Tuesday 14th March 2006
Stafford Rangers 1 Hednesford Town 1
Nationwide North
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 1519
Weather: -
Stafford Rangers took the lead six minutes before the break through Smith but were denied victory with an equaliser scored deep in second-half injury time by McSweeney.
Rangers dominated the first half. Grayson saw an early hit the outside of the left-hand post. Street and Reid both fired wide from well outside the area. Eventually on 39 minutes, Williams sent a free-kick forward into the area where unchallenged Smith took advantage of hesitation between Barrow and Adams to fire past the advancing Hateley. Just before the interval, Hadland, already booked, was fortunate to stay on the field after felling Gibson.
Hednesford finally had their first attempt on target after 72 minutes. Dann headed a free-kick straight at Williams. Substitute Thomson tested Hateley on 86 minutes – the visiting keeper held a well-struck shot at the second attempt. Williams did remarkably well to leap to his left two minutes later to turn round a curling free-kick from ex-Rangers defender Barrow. Deep into injury time, McSweeney on the right inside the area fired home via the underside of the bar.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Dean Williams, Paul Groves, Nathan Talbott, Craig McAughtrie, Wayne Daniel (capt), Craig Lovatt, Levi Reid, Kevin Street, Neil Grayson, Nathan Smith, Robin Gibson. Subs: Liam Murray, Matt Clarke, Dave Walker, Lee Downes, Peter Thomson (for Smith, 77).
Hednesford Town (green/green/green): Gary Hateley, Ross Adams, Tom Marshall, Scott Hadland, Scott Dann, Lee Barrow (capt), Sean Platt, Nathan Lamey, Jai Stanley, Leon McSweeney, Colin Hunter. Subs: Mark Briggs, Ross Dyer (for Hunter, 77), Anthony Maguire, Grant Beckett (for Hadland, 84), Alex Molloy.
Goals: Smith (39), McSweeney (90+2).
Sponsor’s man of the match: Craig McAughtrie.
Referee: A. P. Morbin (Sheffield).
Attendance: 1,519.
