alvechurch’s hopes and they should have levelled on 50 minutes when Ben Tilbury fired across the face of the Rangers goal, the ball flashing past one visiting attacker then being put into the side netting by Andy Parsons at the back post.
Rangers spurned another chance through Gregory who wasn’t quick enough to pull the trigger after being set up by Abadaki and the home side found themselves pegged back on 62 mins when Jamie Willetts turned in a Yusifu Cessay corner from close range.
Levi Reid forced a save from Price soon after as Rangers came close to restoring their lead.
Neither side really looked set on going for the kill although both had chances to win it in the final five minutes. Waite missed the ball with the goal at his mercy after another delivery from Tilbury flashed across the face of the Rangers’ goal before Gregory planted his header straight at Price from Louis Briscoe’s centre.
With the cold bighting, everyone was grateful that the tie went straight to penalties without the need for extra time and Caswell gave Rangers an early advantage when keeping out Jamie Ashmore’s kick.
The next five kicks were all successful (Gregory, Batchelor and Briscoe netting for the Boro) but when social media and TV star Daniel Dubidat sent his kick wide, the stage was set for Alex Fletcher to fire Rangers into the last 16.
Rangers: 1 Brad Caswell, 2 Kai Davis, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Alex Fletcher, 6 Jordaan Brown, 7 Osebi Abadaki (16 Massiah McDonald 83m), 8 Levi Reid (14 Niall Flint 70m), 9 Richard Gregory, 10 Jack Sherratt (15 Louis Briscoe 70m), 11 Richard Batchelor. Unused Subs 12 Dan Westwood, 17 Izak Reid
Alvechurch: 1 Charlie Price, 2 Jamie Ashmore, 3 McKauley Manning, 4 Ryan Winwood, 5 Andy Parsons, 6 Jamie Willetts, 7 Luke Yates (16 Yusifu Cessay 55m), 8 Corey Virgo-Brown (12 Zack Foster 69m), 9 Jordan Nadat, 10 Nathan Waite, 11 Ben Tilbury (15 Danny Dubidat 90+4m). Unused Subs 14 Ethan Hanks, 17 Lewis Gwilliams
Cautions: L Reid (Rangers)
Referee: Jack Shepherd
Att: 163
Chris Elsley
