Stalybridge Celtic 0 – 3 Stafford Rangers
Oct 16, 2019
Match Report
Stalybridge Celtic 0 – 3 Stafford Rangers
BetVictor Northern Premier League | Tuesday 15 October 2019 Report by Chris Elsley
Attendance | Attendance: 292
Stafford Rangers picked up their first league win of the season at the eleventh time of asking as management duo of Alex Meechan and Andy Fearn returned to their old stomping ground at Stalybridge Celtic. But it was a win not without cost as Jake Charles had to withdraw midway through the first half with a recurrence of the injury that kept him out of Saturday’s trip to Scarborough while Sam Coulson picked up a bad hamstring injury in the second half. Another injury victim was captain Luke Jones who was missing for the first time this season. But, injuries aside, it was a night when lady luck was finally on the Boro’s side.
They nearly had a taste of the good fortune on 6 mins when Jack Sherratt’s shot slipped through the hands of Alex Fojticek and on to the crossbar. The relieved Celtic keeper managed to claw the rebound away. But, a minute later, Rangers were ahead and this time, the luck was on their side as Jed Davies’ left wing cross floated over Fojticek and inside the far post. From then on, Rangers never looked back. Sherratt and Charles both went close to adding to the score and although Stalybridge enjoyed plenty of possession, they rarely threatened, and it was Rangers who went close again with another long ranger from Sherratt that flew wide. But Stalybridge were gifted a golden chance to level matters five minutes before the break when Scott Bakkor went down in the area but Bakkor sent his spot kick high over the intersection of bar and post. A sense of justice as even members of the Stalybridge camp felt it shouldn’t have been awarded. As if to rub salt in the wounds, Joe Berks drilled home Rangers’ second on 43 mins after some good work from Josh Green. Davies nearly added a third in added time. Brad Grayson had Fojticek at full stretch early in the second half with a shot that was heading for the top corner. A couple of chances came Stalybridge’s way - one, while Coulson was lying injured, that Lewis King turned over the bar. But it was Rangers who struck the crucial third on 61 mins. A ball from Berks just cleared Bakkor leaving Grayson with a clear run on goal and he charged through to fire home via the inside of the far post. A nice link up between Sherratt and Davies almost put Evan Garnett in while Grayson’s speculative effort from the left touchline went across the face of goal. Both Chris Smalley and Darius Osei headed over when well-placed for Stalybridge as Rangers held on for the win that lifts them out of the bottom three for the first time since late August. Referee: Ben Wyatt Cautions: Dent, Bakkor, Hobson (Stalybridge), Bignot (Stafford)
Stalybridge Celtic: 1 Alex Fojticek, 2 Declan Walker, 3 Kallum Mantack, 4 Ross Dent (14 Greg Wilkinson 75m), 5 Steve O’Halloran, 6 Chris Smalley, 7 Scott Bakkor, 8 Nathan Valentine (12 Jack O’Leary 65m), 9 Craig Hobson (15 Harry Freedman 62m), 10 Darius Osei, 11 Jonathan Ustabasi.Unused Subs: 16 Neil Kengni, 17 Tony Whitehead
Stafford Rangers: 1 Lewis King, 2 Josh Green, 3 Matt Hill, 4 Sam Coulson (12 Josh Burns 60m), 5 Paul Bignot, 6 Alex-Ray Harvey, 7 Joe Berks (15 Andy Haworth 86m), 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Jake Charles (14 Evan Garnett 22m), 10 Bradley Grayson, 11 Jed Davies. Unused Subs: 16 Louis Briscoe, 17 Max Dixon

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