Rocester 3 Stafford Rangers 7

Saturday 3rd August 2002
Rocester 3 Stafford Rangers 7
Attendance: 205


Rangers continued their high scoring pre-season programme with a seven-goal haul at Rocester. Six of them came during an impressive first half display of attacking football before the home side made it more of a contest after the break.

They got off to a great start with two goals in the first eleven minutes. Daniel Davidson was the first on target after seven minutes when he fired home after good work by Barrow, Heath and Bott. Then Berks beat Wood from 20 yards with the aid of a deflection off defender Paul Ede. It was all a bit one sided and when player-boss Phil Robinson fired home the third from the edge of the area on 24 minutes, the question on every ones lips was just how many would Rangers win by.

However, a lapse in concentration on 28 minutes allowed Rob Wade to find Dominic Heath then continue his run towards goal and hammer home the resulting pass from the Rangers old boy at close range. The disappointment of conceding a first goal in 280 minutes of football soon turned to joy and Bott was on hand to force home a loose all after Wood stopped a shot from Robinson on the line. That was after 35 minutes and three minutes later Davidson latched onto a long ball from Shaw and flicked the ball past Wood for the fifth. Right on the stroke of half-time Rob Heath set-up Berks to hammer it home.

Rocester, who persisted with an almost unchanged side throughout the match, pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Steve Oldacre beat Price from 30 yards on the hour mark to lift the home side.

Robinson and assistant Barry Powell made further changes including the return of Paul Szewczyk from injury but plucky Rocester kept on causing problems and deservedly netted a third on 75 minutes. Oldacre ran down the left and played the ball low for Wade to beat Price at close range. There could have been a fourth Rocester goal soon after but Darren Wright, now in goal in place of Price, made an outstanding point-blank save to keep of a header from Russ Morris.

In the second minute of injury time, Craig Lovatt ran towards the edge of the area before playing the ball into the path of Chris Rowell who fired home from inside the area.

Rocester: Wood, P. Ede (capt), Colclough, Knight, M. Ede, Seward, Brown, Leadbeater, Oldacre, Wade, D. Heath. Subs: Owen, Morris (for D. Heath, 45), James McCarron, Ridley (for Rowntree, 64), Rowntree (for Brown, 45), Froggatt

Stafford Rangers: Price, A. Gibson, Shaw, Barrow, McAughtrie, Robinson, Berks, R. Heath, Bott, Davidson, R. Gibson. Subs: Lovatt (for Robinson, 55), Wilkes (for R. Heath, 55), Rowell (for Bott, 71), Daniel (for Barrow, 63), Howard (for McAughtrie, 63), Singh (for R. Gibson, 74), Szewczyk (for Davidson, 71), Lowry (for Berks), Wright (75 mins for Price)

Referee: Mr R. Place (Burntwood)

Llanrhaeadr 3 Presteigne St Andrews 0

Monday 6th May 2002
Llanrhaeadr 3 Presteigne St Andrews 0
Spar Mid Wales League
At: Recreation Field, Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Kick-off: 2-30 pm
Admission: £2 including 16 page programme
Attendance: 75 (headcount)
Weather: cloudy
Duration: first-half: 46:51; second-half: 46:37


Llanhaeadr wasted no time in taking a sixth-minute lead through Paul Jones who chipped the goalkeeper from the left corner of the net.

The visitors were denied an equaliser in the 39th minute by a fine save by Paul Edwards. Trevor Clarke hit a seemingly goalbound angled drive which the Llanrhaeadr goalkeeper palmed away from the top-right corner of the net.

After surviving a scare soon after nine minutes after restart when Danny Stephens drove over the bar, Llanrhaeadr doubled their lead on the hour. Darren Martin’s right-wing cross was only parried by Presteigne’s goalkeeper Mark Ammonds and Aaron Poole, following up slotted the ball into an empty net from 15 yards out.

Wil Jones wrapped up the scoring in the 85th minute to complete a 3-0 win for his side. He fired home at close range after a corner wasn't cleared.

I watched the game in the company of Neil Morris and Mike Greaves.

Llanrhaeadr (orange/black/black): 1. Paul Edwards, 2. Darren Martin, 3. Robert Fox, 4. Emyr Roberts, 5. Mel Roberts, 6. Keith Davies, 7. Peter Jones, 8. Aaron Poole, 9. Wil Jones (capt), 10. Phil Morgan, 11. Paul Jones. Subs: 12. Adam Burgess (for Fix, 56), 14. Gwyn Williams (for Paul Jones, 71), 15. Barry Morris (for Davies, 64).

Presteigne St Andrews (blue/blue/blue): 1. Mark Ammonds, 2. Jonathon Priday, 3. Duncan Morgan, 4. Daniel Bickers, 5. Dave Beaumont, 6. Jerry Preece, 7. Trevor Clarke, 8. Kevin Jones, 9. Graham Hughes, 10. Danny Stephens, 11. Johnny Williams. Subs: none named.

Referee: David Jones (Berriew).

Goals:
1-0 Paul Jones (6)
2-0 Aaron Poole (61)
3-0 Wil Jones (85)

Cards:
Llanrhaeadr: none
Presteigne St Andrews: Duncan Morgan (YC, 78)

Heath Hayes 2 Westfields 2

Saturday 4th May 2002
Heath Hayes 2 Westfields 2
Express & Star League Premier Division
At: Coppice Colliery Ground
Kick-off: 12:45 pm
Admission: £2; Programme: none
Attendance: 25 (headcount)
Weather: sunny spells
Duration: first half: 47:04; second half 48:18


The 2002 FA Cup Final took place, unusually, on the first Saturday of May before the last programme of Premier League games. As Stafford finished their 2001/02 fixtures last Saturday at Moor Green, I took advantage of a free Saturday to visit a previously unvisited ground not too far from home.

Following a goalless first half, Westfields looked to have opened up a match-winning advantage with two quick goals just after the hour mark. Matt Phillips got down the left in the 64th minute all the way to the bye-line. He pulled the ball back to Matt Beale who fired home a rising shot into the top right corner. The lead was doubled two minutes later through Paul Burton with a low short from 15 yards into the bottom right corner of the net.

Heath Hayes replied within a minute when David Egan got to the bye-line and found Andrew Tuck. His initial shot hit defender Phillips but Tuck got a second bite and sent the ball into the bottom left corner from six yards out.

In a glut of quick goals, partly was restored in the 71st minute to earn the home side a point, It was Justin Blakemore’s turn to pull the ball back from the bye-line. Westfields’ goalkeeper could only parry the cross and David Egan ran in to slot home from barely 3 yards out.

Egan could have scored the winner but Pugh got down to save.

Heath Hayes (blue and white stripes / blue / blue): 1. Chris Ward, 2. Elliott Blake, 3. David Brierley, 4. Andrew Jones, 5. John Crutchley, 6. Brendan Bird, 7. Andrew Tuck, 8. Stuart Turnbull, 9. Warren Instep, 10. David Egan, 11. Justin Blakemore. Subs: 12. Matthew Barker (for Instep, 78), 14. Richard Burrows (for Bird, 49), 15. Paul Kent (not used).

Westfields (sky and claret stripes / sky blue / sky blue): 1. John Pugh, 2. Robbie Weaver, 3. Matt Phillips (capt), 4. Kevin Jinks, 5. Darren Lynch, 6. Wayne Hoskins, 7. Derek Craddock, 8. Mark Hibbard, 9. Paul Burton, 10. Matt Beale, 11. Chris Jefferson. Subs: 12. Rob Cooper-Tomkins (not used), 14. Richard Legdon (for Craddock, 52), 15. John Williams (not used).

Referee: Mr Sharratt (Burton on Trent).

Goals:
0-1 Matt Beale (64)
0-2 Paul Burton (66)
1-2 Andrew Tuck (67)
2-2 David Egan (71)

Cards:
Heath Hayes: none
Westfields: Paul Burton (YC, 90)

Stafford Rangers 4 Rocester 1

Tuesday 15th January 2002
Stafford Rangers 4 Rocester 1
Staffordshire Senior Cup Third Round
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Programme: 20p (4 pages)
Attendance: 326
Weather: -
Duration: first half: 47:28; second half: 46:55


After all the rain and snow which had caused the postponement of several recent games, it was good to see some football for the first time in 2002. Saturday’s originally scheduled fixture at Tamworth didn’t take place they were still involved in the FA Trophy

Robert Heath made his debut and Stafford got the game underway attacking the Social Club end in the first half.

The visitors took a shock lead in the 6th minute when Richard Batho crossed from the left and Craig Walklet beat Ward with a glancing header. Rangers soon got going but found it difficult again a side defending in numbers content to hold their lead. Tony Eccleston saw a header headed off the line and soon after the hardworking Daryl Wilkes fired straight at visiting keeper Jon Edensor from outside the area. The equaliser came just past the half hour mark when Heaney handled on the edge of the area and Darren Simkin drove the resulting free-kick through the wall into the bottom right corner of the net. Chris Brindley had a header well held by Edensor then in the 35th minute Paul Kiely latched onto a forward pass by Eccleston and flicked the ball past the keeper.

Stafford’s lead was further extended in the 41st minute. Paul Kiely was on target again firing home with his right foot from the edge of the area. Three minutes later Robert Heath should have marked his debut with a goal but his close range shot hit Edensor and went over the bar for a corner.

Andy Bostock picked up a booking in the 46th minute for a foul.

Stafford’s fourth goal came in the 59th minute when the ball was threaded through a crowded area and Paul Kiely stabbed the ball home at close range to complete a hat-trick. Rocester thought he was offside but the flag stayed down.

The ball ended up in the back of the Rocester net again in stoppage time at the end. Wilkes put Kiely clear who decided to pass to O’Connor who slotted home only to be flagged offside.

Stafford’s Daryl Wilkes was named Man of the Match and Rangers now face a semi final tie against either Pelsall Villa, Tamworth, Stafford Town, Newcastle Town, Hednesford Town and Rushall Olympic.

Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Karl Ward, 2. Leigh Everritt, 3. Ian Reed, 4. Paul Harris, 5. Chris Brindley, 6. Darren Simkin (capt), 7. Robert Heath, 8. Craig Lovatt, 9. Tony Eccleston, 10. Paul Kiely, 11. Daryl Wilkes. Subs: 12. Joe O'Connor (for Eccleston, 74), 14. Darren Boughey (for Lovatt, 79), 15. Andrew Brookes (for Everritt, 74), 16. Stuart Ryder (not used).

Rocester (blue/blue/blue): 1. Jon Edensor, 2. Paul Ede, 3. Andy Bostock, 4. Mick Ede, 5. Craig Heaney, 6. Nick Anthony, 7. Harvey Bussell, 8. Rob Myatt, 9. Craig Walklet, 10. Richard Batho, 11. Richard Owen. Subs: 12. Ben Skelton (for Heaney, 68), 14. William Brant (for Bussell, 59), 15. Alex Hook (not sued), 16. Richard Swain (for Batho, 65)

Referee: C. D. Sarginson (Rugeley).
Assistants: L. Jordan and R. West.

Goals:
0-1 Craig Walklet (6)
1-1 Darren Simkin (32)
2-1 Paul Kiely (36)
3-1 Paul Kiely (41)
4-1 Paul Kiely (59)