Stafford Rangers 0 York City 2 (aet)
Setanta Shield Fourth Round
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 515 (72 away fans)
Weather: wet, dull
Stafford Rangers produced a hardworking and battling performance against York City in the Setanta Shield Fourth Round. But after neither side could break the deadlock in normal time, the visitors scored twice in extra time through Richard Brodie (99) and Onome Sodje (120). York face a home tie with either Barrow or Northwich in the next round.
There was just one change to the Stafford starting line-up with Jemiah Richards coming for Djimi Sangare who picked an ankle injury in training.
Stafford got the game underway in heavy rain attacking the Town End. Floodlights were on from the start to cut through the gloom.
York won an early corner, delivered from the right by Ben Purkiss which the leaping Danny Alcock caught cleanly.
The visitors had the first attempt on goal when Emmanuel Panther hit a low shot from the edge of the area which missed the target at the near post.
Defender Darren Kelly was forced to concede a corner by David McNiven, from which Wayne Daniel got his head to but couldn't direct on target.
On the quarter hour, Luke Potter, on the left, found Neil Grayson inside the area who hammered a left-foot shot just wide.
Chances started to come more frequently. Onome Sodje pulled the ball back for Martyn Woolford to fire over from 20 yards out.
Richie Sutton delivered a deep cross from the right to the far post where Chris Flynn did well to get on a header which flew wide.
Midway through the half, Craig Farrell stayed onside and got into the Boro area. His initial shot was blocked by Sutton and Daniel got in the way of a follow-up effort from Woolford. In the next attack, Farrell shot straight at Alcock.
York continued to enjoy a good spell of pressure and a deflected 25-yard shot from Woolford ended up in Alcock's arms.
Sodje got clear only for Daniel to get back and initially halt the progress of the York forward. Sodje managed to get in a near-post shot which Alcock turned round.
Stafford started to press forward and around the half-hour mark, Samy Mawene hit a long-range shot which Tom Evans failed to hold and the ball was hurriedly cleared. From the resulting corner, Jemiah Richards saw a header cleared off the line.
Stuart Elliott tried his luck from well outside the area, sending his well-struck shot high over the bar. Sodje set up Farrell who fired straight at the well-positioned Alcock.
Rangers were awarded a free-kick some 35 yards out which Mawene drove narrowly wide through a crowded area.
In the 39th minute, Mawene took the ball forward down the middle, fed Grayson who crossed into the area where McNiven fired over.
Less than a minute after the restart, Alcock pulled off an outstanding save to push away a rising shot from Panther than appeared destined for the top-left corner.
Alcock excelled again three minutes later, this time to turn round a rising drive hit by Woolford from just outside the area. Panther's shot, also from outside the area, hit Farrell and looped away to safety.
Stafford got forward and almost took the lead in the 53rd minute. Street sliced open the York defence with a one-two with McNiven, only to see his close-rang shot kept out by the legs of Evans.
Ross Draper got in another shot which took a deflection and went out for another corner. Daniel got in a header which was played back to corner taker Mawene who sent a low shot narrowly wide of the near post.
Good vocal support gave the boys plenty of encouragement. Potter was next to go for goal. He cut in from the left and sent a curling right-foot shot dipping just over the bar. As the action hotted up, Daniel produced a fine tackle to prevent Sodje from getting in a shot. On the hour, Daniel blocked Woolford's 25-yard shot.
Stafford again went close to breaking the deadlock. Mawene's long ball from the Rangers half bounced just outside the York area where Grayson lifted it over Evans who had raced off his line. But Evans had made the chance difficult and the ball drifted wide.
In what was a good Rangers spell, Potter found Grayson who laid the ball into the path of Street. He got in a shot on target but straight at Evans.
Substitute Richard Brodie forced a save out of Alcock and also sent a header wide. Sodje fired well wide of the target.
In the 84th minute, Evans failed to hold a hanging cross from Mawene and McNiven hooked the loose ball over the bar. But the referee may well have awarded a free-kick for a push on Evans.
With the game heading for extra time, Purkiss got in a near-post header across the face of goal which Flynn blocked on the line. Alcock tipped over another shot from Sodje.
Just as they did a couple of hours earlier, Stafford kicked off attacking the Town End. The was early danger for Rangers. Brodie broke down the right and crossed low towards the far post where Sodje was lurking. But Sutton cut out the cross at the expense of a corner. York took the lead in the 99th minute. Brodie fired past Alcock from 15 yards out. Sodje almost doubled the lead three minutes later. He cut in from the right and got in a low shot which Alcock kept out with his legs at the near post.
In the second period, Grayson had a couple of half chances to level things up. Alcock pulled off another good save to beat away Brodie's shot. Mawene went for goal from near the right corner of the area and sent his shot fizzing across the face of the York goal. With Stafford throwing men forward, Sodje got clear on the break and hammered a shot past Alcock to scored York's clinching second goal.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): 1. Danny Alcock; 2. Richie Sutton, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 21. Jemiah Richards, 32. Luke Potter; 8. Kevin Street, 22. Samy Mawene, 17. Ross Draper, 7. Chris Flynn; 10. David McNiven, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 19. Sebastian Arnolin (for Draper, 77), 30. Seb Hamilton (for McNiven, 95), 24. Steve Hopkinson (for Street, 119), 16. Tom Ingram, 33. Danny Allen (gk).
York City (yellow/blue/yellow): 1. Tom Evans; 6. Daniel Parslow, 25. Darren Kelly, 2. Darren Craddock; 23. Ben Purkiss, 8. Emmanuel Panther (capt), 11. Martyn Woolford, 4. Stuart Elliott, 24. Anthony Lloyd; 10. Craig Farrell, 7. Onome Sodje. Subs: 16. Richard Brodie (for Farrell, 61), 22. Nicky Wroe (for Woolford, 70). 13. Josh Mimms, 12. Chris Beardsley, 28. Andy McWilliams.
Referee: P. E. Curry (Northumberland)
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
