Saturday 19th March 2005
Kettering Town 0 Stafford Rangers 1
Nationwide North
At: Rockingham Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Programme: ???
Attendance: 945
Weather: warm, overcast
Duration: first-half: 48:19; second-half: 55:34
Emergency goalkeeper Craig McAughtrie emerged the hero as Stafford Rangers kept in contention for an end-of-season play-off place with a 1-0 victory at third-place Kettering Town.
Ahead through Neil Grayson goal, scored midway through the first half, Stafford suffered a blow on 76 minutes when ’keeper Will Smith was stretchered off after colliding with opposing striker Darren Lynch and Stafford skipper Wayne Daniel. McAughtrie took over in goal and pulled off an outstanding injury time save to keep out a header from Kettering’s ’keeper Mark Osborn who went up for a corner.
Stafford got the game underway attacking up the slope in the first half and defending the Rockingham Road end – right to left in relation to my seat in the main stand press box.
Kettering had the first effort on target when Mark Danks, who played for Stafford earlier in the season, fired a weak shot straight at Will Smith.
Stafford who dominated the first half at Rockingham Road almost scored an early goal in the 11 minute. After receiving a pass from Robin Gibson, Grayson, back in the side after serving a three-match ban, fired low toward the bottom-right corner, only to see Osborn pull off a fine diving save.
Osborn wasn’t so fortunate midway through the first half as his mistake lead to Stafford scoring the winner. Attempting to gather a miss-hit shot from Chris Smith, he fumbled under pressure from Grayson who slotted the loose ball into an empty net.
Grayson headed a far post cross from Danny Edwards over the bar before Stafford survived a scare. Jamie Gould’s volley beat Will Smith but rebounded off the right-hand post.
Kettering struggled to get back into the game in the second half despite using all-three substitutes. Danks fired over from a good position moments before being replaced by the highly-rated Chris Difante.
Stafford looked likely to extend their lead; Chris Smith headed wide from a corner and Robin Gibson also fired straight at Osborn.
Then, dramatically, in the 77th minute, Will Smith was stretchered off after several minutes of treatment and McAughtrie took over in goal as there was no suitable replacement on the bench.
Kettering’s spirits were noticeably lifted, and both Chris Difante (effort blocked by Alan Dodd) and Ollie Burgess (drove over) went close.
But Gary Fife should have killed off the game in the 90th minute. Put clear by Robin Gibson, the youngster came off second best in a one-on-one with Osborn who rushed off his line to save the resulting shot with his legs. Deep into nearly 11 minutes of injury time, McAughtrie pulled off a great save to keep out Osborn’s header from Jamie Paterson’s right-wing corner.
Kettering’s Craig McIlwain was named Man of the Match. Stafford manager Phil Robinson was ordered from the dugout deep into stoppage time for comments towards an assistant referee who failed to notice the home side taking a free-kick from completely the wrong position.
Phil Robinson, commenting after the game, was delighted with the win, which lifts Stafford to seventh. He said: “I thought it was an excellent performance, thoroughly hard-working. It just shows the spirit at the moment when Will Smith went off injured and we had to put Craig McAughtrie in goal. Everyone rallied round and hung on to a great result”.
Kettering Town (???): 1. Mark Osborn, 2. Martin Matthews, 3. Stephan Morley, 4. Jonathan Brewer, 5. Luke Graham, 6. Craig McIlwain, 7. Ollie Burgess, 8. Jamie Gould, 9. Darren Lynch, 10. Mark Danks, 11. Jamie Paterson (capt). Subs: 12. Derek Brown (not used), 14. Scott McCafferty (not used), 15. Brett Solkon (for Brewer, ht), 16. Chris Difante (for Danks, 57), 17. Scott Cross (for Gould, 71).
Stafford Rangers (???): 1. Will Smith, 2. Craig McAughtrie, 3. Alan Dodd, 4. Chris Smith, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 6. Craig Lovatt, 7. Nathan Talbott, 8. Danny Edwards, 9. Neil Grayson, 10. Gary Fife, 11. Robin Gibson. Subs: 12. Richard Beale (not used), 14. Robert Heath (not used), 15. Lee Downes (for Will Smith, 81), 16. Alex Gibson (not used), 17. Phil Robinson (not used).
Referee: E. Mitchell.
Assistants: A. Green and M. Bingham.
Goals:
0-1 Neil Grayson (22)
Cards: none
