Stafford Rangers 1 Morecambe 3
Nationwide Conference
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 957
Weather: sunny spells
Duration: first half: 47:16; second half: 48:26
Just over 12 months ago, Stafford produced a shock result to send Morecambe tumbling out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy with a single goal victory at Marston Road.
This time round the two teams met in a league game at Marston Road having not done so since April 1985. And today both sides needed a win for different reasons - Morecambe to continue their push for a play-off place and Stafford to keep some daylight between themselves and relegation zone.
Phil Robinson recalled Neil Grayson to the Stafford startling line-up and gave a debut to 20-year-old midfielder Anthony Griffith signed on loan from Doncaster Rovers. The Morecambe starting line-up included two debutants in midfielders Neil Sorvel and Jerome Watt.
Morecambe got the game underway attacking the Social Club end in the first half and they took the lead in the 10th minute when Twiss scored direct from an inswinging corner. Adam Yates doubled the lead in the 32nd minute after he got forward from full back and slotted past Alcock. Guy Madjo fired at Shrimps’ keeper Steven Drench and Grayson sent another shot wide before Morecambe added their third in the 40th minute. Garry Thompson got clear and shot across goal into the bottom right corner.
Grayson worked hard to set up Madjo who sent the ball into the top-left corner from the edge of the area to reduce the deficit in the 54th minute. Morecambe almost restored their three-goal lead on the hour mark. Michael Twiss fed Thompson down the right who saw a near post shot blocked by Danny Alcock at the expense of a corner. Stafford did a lot of the attacking in the second half but it wasn’t enough stop Morecambe moving into fifth position and themselves dropping to 18th.
With such a small part-time squad hit by several injuries, Stafford received a further blow when Olaoye was stretchered off and taken to hospital for a precautionary x-ray on an injured left ankle. In the latter stages of the game Drench did well to deal with a dangerous near-post corner from Danny Edwards and Grayson got in a header from a cross by Anthony Griffith in his debut.
Guy Madjo was named Sponsors' Man of the Match and I selected Morecambe's Michael Twiss as the Non-League Paper Man of the Match.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes with black sleeves / black / black): 17. Danny Alcock, 26. Richie Sutton, 4. Craig McAughtrie, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 3. Nathan Talbott, 6. Craig Lovatt, 28. David Oldfield, 25. Anthony Griffith, 9. Neil Grayson, 18. Dolapo Olaoye, 12. Guy Madjo. Subs: 1. Dean Williams (gk not used), 11. Robin Gibson (for Oldfield, 51), 15. Danny Edwards (for Olaoye, 68), 20. Alex Gibson (not used), 24. Steve Hopkinson (not used).
Morecambe (red/white/white): 1. Steven Drench, 2. Adam Yates, 17. Chris Blackburn, 5. Jim Bentley (capt), 4. Michael Howard, 19. Jerome Watt, 6. Craig Stanley, 32. Neil Sorvel, 8. Garry Hunter, 7. Michael Twiss, 11. Garry Thompson. Subs: 9. Wayne Curtis (not used), 12. Ged Brannan (for Watt, 70), 24. Fraser McLachlan (not used), 30. Scott Davies (gk not used). 31. Jason Walker (for Thompson, 85).
Referee: Guy Stretton (Leicestershire).
Goals:
0-1 Michael Twiss (10)
0-2 Adam Yates (32)
0-3 Garry Thompson (40)
1-3 Guy Madjo (54)
