Sep 14, 2024
Only one goal separated the sides at the Stan Robinson Stadium as Stafford Rangers were narrowly beaten at home to high flying Vauxhall Motors.
Ben O’Hanlon returned to the starting line up after injury and an appearance as a second half substitute in midweek, but midfielder Dylan Barkers was unavailable.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors, with a shot from 25 yards going just wide of Cam Belford’s goal. A couple more half chances fell to Vauxhall, but they came to nothing. Toby Jones did find the back of the Stafford net but his overhead kick was ruled out after a high foot on Staffords Andy Burns.
At the other end, a scramble in the Vauxhall area gave Rangers an opportunity, but Dan Cockerline could not finish.
A header from Joe Mwasile and a shot from Tyrone Cadeau just before the interval marked the best chances of the half for Rangers and an even contest saw the two teams go in at the break on even terms. Rangers played some good passing football, but appeared to lack the final touch.
The second half began with Stafford making their first substitution, as Joe Robbins was replaced by AJ Leitch-Smith.
A counter attack from the home side came to nothing as they were unable to produce a shot on goal, but they kept pressing and Cockerline managed a header on goal following a corner, but it was straight to the visiting keeper.
Just before the hour, Belford – on his 100th appearance for the club – made a great save to keep the scores level. Soon after, there was a further chance for Vauxhall, but the header looped onto the roof of the net.
The Motormen got what proved to be the winner on the 70th minute with a great strike on the half volley from Nick Rushton following a long throw, which Diego McGann was unable to cut out.
With time ticking away, Rangers tried to build some momentum in the game but were unable to create much of a threat to the visitors’ goal.
The best chance came following a corner, which caused some problems in the danger area, but the ball would not quite fall for Stafford.
In the five minutes of additional time there were huge shouts by Rangers for handball in the penalty area, but it was not given.
Although the Stafford camp was left disappointed at full time, it was a close game between the two sides. One goal always looked likely to be enough to settle things and that happened to fall to Vauxhall on the day.
Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Jacob Edwards (15 Diego McGann 67m), 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 James McQuilkin, 5 Andy Burns, 6 Sean Lawton, 7 Joe Mwasile (12 Joe Morley 60m), 8 Joe Robbins (17 AJ Leitch-Smith 45m), 9 Dan Cockerline, 10 Tyrone Cadeau, 11 Stanley Anaebonam (16 Luca Whitney 67m). Unused Substitutes 14 Alex Harrison
Vauxhall Motors: 1 Jack Atkinson, 2 Ben Dufton-Kelly, 3 Isaac Godwin, 4 Toby Jones, 5 Vita Mbolokele, 6 Ben Holmes (12 Kevin Ellison 61m), 7 Jawad Jebrin (17 George Nugent 89m), 8 Jake Kirby-Reed, 9 Connor Rankin, 10 Nick Rushton (Goal 70m) (15 Paddy Kay 73m), 11 Josh Quarless (16 Jordan Wynne 85m) Unused Substitutes 14 Ethan Gouldbourne
Cautions: Burns (Stafford), Atkinson (Vauxhall Motors)
Referee: Peter Dingle
Attendance: 494
Report by Scott Holmes
Sep 10, 2024
It took Tyrone Cadeau less than two minutes to show Stafford Rangers fans what they had been missing as he orchestrated a win for the Boro on their return to the Stan Robinson Stadium after seven consecutive away games.
Announced as a signing pre-season, Cadeau had been unable to play due to a contractual dispute with his former club Kidsgrove Athletic but he had waited patiently for his moment then grabbed it firmly with both hands.
Dave Cooke had to re-organise his defence after injury to Jimmy O’Neill in Saturday’s defeat at Walsall Wood left him without a recognised central defender. Andy Burns has been playing alongside O’Neill in recent weeks and he was joined by Sean Lawton with Jacob Edwards switching to the left and James McQuilkin dropping in at right back.
But it was Cadeau who caught the attention as he picked up possession midway inside the Clitheroe half then skipped past a couple of defenders before firing past Solomon Honor.
A minute later, Cadeau set up Stanley Anaebonam but Honor blocked the shot at his near post.
Charlie Hayes-Green missed a good chance to level with a free header before the visitors struck back in the 8th minute with a Veron Parny free kick, harshly awarded for handball against Joe Robbins.
Play was open and switched from end to end. Anaebonam went inches wide for Stafford while the impressive Parny forced Cam Belford to tip over.
The game was briefly held up following a clash of heads between Lawton and Connor High with both players able to continue bandaged up.
Cadeau fired Rangers 2-1 up on 33 mins when he finished off an excellent move involving Robbins and Joe Mwaslie but the lead always looked fragile as Clitheroe kept pressing.
Cameron Bradbury-Allen saw his centre deflect wide off Parny who then rode through a couple of challenges but couldn’t find the opportunity to shoot.
The visitors got their equaliser four minutes into added time. Rangers were unhappy that play was allowed to continue after Mwasile appeared to be fouled in the centre of the pitch and Miles Storey picked out the unmarked Richard Baker who had time to control before firing past Belford.
Clitheroe began the second half as the stronger of the two sides it needed some good defending from both Lawton and Burns to prevent Parny from putting them ahead on 53 mins.
Rangers woke up and were ahead just a minute later. Cadeau gave Anaebonam a ball to chase on the left and he jimmied his way past Bradbury-Allen before beating Honor at his near post.
Clitheroe captain Baker prevented Cadeau getting his third with a superbly timed tackle on the edge of the area while Honor tipped away a well struck free kick from Robbins that was heading for the top corner.
The last 15 minutes saw constant Clitheroe pressure and with Stafford often resorting to an 11 man defence, the ball kept coming back at them.
Domaine Rouse had an opportunity with a back post header while Burns was on hand to clear the lines after Javaun Splatt had beaten Belford to a ball on the right side of the area.
Splatt sent another effort wide and Sean McConville skimmed the top of the bar from just outside the area but Rangers held on to claim the points.
Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 James McQuilkin, 3 Jacob Edwards (14 Ben O’Hanlon 89m), 4 Dylan Barkers, 5 Andy Burns, 6 Sean Lawton, 7 Joe Mwasile (12 Joe Morley 78m), 8 Joe Robbins, 9 Dan Cockerline, 10 Tyrone Cadeau, 11 Stanley Anaebonam (17 Diego McGann 90+2m). Unused Substitutes 15 Luca Whitney, 16 AJ Leitch-Smith
Clitheroe: 1 Solomon Honor, 2 Jacob Hanson, 3 Cameron Bradbury-Allen (15 Matty Clarke 58m), 4 Harry Brockbank (14 Domaine Rouse 71m), 5 Charlie Hayes-Green, 6 Richard Baker (12 Sean McConville 71m), 7 Ross Dent, 8 Connor High (17 Danny Wilkins 58m), 9 Javaun Splatt, 10 Veron Parny, 11 Miles Storey. Unused Sub 16 Sajjad Eihassan
Cautions: Robbins, Cadeau, Lawton (Stafford) Dent, Bradbury-Allen, Rouse (Clitheroe)
Referee: Alex Rolfe
Attendance: 366
Report by Chris Elsley
Aug 13, 2024
Stafford Rangers are off the mark with a point from an entertaining game against fellow Staffordshire side Newcastle Town as they opened their home programme.
The point was a fair outcome although Rangers had promised more after taking a two goal advantage early in the second half. But, Newcastle refused to lie down and claimed a deserved share of the spoils.
Rangers had made the perfect start when Sean Cooke put them ahead from the penalty spot in the 3rd minute. Cooke himself had been tripped in the area as the referee judged that he had beaten former Ranger Jack Sherratt to a corner driven in by Joe Robbins.
The visitors responded well to going behind and Cam Belford had to push away a long range effort from Jake Twyford before a looping header from George Lewis went over.
An error from Kyle Stubbs let in Joe Morley for Rangers but his shot was blocked. A surging run from Ben Hockenhull caused some excitement in the home crowd but it almost led to a goal at the other end as a counter attack ended with Jake Avery’s curler just clearing the Stafford cross bar. Another long range shot from Isaac Graham also went over.
Rangers had a great opportunity to extend their lead when Morley beat Ben Woods on the right but Luca Whitney and Cooke appeared to get in each other’s way and the chance passed by.
Boro’s Oliver Jepson led by example with a superb goal saving tackle to deny Avery after a poor back pass from Dylan Barkers had put his side in trouble and the home captain was again the saviour to clear his lines a minute before the break.
Just as Rangers had struck early in the first half, they did so again at the start of the second and it was a super strike from Whitney. The 17 year old on loan from Shrewsbury Town picked up possession just outside the area, turned one way and then the other before firing past Joe Slinn in the Newcastle goal.
But Newcastle reduced the deficit just five minutes later when Twyford was in at the back post to convert from close range after Tom Jones had sent in a low ball from the right.
Cooke snatched at a shot and Hockenhull saw his loop off a defender as Rangers looked to restore their two goal lead but their play became scrappy as the visitors upped the search for an equaliser.
It came in the 70th minute when Avery raced away down the inside left channel and slotted past Belford.
Belford kept his side level when he tipped over Graham’s free kick soon after but both sides had chances to win it in the final 10.
Rangers’ best fell to Jepson as he came in from the back to meet a corner but planted his header well wide. At the other end, man of the match Jepson came from nowhere to make a crucial tackle to deny Graham following an error from Stafford sub James McQuilkin.
The final chance of the evening fell to the visitors and Avery will rue his miss when well placed at the back post.
Stafford Rangers: 1 Cameron Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Sean Lawton, 4 Dylan Barkers (12 James McQuilkin 74m), 5 Oliver Jepson (14 Jimmy O’Neill 90+1m), 6 Ben Hockenhull, 7 Theo Knight (17 Diego Esquivel McGann 60m), 8 Joe Robbins, 9 Luca Whitney, 10 Sean Cooke, 11 Joe Morley (15 Lewis Porter 87m) Unused Sub Jacob Edwards
Newcastle Town: 1 Joe Slinn, 2 Guilherme Baltazar, 3 Ben Woods, 4 Jack Sherratt, 5 Tom Thorley, 6 Kyle Stubbs, 7 Isaac Graham, 8 George Lewis (17 Jack Van Der Laan 76m), 9 Jake Avery, 10 Tom Jones (16 Nathan Barry 76m), 11 Jake Twyford. Unused Subs 12 Jack Derbyshire, 14 Oliver Ritchie, 15 Callum Besford
Cautions: Burns, Cooke (Rangers), Sherratt, Lewis (Newcastle)
Referee Jack Shepherd
Attendance 589
Report by Chris Elsley
Aug 3, 2024
Stafford Rangers completed their pre-season programme with another defeat, this time at the hands of National League North side Buxton.
Pre season performances from the Boro have been inconsistent at best with 17 goals leaked and only two scored but Saturday’s showing was more promising and Rangers ended the first half on level terms.
Although Buxton enjoyed the majority of the possession, they didn’t pose much of a threat on the Stafford goal. It was a similar story at the other end as Aaron Opoku fought a solo battle with Kieran Burton
The best chances of the opening 45 minutes saw Burton force a save from Cam Belford in the 9th minute while Stafford’s Joe Robbins saw his shot blocked by Josh Williams shortly before half time.
The only other incident of note was a caution for Andy Burns following a mistimed tackle on Connor Kirby.
It took Buxton less than five minutes of the second half to open the scoring. Josh Granite advanced into the area and though his run was halted by Oliver Jepson, the ball fell kindly to Sam Tomlinson who fired home.
Rangers, who started the game with three trialists, introduced several more during the second half – a total of eight were on show during the 90 minutes.
Buxton found more openings come their way and Kirby saw a shot well saved by Belford while Tomlinson should have doubled his side’s lead but sent his shot wide.
Recent signing Tyrone Cadeau gave Stafford a little more in attack and he was just off target with a couple of efforts.
Buxton grabbed their second with 10 minutes remaining when Josh Popoola drilled in a low centre which was turned into his own net by the Stafford trialist playing at the heart of the defence.
Stafford starting line up: Cam Belford, Andy Burns, Ben O’Hanlon, James McQuilkin, Oliver Jepson, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Aaron Opoku, Joe Robbins, Joe Morley. Substitutes include Sean Lawton, Tyrone Cadeau
Att 264
Jul 27, 2024
Rangers’ pre season programme continues to give cause for concern after their latest defeat came at home to Shropshire side Whitchurch Alport.
But, despite the result, Rangers were the better side for much of the game and the biggest worry may surround the fitness of striker Dan Cockerline who limped out of the game midway through the first half with a hamstring injury.
Rangers had started the brighter of the two sides and Aaron Opoku fired over the visitors’ bar.
Joe Robbins – he was one of the trialists who signed after the Sutton Coldfield fixture – went wide with a couple of chances then Cockerline saw an effort roll across the goal line before being cleared.
The visiting keeper Sheward then made two saves in the final minutes of the first half as he twice denied Joe Morley.
The second half was evenly congested with play switching from end to end but it was Whitchurch who opened the scoring on 72 minutes when Josh Beaumond took advantage of a poor kick out from Cam Belford which wasn’t dealt with by Sean Lawton and the Whitchurch man fired into the top corner from around 25 yards.
A second goal followed on 78 mins and again it was avoidable. This time it was a mix up between Belford and Andy Burns that let in one of the visitors’ trial players for a simple tap in.
Stafford keeper Jack Sandel came on as a substitute for Whitchurch and kept his side’s goal intact with a late save from Morley’s free kick.
Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Jacob Edwards, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 James McQuilkin (Trialist B), 5 Andy Burns, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 Tyrone Cadeau, 8 Joe Robbins, 9 Dan Cockerline (Joe Morley 25m) , 10 Aaron Opoku (Sean Lawton 70m), 11 Trialist A
Whitchurch: 1 Jack Sheward, 2 Trialist A, 3 Josh Madeley, 4 Ellis Turner, 5 Freddie Bishton, 6 Lewis Brown, 7 Trialist B, 8 Adam Hailes, 9 Josh Beaumond, 10 Elliot Jukes, 11 Tom Meesham. Subs Harry Farnsworth, Harry Parkinson, Lewis Bloor, Billy West
Cautions – O’Hanlon (83m)
Att 251
