Saturday 28th October 2006

Stafford Rangers 3 Scarborough 0
FA Cup sponsored by E.ON fourth qualifying round
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 1043
Weather: -


Stafford Rangers can look forward to a favourable home first round tie with Maidenhead United following a comfortable victory over hardworking Scarborough.

Guy Madjo scored a goal in each half and defender Craig McAughtrie found the net in a performance that pleased manager Phil Robinson.

He said: “It was fairly comfortable. Games like this are difficult for the favourites like today. We had Danny Alcock to thank for an early save and it certainly job done. We needed to get through what ever way we could and was nice to have the victory sown up so early.”

Alcock certainly came to his side’s rescue in the 11th minute. Scarborough broke upfield following a Stafford corner and slips by both covering defenders let in Lee Whittington. However, Whittington, who received a pass from Chris Thomspon, was denied by a superb block in a one-on-one inside the area.

Stafford survived that scare and took the lead four minutes later. Madjo stayed onside to latched onto a pass down the left from Nathan Talbott and cut into the area. With Neil Grayson acting as a decoy, Madjo was able to fire low into the opposite corner of the net with visiting goalkeeper Mark Wilberforce getting a hand to the ball.

Wilberforce dropped a hanging ball from Ged Murphy but the visitors scrambled it clear as both Madjo and Grayson looked to take advantage

Alcock pulled off another fine save on the half hour when he leapt to his left to keep out a rising 20-yard drive from Sean Davies that was heading for the top corner.

Stafford, always in control, doubled their lead in the 35th minute. Kevin Street picked up the ball on the left, after his corner was cleared, and sent a low diagonal pass into the 6-yard box. McAughtrie, who stayed up, slotted the ball home at close range for his first goal of the season.

Just before the break, Madjo fired over and Wilberforce collected a deflected shot from Grayson as Stafford looked to further increase their lead.

Scarborough creditably came out on the attack at the start of the second half with nothing to lose. McAughtrie blocked a goalbound shot from Chris Thompson soon after the restart.

Madjo put the result beyond doubt in the 58th minute, heading home Robin Gibson’s left wing cross at the near post.

Scarborough’s task was made harder foul minutes later when midfielder Darren Thornton received a straight red card for a horrendous challenge on Street. The Scarborough midfielder can have no complains about the decision.

Rangers had chances to score again before full time. Gibson volleyed over and Street missed the easiest chance of all. He somehow drove over an open goal from no more than eight yards out.

Despite the defeat, Mark Patterson complemented his side for effort. “I thought the lads were spot on from the first minute to the ninetieth. The difference between the sides was a bit of quality in the final third,” said the Scarborough Head Coach.

After the win, the Stafford squad gathered round a TV and saw the reward – a home first round tie with Maidenhead United. “They are a team below us which is going to be tricky but it gives us a chance of progressing if we do it right,” was Phil Robinson’s initial reaction. “You always want somebody you can go through against and we have avoided other Conference teams. Maidenhead will be wound up for it and that makes it difficult for us as we will be the favourites.”

Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes with black sleeves / black / black): Danny Alcock, Richard Sutton, Wayne Daniel (capt), Craig McAughtrie, Nathan Talbott, Kevin Street, Craig Lovatt (Christian Dacres, 89), Ged Murphy (Danny Edwards, 71), Robin Gibson, Neil Grayson (Dolapo Olaoye, 81), Guy Madjo. Subs not used: Brain Quailey, David Oldfield.

Scarborough (blue/blue/blue; 4-4-2): Mark Wilberforce, Jimmy Beadle, Denny Ingram (capt), Mark Hotte, Sean Davies (Ashley Lyth, 60), Lee Whittington (Ryan Blott, 71), Lee Cartwright, Jamie Vermiglio, Darren Thornton, Tony Hackworth, Chris Thompson. Sub not used: Ged Dalton.

Goals: Madjo (16, 58), McAughtrie (35).
Sponsors Man of the Match: Guy Madjo.

Referee: S Cummings (Cheshire).
Attendance: 1,043.

Thursday 26th October 2006

Sutton Coldfield Youth 4 Stafford Rangers Youth 0
FA Youth Cup sponsored by e.on Third Qualifying Round
At: Coles Lane
Attendance: 150 (headcount)

Saturday 21st October 2006

Exeter City 1 Stafford Rangers 2
Nationwide Conference
At: St James Park
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 3977
Weather: -


Neil Grayson scored twice including an injury-time winner as Stafford came from behind to end Exeter’s unbeaten home record.

Rangers could have twice taken the lead inside the opening seven minutes. Street forced a good diving save out of Exeter keeper Rice who also got a hand to Murphy’s close-range shot and turned the ball onto the bar.

Alcock pulled off three good saves as Exeter pressed during the first half. He held shots from Stansfield and Mackie as well as turning round Challinor’s low drive at the expense of a corner. Gibson deflected a long-range effort from Buckle away from goal while Challinor also fired across the face of goal and Mackie missed with an acrobatic near-post scissor kick. Just before the break, Daniel got in the way of Challinor’s shot.

Exeter stayed on the attack at the start of the second half and took the lead in the 55th minute. Taylor’s deep left wing corner hit defender Sutton at the far post and Stansfield forced the ball home at close range.

Madjo almost scored on 64 minutes which a fiercely struck volley that rebounded off the bar with Rice beaten. Rice who pulled of a fine save to hold a swerving long-range drive from Murphy

Stafford deservedly got back on level terms in the 71st minute. Substitute Danny Edwards, on for Gibson, crossed from the left and Grayson powered a header past Rice to score his 50th Rangers goal.

Phil Robinson was ‘sent off’ for timewasting moments before Grayson hit the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Madjo fed Street who crossed into the area for Grayson to volley home with his right foot.

Exeter City (red and white stripes/black/black): Martin Rice; Danny Woodards, Rob Edwards, Jon Richardson, Billy Jones; Andy Taylor, Matthew Gill, Paul Buckle, Jon Challinor; Adam Stansfield, Jamie Mackie. Subs: Danny Clay (for Buckle, 70), Lee Philips (for Stansfield, 75), Dean Moxey (for Taylor, 83), Paul Jones, Patrick Ada.

Stafford Rangers (blue/red/red): Alcock; Sutton, Daniel (capt), McAughtrie, Talbott; Street, Murphy, Lovatt, Gibson; Grayson, Madjo. Subs: Edwards (for Gibson, 62), Oldfield (for Murphy, 90), Quailey, Olaoye, Murray.

Referee: S. Hooper (Swindon).
Attendance: 3,977.

Tuesday 17th October 2006

Tamworth 2 Stafford Rangers 1
Staffs Senior Cup first round
At: The Lamb
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 178
Weather: -


Having reached the semi-finals or better in each of the previous four seasons, Stafford suffered an early exit this time round. The scoreline doesn’t tell the full story as it was Tamworth’s first team that defeated a Stafford team showing 11 changes from the starting line-up against Woking. And the Rangers side that played at the Lamb won plenty of praise from Phil Robinson.

Tamworth took the lead in the 42nd minute. Storer drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area. A superb 20-yard free kick from Oldfield, curled into the top right corner, brought Stafford back to level terms in the 55th minute. Edwards almost gave Rangers the lead when an angled shot across the face of the home goal rebounded off the inside of the post.

However, Tamworth scored the winner in the 63rd minute. Burton gave Brown no chance of keeping out a deflected drive that flew into the top corner. Hopkinson almost sent the tie into extra time with a late shot that Lambs’ keeper Clarke turned round at the near post.

Tamworth (red/red/red): David Clarke; Simon Weaver (capt), Tom Kemp, Ryan Laight; Bradley Thomas, Adie Smith, Kyle Storer, Gavin McAllum; Steve Burton, Jon Stevenson, Matt Williams. Subs: Graham Ward (for Williams, 15), Joe Kendrick (for Kemp, 32), Michael Tuohy (for Weaver, 55), Jon McGrath, Thomas Harban.

Stafford Rangers (black and white/black/black): Chris Brown; Alex Gibson, Ed Booth, Liam Murray (capt), Matt Skinner; Steve Hopkinson, David Oldfield, Christian Dacres, Danny Edwards; Brian Quailey, Dolapo Olaoye. Subs: Alex Gibbons, André Francis (for Edwards, 71), Jemiah Richards, Ricardo Wilks (for Dacres, 81), Lee Scott (for Quailey, 88).

Referee: Rob Merchant (Stone).
Attendance: 178.

Saturday 14th October 2006

Stafford Rangers 1 Woking 0
Nationwide Conference
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 1033
Weather: -


Stafford Rangers followed up the away victory at Gravesend with another deserved victory in front of the Marston Road faithful. Guy Madjo scored what proved to be the winner in the 8th minute. Talbott picked up the ball after it was given away by Lambu, took it forward a threaded a pass between Woking’s two central defenders. Madjo cleverly stayed onside and beat the advancing Jalal with a clever lob that dipped into an unguarded net.

Woking thought they’d equalised just before the interval when Berquez headed home but the ‘goal’ was disallowed for offside. Grayson had the ball in the Woking net but a foul by Talbott on Jalal was the reason this didn’t stand.

Alcock pulled off a fine save in injury time to tip over a dipping shot from Bunce.

Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Danny Alcock; Richard Sutton; Wayne Daniel (capt), Craig McAughtrie; Nathan Talbott; Kevin Street, Ged Murphy, Craig Lovatt, Robin Gibson; Neil Grayson, Guy Madjo. Subs: David Oldfield (for Lovatt, 67), Danny Edwards (for Madjo, 77), Brian Quaileym Dolapo Olaoye, Liam Murray.

Woking: (light blue and white stripes/white/white) Shwan Jalal; Simon Jackson, Karim El-Salahi, Tom Hutchinson, Daniel Bunce; Goma Lambu, Steve Evans, Neil Smith (capt), Giuseppe Sole; Ollie Berquez, Craig McAllister. Subs: Saheed Sankoh (for Lambu, ht), Steve Ferguson (for Smith, 63), Shola Oyedele (for Evans, 63), Matt Ruby, Aaron Howe.

Sponsors Man of the Match: Guy Madjo.

Referee: Jake Collin (Liverpool).
Attendance: 1,033.

Wednesday 11th October 2006

Stafford Rangers Youth 5 Long Eaton Youth 3
FA Youth Cup sponsored by e.on Second Qualifying Round
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 82

Gravesend & Northfleet 1 Stafford Rangers 4

Tuesday 10th October 2006
Gravesend & Northfleet 1 Stafford Rangers 4
Nationwide Conference
At: Stonebridge Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 857


Wearing new white shirts, Stafford Rangers ended their winless run with a superb win in Kent. Fleet skipper Paul McCarthy scored an own goal in the 11th minute, hit when Lance Cronin parried an initial shot from Neil Grayson.

The lead was extended five minutes after the restart when Grayson slid in to score after Cronin blocked a shot from Guy Madjo. Charlie MacDonald pulled a goal back in the 64th minute with a header before Madjo restored the two-goal lead six minutes later, drilling home a low shot.

Grayson made it four in the 88th minute, heading home after Cronin got a hand to Robin Gibson’s cross.

Gravesend & Northfleet (red/white/red): Lance Cronin; Paul McCarthy (capt), James Smith, Peter Hawkins; Mark Ricketts, Luke Moore, Rob Quinn, Danny Slatter, Sacha Opinel; Charlie MacDonald, Onome Sodje. Subs: Chris Anderson (for Ricketts, 57), George Purcell (for Hawkins, 78), Sam Mott, Danny Ekoku, Liam Coleman.

Stafford Rangers (white/ black/black): Alcock; Sutton, Daniel (capt), McAughtrie, Talbott; Street, Murphy, Lovatt, Gibson; Grayson, Madjo. Subs: Edwards, Quailey, Olaoye, Oldfield, Murray.

Tamworth 0 Stafford Rangers 0

Saturday 7th October 2006
Tamworth 0 Stafford Rangers 0
Nationwide Conference
At: The Lamb
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 1249


Stafford ended a run of four straight defeats though Tamworth keeper Sean Bowles prevented the team recording a much-needed win. Early in the second half he acrobatically pushed away a looping header from Street and near the end made a double save to deny Guy Madjo and Neil Grayson. Joe Kendrick cleared a header from a Tamworth defender off the line seconds before the final whistle.

Tamworth (red/red/white): Sean Bowles; Simon Weaver (capt), Tom Kemp, Ryan Laight; Thomas Harban, Bradley Thomas, John McGrath, Kyle Storer, Gavin McAllum; Taiwo Atieno, Jon Stevenson. Subs: Adie Smith (for Storer, 58), Joe Kendrick (for McAllum, 67), Graham Ward (for Stevenson, 90), Michael Tuohy, Mark Cooper.

Stafford Rangers: (black and white stripes/ black/black): Alcock; Sutton, Daniel (capt), McAughtrie, Talbott; Street, Murphy, Lovatt, Gibson; Grayson, Quailey. Subs: Edwards (for Gibson, 70), Madjo (for Quailey, 86), Olaoye, Oldfield, Murray.

Referee: David Richardson (Halifax).

Stafford Rangers Res 1 Burton Albion Res 1

Wednesday 4th October 2006
Stafford Rangers Reserves 1 Burton Albion Reserves 1
Central Conference
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 38


Several members of the first-team squad gained valuable match practice in this 2-2 draw with Rangers having what would have been a last-gasp winner disallowed. After a goalless first half, Burton took the lead with a 50th minute penalty from Oliver Hancock. Rangers hit back with an equaliser from Brian Quailey in the 77th minute. Substitute Wilks put Boro ahead six minutes later but Hancock scored an injury equaliser for the visitors. Dolapo Olaoye thought he’d scored the winner but the goal didn’t count as the referee blew the final whistle moments before ball entered the net.

Stafford Rangers 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 2

Tuesday 3rd October 2006
Stafford Rangers 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 2
Nationwide Conference
At: Marston Road
Attendance: 1143


Dagenham took the lead with a controversial 22nd minute penalty. Glen Southam drilled the spot kick into the bottom left-hand corner after Craig-Mackail-Smith had been brought down by Nathan Talbott.

Playing in front of the live Sky TV cameras for the first time, Rangers equalised in first-half injury time. Tony Roberts punched Danny Edwards’ cross straight to Robin Gibson on the edge of the area who chipped the ball towards goal. Roberts got his hand to the shot and Neil Grayson forced home the loose ball.

But the Daggers scored the winner in the 59th minute. Substitute Cliff Akurang raced down the left and crossed low for Paul Benson to slot home from close range.

Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Alcock; Sutton, Daniel (capt), McAughtrie, Talbott; Street, Lovatt, Murphy, Edwards; Gibson, Grayson. Subs: Madjo (for Murphy, 71), Olaoye (for Edwards, 80), Quailey (for McAughtrie, 90), Oldfield, Murray.

Dagenham & Redbridge (red/white/red): Tony Roberts; Danny Foster, Shane Blackett, Anwar Uddin (capt), Scott Griffiths; Sam Saunders, Glen Southam, Dave Rainford, Sam Sloma; Paul Benson, Craig Mackail-Smith. Subs: Cliff Akurang (for Sloma, 56), Paul Bruce (for Mackail-Smith, 82), Shaun Batt, Bai Mas Lettejallow, David Hogan.

Sponsors Man of the Match: Nathan Talbott.

Referee: K. G. Evans (Manchester).