Rocester 0 Stafford Rangers 1
Pre-Season Friendly
At: Hillsfield
Kick-off: 7-30 pm
Admission: £4; Programme: 50p (8 pages)
Attendance: 221
Weather: clody with occasional sunshine
Duration: first-half: 45:17; second-half: 48:41
A late goal from substitute Richard Haynes made sure that Stafford Rangers got the 2007/08 pre-season campaign off to a winning start. The 19-year-old striker got into the perfect position in the 88th minute to slot home at close range after Lee Scott knocked down a deep left-wing cross from Ross Draper.Pre-match thoughts: Good news – first match of the season! Bad news – fun with trying to find out the names of the new trialists. With several first-team regulars having left Stafford, there would no doubt be more trialists than usual. The journey to Rocester is fast becoming a traditional pre-season friendly. In fact this trip was the fifth consecutive season that the fixture had been played. I knew in advance that a programme would be produced for the first time for this fixture and Publicity/Internet man Barry Smith duly obliged with an eight-pager sold for 50p at the turnstile.
Stafford got the game underway attacking the mill end of Hillsfield in the first half.
Chances were scarce during the opening exchanges with Sean Patterson forcing Rocester keeper Rob Powner to turn round a low 10-yard effort at the expense of a corner. At the other end, Danny Alcock, who had a quiet first half, got down to hold a low drive from Paul Millward.
Stafford almost broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Patterson fired against the bar after getting on the end of Pav Suhaj’s knock-down and Neil Grayson sent a follow-up header wide. The veteran striker quickly went close again with another header.
Kevin Street, who felt he needed the workout to complete his recovery from last season’s injury, tried his luck from 25-yards out after getting the better of marker Neil Reilly. Powner was well positioned to hold the shot.
As the interval approached, Ritchie Sutton got forward to head over and Stuart forced a diving save out of Powner, who got down well to his right. The ball ran free but the keeper recovered before Grayson or Curran pounced.
While Rocester introduced a brand-new side for the second half and a change of kit to yellow and black stripes, Phil Robinson made just three changes at the break though the manager made substitutions at regular intervals during the second half.
Powner again thwarted Rangers in the 53rd minute with another good save. Grayson latched onto a long ball and, when his path was blocked, laid the ball back to Street who fired on target.
Stafford were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the area midway through the second period when Powner picked up a backpass. The ball was tapped to Nathan Talbott who saw a low drive cleared off the line. Draper had another effort blocked in front of goal as Rangers continued to press and eventually Haynes netted the late winner.
The lead could have been doubled in injury time. Phil Robinson, on as a late substitute for Chris Flynn, delivered a dangerous left-wing cross which Draper headed over.
First half
Rocester (amber/black/black): 1. Rob Powner, 2. Pete Johnson, 3. Carl Allen, 4. Neil Reilly, 5. Matt Jackson, 6. Mark Ruddock, 7. Liam Sowter, 8. Nick Ward, 9. David Shaw, 10. Adam McMahon, 11. Paul Millward.
Stafford Rangers (red/red/red): 17. Danny Alcock, 21. Jemiah Richards, 5, Djoumin Sangare, 4. Craig McAughtrie, 26. Ritchie Sutton, 25. Chris Flynn, 8. Kevin Street, 11. Phil Curran, 6. Sean Patterson, 24. Pav Suhaj, 9. Neil Grayson.
Second half
Rocester (yellow and black stripes / black / black): 1. Rob Powner, 2. Adam Soane, 3. Paul Harley, 4. Simon Purchase, 5. Neil Bennett, 6. Ben Henderson, 7. Rory Maxwell, 8. Martin Gadsby, 9. Mark Hodson, 10. Lee Bagley, 11. Mark Dockerty.
Stafford Rangers (red/red/red): GK. Robert Duggan, 26. Ritchie Sutton, 5, Djoumin Sangare, 4. Craig McAughtrie, 3. Nathan Talbott, 19. Damian Jarrett, 25. Chris Flynn, 8. Kevin Street, 14. Adam Brown, 24. Pav Suhaj, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 23. Ross Draper (for Sutton, 61), 16. Tom Ingram (for Street, 63), 15. Lee Scott (for Grayson, 64), 7. Richard Haynes (for Suhaj, 78), 21. Jemiah Richards (for Talbott, 84), 29. Phil Robinson (for Flynn, 87).
Referee: Colin Rishton (Stoke-on-Trent).
Assistants: David Bekalow and Mick Ibbs.
Goals:
0-1 Richard Haynes (88)
