Stafford Rangers 1 Derby County 1
Pre-season friendly
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 749
Weather: warm and sunny
An injury-time equaliser from substitute Nick Linford earned Stafford Rangers a creditable draw aganst Derby County in the Marston Road sunshine.
With a side containing a mix of first-team and younger players, Derby almost took a very early lead. Paris Simmons curled a right-foot shot around the diving Stafford keeper Danny Alcock and was unlucky to see the ball rebound off the right-hand post.
However, the visitors didn't have to wait long before they took the lead. A deep cross from skipper Matty Oakley was knocked back by Steve Howard and Simmons forced the ball home at close range.
Derby, the first Premiership side to visit Marston Road, continued to play a neat passing game and a well-struck drive from Oakley was held by the diving Alcock at the second attempt.
Stafford found their opportunities limited in attack and defender Richard Sutton got forward to fire wide from outside the area.
There was further danger for the Rangers in the 28th minute. David Jones fed the overlapping Richard Jackson who shot across the face of goal and wide of the far right-hand post.
As the interval approached, Howard worked a shooting chance on the edge of the are and forced another good diving save out of Alcock.
Oakley had one further chance to double his side's lead just before half-time when he sent a well-struck drive just wide.
Stafford made a lively start to the second half and within a minute of the restart Wood pulled the ball back to Ingram drove just wide. But the visitors should have extended their lead when unmarked Craig Fagan headed a deep cross over the bar.
Just before the hour mark, Stafford were awarded a free-kick just outside the Derby area but the resulting shot from Grayson was charged down. McAughtrie stayed up with the attack and headed Wood's deep cross over.
Substitutions started to be made at regular intervals and Derby sub Anthony Robertson set up teammate David Jones who rifled a shot arrowly wide of the target.
Robert Duggan, on for Danny Alcock, was called into action to keep out a close-range effort from Fagan.
Derby searched for a second goal in the closing stages. Roberston drilled to the edge of the Stafford area and saw a goalbound shot deflect off a defender at the expense of a corner. Alex Forde's right-wing cross hit Sutton but, fortunately for Rangers, the ball cannoned into the chest of Duggan.
Fagan should have wrapped up the victory at the start of injury time. He ran down the middle past two defenders but shot wide.
Rangers got their equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time whern Linford hit a low 25-yard drive into the bottom-left corner past the diving Ross Atkins.
Teams
Stafford Rangers (red/red/red): 17. Alcock; 21. Richards, 4. McAughtrie, 5. Sangare, 26 Sutton; 16. Brown, 15. Flynn, 8, Street, 20. Wood; 24 Suhaj, 25. Olaoye. Subs: 32. Duggan (for Alcock, 76), 9. Grayson (for Olaoye, ht), 19. Linford (for Flynn, 80), 10. Ingram (for Brown, ht), 2. Jarrett (for Wood, 62), 14. Adaggio (for Suhaj, ht), 11. Hopkinson (for Sangare, 87), Robinson (for Street, 70)
Derby County (white/black/white): Hinchliffe, Mears, Jackson, Simmons, Moore, Nyatanga, Jones, Oakley, Howard, Fagan, Holmes. Subs: Hanson (for Nyatange, ht), Atkins (for Hinchliffe, 70), Ricahrds (for Holmes, ht), Dudley (for Hanson, 67), Robertson (for Howard, 62), Loesch (for Oakley, 62), Forde (for Mears, 62), Ojaama (for Moore, 70)
Referee: Chris Sarginson (Rugeley)
Attendance: 749 (inc 158 away fans)
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
