Stafford Rangers 4 Grays Athletic 2
Nationwide Conference
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 865
Weather: -
Two goals Neil Grayson and a spectacular strike from Craig McAughtrie put Stafford on the road to a second-straight home victory and left Grays with a mountain to climb at the interval. To their credit the visitors bravely fought back in the second half and twice found the net but Guy Madjo added a fourth goal for Rangers.
After being forced to make an early change when Levi Reid suffered a groin injury, Stafford turned a bight start into a 20th minute goal. Madjo did well to prevent the ball crossing the bye-line and pulled it back for Grayson to hammer home.
Ben Harding tried his luck with a couple of shot that didn’t miss by much as Grays tried to get back into the game. And the midfielder saw another effort cleared off the line.
Rangers had cause to be concerned when Robert Duggan was felled by a horrendous challenge from Matt Bodkin who escaped with a booking. The young on-loan keeper was able to continue with a troublesome shoulder problem.
Two goals in quick succession just before the interval put Stafford in the driving seat. McAughtrie rifled a low 30-yard drive into the bottom right corner. Grayson then forced the ball home after Ashley Bayes pulled off a fine save to deny Robin Gibson.
Grays were given hope early in the second half with a well-taken Stuart Thurgood penalty, awarded for a foul by Craig Lovatt on Aaron O’Connor.
Grayson could have completed his hat-trick when he fired wide but that didn’t matter when Stafford restored their three-goal advantage just before the hour mark. Madjo capped a star performance when he cut in from the right and drilled home a low left-foot shot.
The visitors created plenty of chances and netted a further consolation goal in the 85th minute. Substitute Alex Rhodes headed home Dean Howell’s cross.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): Duggan, Sutton, Daniel (capt), McAughtrie, Talbott, R. Gibson, Lovatt, Griffith, Reid, Grayson, Madjo. Subs: Murphy (for Reid, 10) Edwards, A. Gibson, Murray, White.
Grays Athletic (yellow/blue/yellow): Bayes, Sambrook, Kemp, Stuart, Tonkin, Bodkin, Thurgood (capt), Harding, O’Connor, Oli 7. Subs: Barness (for Kemp, 65), Rhodes (for Bodkin, 65), Joseph-Dubois (for O’Connor, 79), Knowles, Nicholls.
Sponsors’ Man of the Match: Guy Madjo.
Referee: Andy Hendley (Halesowen).
Attendance: 865 (inc 56 away fans).
