Stafford Rangers v Vauxhall Motors

Nov 29, 2025

Rangers scored the first and last goals of the afternoon but, in between, they gifted the visitors four of their own. It was the third time in four games that the Stafford defence had conceded four.

After a disappointing showing at Clitheroe last week, Neil Kitching made five changes to the starting XI. Scott Wara was injured, Jack Birch not available and Callum King-Harmes has now departed for a teaching post in Australia. Joe Thomas and Dylan Scott dropped to the bench.

Back in the side after a five week absence was Jack Sherratt and his return allowed Andy Burns to move to right back with Callum Wilson pushing up into midfield.

The changes seemed to have the desired effect when Rangers went ahead after just 90 seconds.

Wilson was put clear and though his initial effort was saved by Reece Trueman, the Stafford man was able to snap up the loose ball to score at the second attempt.

But, the lead was short lived. Vauxhall levelled in the 7th minute after they had won a series of corners. The third of these, taken by Finlay Heath, went directly in at the back post.

Despite this setback, Rangers were still in the ascendency. Kaiman Anderson shot across goal while a poor final ball from Wilson cost his side another opportunity before Anderson saw a well struck shot pushed away by Trueman. Tomasi Wara and Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi both had shots blocked.

At the other end, in a rare threat from the visitors, Joseph Malkin was unchallenged from Jordan Deer’s free kick and flicked a header just wide.

But sloppy play at the back gifted the Motormen the lead on 32 minutes. A poor clearance from Wara was cut out by Heath. He quickly played in Conor Harwood but even then both Wara and Jimmy O’Neill had the opportunity to prevent the shot before the Vauxhall no 10 slotted past Arron Davies.

A surging run from Sherratt wasn’t matched by the finish as he sent his shot over the Shed End roof. Instead it was Vauxhall who struck again, three minutes before the interval, with a goal that was almost a carbon copy of their first.

Another left wing corner from Heath caused Rangers trouble at the back post and Michael Grogan added the finishing touch.

Rangers were forced to make a change at the start of the second half with John Atherton replacing O’Neill who had picked up a foot injury. This forced Wilson to drop back but Rangers still created a number of chances to get themselves back in to the game.

Anderson wasn’t sharp enough to get on the end of a low centre from Wilson while Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi was denied by Trueman after some good play from Logan Cousins. Wilson himself then fired over after cutting in from the right.

It wasn’t all one way and Vauxhall went close to extending their lead with a well struck volley from Heath that Davies had to turn over the bar.

But, the most telling moment of the second came when Anderson hit the bar after more good play from Cousins. It was a chance that should have been taken. Had it been, it could have kick started Stafford’s recovery but it was a miss that symbolised recent fortunes for the home club.

Further chances came and went for Rangers with Anderson, Atherton and Sherratt all failing to find the target.

But, Vauxhall had things too easy in open play and Kyle Sambor came close to adding to their lead with Davies saved well after initially being caught out of position then the Vauxhall man hit the bar.

Any lingering hopes that remained for Stafford were finally extinguished in the first minute of added time when Sambor had a simple tap in after Davies had saved the initial effort from Kevin Ellison.

The final word did go to the home side when Wara reduced the arrears in the fifth minute of added time but it was small consolation.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Arron Davies, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Jack Sherratt, 4 Mason Rees (14 Joe Thomas 68m), 5 Tomasi Wara, 6 Jimmy O’Neill (15 John Atherton 46m (12 Dylan Scott 81m)), 7 Callum Wilson, 8 Ashley Fallon, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Logan Cousins, 11 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi (16 Dan Cockerline 61m). Unused Sub 17 Ben O’Hanlon

Vauxhall Motors: 1 Reece Trueman, 2 Joshua Solomon-Davies, 3 Jordan Deer, 4 Wade Rutherford, 5 Michael Grogan, 6 Finlay Heath (14 Max Harrison 90m), 7 Ben Homes, 8 Nathan Sandison (12 Kevin Ellison 71m), 9 Joseph Malkin, 10 Conor Harwood (15 Nathan Corness 83m), 11 Kyle Sambor. Only 3 Subs named

Goals: Stafford: Wilson 2m, T Wara 90+5m;

Vauxhall Motors Heath 7m, Harwood 32m, Grogan 42m, Sambor 90+1m

Referee: Matthew Longdon

Cautions: Sherratt (Stafford); Harwood (Vauxhall Motors)

Att: 479

Report by Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers v Trafford

Nov 8, 2025

Stafford Rangers slipped to a home defeat as bottom of the table Trafford scored a late winner at the Stan Robinson Stadium.

After twice going behind, Rangers looked to have snatched a point when Jimmy O’Neill levelled the scores with four minutes remaining but the visitors went straight down the other end and claimed the points from a corner.

Rangers named the same starting XI that had earned a point with a 0-0 draw at Mossley a week earlier but the defence was breached in just the 5th minute when Callum Wilson’s attempted clearance came back off Dana Amaral. Charlie Frost set up Brad Byrne to fire home from the edge of the area although keeper Arron Davies will probably feel that he should have done better.

Five minutes later and some scrappy play ended with the ball bouncing nicely into the path of Frost and he put Trafford 2-0 ahead.

Stafford were immediately on the search for a route back in to the game and Jack Birch nearly found it with a shot from the edge of the area that Sam Booth could only parry but Taylor Dyson cleared the danger before Kaiman Anderson could pounce on the loose ball.

But the goal wasn’t long in coming and, on 23 minutes, Birch’s corner was met by the head of Scott Wara and placed past Booth.

Wara went close to a second soon after while Anderson and Wara both had shots blocked following a scramble.

With Stafford keen to get level before the interval, Birch and Ash Fallon fired wide while Birch forced a near post save from Booth after electing to go for goal with a free kick but it was Trafford who held the lead as the two sides went in at half time.

Booth had to be alert when John Atherton stuck out a foot to deflect Fallon’s shot and Anderson was also denied by the Trafford keeper.

But the Trafford defence was unable to hold out and Rangers equalised on 62 minutes when a super ball over the top from Andy Burns picked out Callum King-Harmes. His cross picked out Birch at the back post where he place his volley under the body of the Trafford keeper.

One sensed Rangers would now go on and win it but the visitors had other ideas and just five minutes after Stafford had got on level terms, Trafford were back in front with outstanding strike from Dyson that beat Arron Davies from some 30 yards out.

Still Rangers fancied something from the game and although Wara was at the forefront of their efforts, it was O’Neill who seemingly salvaged the point when he hooked the ball home following a corner on 86 minutes.

But there was still more drama in store and it came from Trafford on 87 minutes when a left wing corner bounced off the thigh of Theo Farquharson and inside the far post.

Callum Wilson came closest to making it 4-4 with a late effort after Booth had dropped the initial cross but Jack Higginbottom headed clear.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Arron Davies, 2 Callum Wilson, 3 Andy Burns, 4 Ashley Fallon (12 Logan Cousins 55m), 5 Scott Wara, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 Callum King-Harmes, 8 Jack Birch, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Joe Thomas (15 James McQuilkin 73m), 11 John Atherton (16 Mason Rees 55m). Unused Subs 14 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi, 17 Tomasi Wara

Trafford: 1 Samuel Booth, 2 Sean Higgins, 3 Theo Farquharson, 4 Jordan Fagbola, 5 Harry Norris, 6 Dana De Oliveira Amaral, 7 Brad Byrne (16 Kris Smith 64m), 8 Taylor Dyson (15 Jack Higginbottom 90+2m), 9 Charlie Frost (17 Prosper Imarhiagbe Obasuyi 77m),  10 Matthew Davies, 11 Jack Sloan (12 Benjamin Horne 86m). Unused Sub: 14 Henry Brown

Goals: Stafford: Wara 23m, Birch 62m, O’Neill 86m   Trafford: Byrne 5m, Frost 10m, Dyson 67m, Farquharson 87m

Referee: Dave Hinton

Cautions: Fallon, Anderson (Stafford), Norris, Sloan (Trafford)

Att: 668

Report by Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers v Stalybridge Celtic

Oct 28, 2025

Stafford Rangers put on their best all round performance of the season to record a convincing victory over a Stalybridge Celtic side who are among the chasing pack at the top end of the table.

The scoreline was no more than what Rangers deserved. With better finishing, they could easily have doubled the four goals they did score, although it was only in the final moments that they finally put the game to bed.

Rangers made one change with Jimmy O’Neill back from suspension replacing Tomasi Wara who was in action with his parent club, Port Vale.

Rangers started positively and were rewarded with an opener in the 7th minute. It was direct football as John Atherton flicked on a long kick from Arron Davies. Visiting defender Jack Byrne and keeper Charlie Monks left it for each other and Joe Thomas pounced to put Stafford ahead.

Ash Fallon issued out with a couple of long range volleys before Kaiman Anderson made it 2-0 on 19 minutes.

Again it was direct football. A pin point diagonal ball from O’Neill was taken down by Callum Wilson who found Anderson ahead of his marker.

Anderson should have added a third five minutes later when put clear by Callum King-Harmes but he was denied by Monks as he tried to go round the Celtic keeper.

A misplaced pass from Jack Birch saw another good chance go begging while Monks made a good double save to block Anderson.

Atherton skied over from the edge of the area and Scott Wara saw his header cleared off the line by Michael Koral as Rangers totally dominated the opening 45 minutes.

Stalybridge – 6th in the table at the start of play – could only improve and made a double substitution at the break but Rangers remained in control as Birch had a shot deflected wide.

The visitors did begin to enjoy more possession and Koral should have done better when he burst through only to shoot wide.

O’Neill then headed off the line, Davies pushed away a well struck drive from Liam Tongue then saved again from the same player as the two goal lead suddenly began to look fragile.

With time ticking on, Stalybridge had to push forward if they were going to salvage anything and that left space at the back for Stafford to exploit.

King-Harmes shot wide and Anderson missed another one on one with Monks. At the other end, O’Neill made another clearance to keep out Max Leonard.

In the end, Rangers made the scoreline as look as comfortable as it should have been some time earlier. King-Harmes went on a break away from just outside his own area before being bundled over by the unfortunate Charlie Doyle. The Stalybridge man received his marching orders for a second yellow and King-Harmes beat Monks with his 95th minute spot kick.

Two minutes later, Anderson made another break after a quick exchange with Logan Cousins and this time he got the better of Monks to notch his 50th goal for the club.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Arron Davies, 2 Callum Wilson, 3 Andy Burns, 4 Ashley Fallon, 5 Scott Wara, 6 Jimmy O’Neill, 7 Callum King-Harmes, 8 Jack Birch, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Joe Thomas (14 Logan Cousins 66m), 11 John Atherton (12 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi 86m). Unused Subs 13 Zac Noble, 15 James McQuilkin, 16 Zidan Sutherland

Stalybridge Celtic: 1 Charlie Monks, 2 Michael Koral, 3 Kyle Brownhill, 4 Jordan Butterworth (12 Benni Smales-Braithwaite 46m), 5 Jack Byrne (16 Max Leonard 77m), 6 Jack Tinning, 7 Charlie Doyle, 8 Liam Tongue, 9 Rubin Jerome, 10 Jack Irlam (17 Tunde Owolabi 62m), 11 Andy Scarisbrick (15 Ellis Horan 46m). Unused Subs 14 Brandon Newell

Goals: Rangers: Thomas 7m, Anderson (2) 19m, 90+7m, King-Harmes pen 90+6m

Referee: James Owen

Cautions: Wilson (Rangers); Koral (Stalybridge)

Sent Off: Doyle – two cautions (Stalybridge)

Att: 551

Report by Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers v Runcorn Linnets

Oct 25, 2025

Andy Burns scored his first goal for the club as Stafford Rangers came from two goals behind to rescue a point at home to Runcorn Linnets.

Rangers went in to the game down to the bare bones with four players missing through injury while Jimmy O’Neill was suspended.

The absence of O’Neill coupled with Jack Sherratt having turned his ankle in training meant another reshuffle in defence. Up stepped Tomasi Wara to partner his older brother Scott at the heart of the back four. Burns switched to the left with Callum Wilson slotting in at right back.

Wilson’s afternoon got off to a bad start when his attempted header back to keeper Arron Davies presented Naim Arsan with a gift which he gratefully accepted by chipping the stranded Stafford keeper to put Runcorn ahead after just 26 seconds.

Rangers had a couple of half chances to make an early response the best of which fell to Joe Thomas who intercepted a kick out from Greg Hall but his first time shot was blocked.

Rangers enjoyed plenty of the ball but suffered a common problem as the final ball was lacking and too often they allowed the visitors an opportunity to counter attack. Kaiman Anderson put in his usual shift but got little out of Runcorn’s Adam Rooney.

A minute before the break, Runcorn won a corner on their right and Matthew Rain picked out Markell Foulds who was allowed to head in Runcorn’s second unopposed.

Rangers could only get better in the second half. They needed an early goal and they got it in the 51st minute through the most unlikely source.

Burns, captain for the day and in an unusual number 3 shirt at left back, scored his first goal for the club in his 186th appearance.

The reliable defender snapped up his chance after good work from Callum King-Harmes on the right was continued by Thomas.

Arsan missed out a chance to restore Runcorn’s lead, firing over after Jack Birch had lost possession, but sensing Rangers were fighting back, they made a double change.

Before the two introductions had had time to make their mark, Rangers were level. Anderson created himself space to deliver in a cross from the left and Thomas was allowed in to head past Hall on 69 mins.

Davies, who has just had his loan extended to the end of the season, kept Rangers on level terms with a good save from Marcus Cusani while Tomasi Wara made two good blocks in the space of a minute as he kept out Foulds and Rooney.

Rangers had their own chances as Scott Wara’s header went straight to Hall and Anderson lifted his shot onto the roof of the Runcorn net.

The best chance of a winner fell to Anderson with three minutes of the 90 remaining but he fired over when well placed.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Arron Davies, 2 Callum Wilson (14 Logan Cousins 83m), 3 Andy Burns, 4 Ashley Fallon, 5 Scott Wara, 6 Tomasi Wara, 7 Callum King-Harmes, Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi, 8 Jack Birch, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Joe Thomas (15 James McQuilkin 87m), 11 John Atherton (12 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi 79m). Unused Subs 13 Zac Noble, 16 Zidan Sutherland

Runcorn Linnets: 1 Greg Hall, 2 Joseph Ferguson, 3 Matthew Rain, 4 Markell Foulds, 5 Adam Rooney, 6 Harvey Washington, 7 Oskar Rosenblatt (17 Marcus Cusani 68m), 8 Lewis Doyle, 9 Lewis Crane (14 Ryan Brooke 79m), 10 Sean Miller (16 Jacques Welsh 68m), 11 Naim Arsan. Unused Subs 12 Eden Gumbs, 15 Peter Wylie

Goals: Rangers: Burns 51m, Thomas 69m; Runcorn: Arsan 1m, Faulds 40m

Referee: Owen Moreton

Cautions: Washington, Welsh (Runcorn)

Att: 669

Report by Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers v Newcastle Town

Oct 18, 2025

Stafford Rangers and Newcastle Town played out a goal-less draw in a fairly uninspiring Staffordshire derby.

Although the best chances fell to the home side, they were few and Rangers lacked the penetrative quality to make them count.

With Mason Rees absent following the injury picked up at Kidsgrove a week earlier, there was a start for Joe Thomas while Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi made his return from injury. Callum King-Harmes who has rejoined the club for a short spell before he departs for Australia was named among the substitutes.

Rangers began well and promised a bright afternoon as miscommunication between Cameron Dourish and Jensen Tortoishell allowed Kaiman Anderson to get behind the Castle back line but his shot was tame and Joe Slinn saved with his feet.

Stafford continued to look for an early goal and Jimmy O’Neill headed wide from a James McQuilkin free kick before Jack Birch hit the side netting from a very tight angle.

But, with chances not taken by Stafford, Newcastle settled and began to enjoy more of the ball in the Stafford half although they seemed devoid of ideas in the final third.

The game had past the half hour mark before they managed to produce a shot on the Stafford goal with Angus Lloyd working himself an opening before his shot was straight at Arron Davies. A couple of minutes later, Davies parried away a long range effort from Lewis Brown.

At the other end, Anderson steered his header over following a flick on from Scott Wara and Thomas could only put his drive into the arms of Slinn.

In addition to their own failings in front of goal, Rangers went in at the break clearly frustrated by some of the decisions from the referee.

The visitors brought on striker Tim Grice and he gave them more physicality up front although the Rangers’ defence remained solid and Davies wasn’t really tested. Only once was there any real alarm and that was of Rangers own making as an attempted clearance by Davies was charged down by Grice. Fortunately, the ball ran wide of the immediate danger area.

Rangers should have snatched it in the closing stages but Dan Cockerline rushed his chance and volleyed over while Anderson put his close range header straight at Slinn.

The positives for Rangers will be the defensive performance but, in games like this, they need to take those chances that they create.

Stafford Rangers: 1 Arron Davies, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Jack Sherratt, 4 Ashley Fallon, 5 Jimmy O’Neill, 6 Scott Wara, 7 Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi (12 John Atherton 55m), 8 Jack Birch, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 James McQuilkin (16 Callum King-Harmes 75m), 11 Joe Thomas (15 Dan Cockerline 68m). Unused Subs 14 Callum Wilson, 17 Tomasi Wara

Newcastle Town: 1 Joe Slinn, 2 Cameron Dourish, 3 Sean Lawton, 4 Ernie Ofosu, 5 Lewis Brown, 6 Jensen Tortoishell, 7 Will Arnold, 8 Ethan Vale, 9 Joel Jones (15 Tim Grice 46m), 10 Angus Lloyd (16 Harlan Morris-Green 75m), 11 Oli Richie

Goals: None

Referee: William Murray

Cautions: O’Neill, McQuilkin, Anderson, Sherratt (Stafford) Ofosu, Vale (Newcastle)

Att: 624

Report by Chris Elsley