Tuesday 12th September 2006
Stafford Rangers 1 Burton Albion 1
Nationwide Conference
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Attendance: 1554
Weather: -
Neil Grayson scored an 89th minute penalty as Stafford Rangers gained a point from the Staffordshire derby and bounced back from the defeat at Stevenage.
Injuries and the start of Ged Murphy’s three-match ban forced Phil Robinson to change the starting line-up. Brian Quailey and Christian Dacres were given full debuts and Liam Murray returned to the centre of defence. Assistant Manager David Oldfield also made his debut as a second-half substitute.
Dean Williams was the first keeper to be called into action when dived at full length to his right to turn round a low 25-yard shot from Andy Ducros.
The visitors, however, took the lead in the 11th minute. Aaron Webster got on the end of a Ducros corner and powered a header home unchallenged at close range. Webster met Burton’s next corner but this time his header flew across the face of goal and wide of the left-hand post.
Burton had another chance when Murray was deceived by a bouncing ball inside his own area. Jon Shaw hooked a shot towards goal, which took a deflection off a Boro defender.
Quailey became the second player to be booked in the 28th minute for what appeared to be nothing more than a collision with Kevin Poole. However, the veteran keeper sustained a badly cut mouth but was able to continue after five minutes of treatment.
There was further danger for Stafford when Andy Corbett drilled in low cross into the six-yard box from the right. Daryl Clare, in front of goal, got on the end but failed to make clear contact with the ball.
As the interval approached, Burton almost added a second goal from another accurate Ducros corner. Gary Rowett headed towards goal and Williams pulled off a fine block on the line. Craig McAughtrie, named Man of the Match by the sponsors, cleared the loose ball much to the relief of the Stafford defence.
Robinson replaced Dacres with Craig Lovatt at half time and straight from the restart a long-range shot from Downes curled wide.
As the game entered the final quarter, unmarked Clare wasted a glorious chance when in plenty of space inside the area. Picked out by Shaw, the striker headed well wide.
Stafford gradually built up some momentum during the second half and there was panic in the Burton defence in the 75th minute. Robin Gibson’s deep cross was cleared off the toe of Grayson and the corner caused panic. Both McAughtrie and Gibson had shots cleared off the line and Quailey eventually fired the loose ball wide.
With time running out, Quailey went down under a challenge from Rowett inside the area and Grayson hammered home the resulting penalty.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Dean Williams; Craig McAughtrie, Wayne Daniel (capt), Liam Murray, Nathan Talbott; Kevin Street, Lee Downes, Christian Dacres, Neil Grayson; Robin Gibson, Brian Quailey. Subs: Craig Lovatt (for Dacres, ht), Dolapo Olaoye (for Talbott, 50), David Oldfield (for Downes, 83), Danny Edwards, Danny Alcock.
Burton Albion (yellow/grey/grey): Kevin Poole; Gary Rowett, Darren Tinson, Ryan Austin, Aaron Webster; Andy Corbett, Danny Holmes, Darren Stride (capt), Andy Ducros; Daryl Clare, Jon Shaw. Subs: Chris Hall (for Ducros, 64), Lee Fowler, Shaun Harrad, John Brayford, Steve Scoffham.
Sponsors Man of the Match: Craig McAughtrie.
Referee: P. Varley (West Yorkshire).
Attendance: 1554.
