Stafford Rangers 1 Kettering Town 3
Nationwide North
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 745
Weather: -
Both sides finished with ten men after controversy reigned in Tuesday’s game at Marston Road. Under the new lights, Kettering took the lead on 42 minutes. A rising shot from Andy Hall bounced down onto the line from the underside of the bar and the assistant referee indicated goal.
Stafford levelled on 50 minutes when Robin Gibson headed home a cross from Peter Thomson but Kettering regained the lead on the hour. Nathan Koo-Boothe rose to send a looping header past Dean Williams from Hall’s deep free-kick.
Gibson (79 minutes) and Hall (82 minutes) were both dismissed with a second yellow card before the game’s biggest talking point occurred on 86 minutes. Craig McAughtrie saw a shot cleared off the line (or was it from behind the line?) and Kettering quickly broke upfield. Ryan Zico-Black beat Williams with a low shot from 15 yards.
New signing Paul McMahon from Hednesford Town made his debut as a second-half substitute.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Williams, Groves, Talbott, McAughtrie, Daniel (capt), Lovatt, Murray, Street, Thomson, Smith, R. Gibson. Subs: Edwards, Reid (for Murray, 63), McMahon (for Thomson, 81), Downes, A. Gibson.
Kettering Town (red/red/red): Mark Osborn, Wayne Diuk, Liam Nicell, David Theobald, Craig McIlwain (capt), Nathan Koo-Boothe, Ollie Burgess, Brett Solkhon, Anthony Elding, Ryan Zico-Black, Andy Hall. Subs: Junior McDougald, Patrick Peter, Moses Olaleye (for Burgess, 54), Staffan Morley, Nick Bussey.
Goals: Hall (42), Gibson (50), Koo-Boothe (60), Zico-Black (87).
Sponsors’ Man of the Match: Kevin Street.
Referee: S. J. Cook (Belper).
Attendance: 745.
