Halifax Town 0 Stafford Rangers 0
Blue Square Premier at Shay Stadium
Attendance: 1103
With new manager Steve Bull MBE giving instructions from the technical area, Stafford Rangers gained a hard-fought point from a goalless draw at Shay Stadium.
Dolapo Oloaye’s injury meant there was one enforced change to the starting line-up with Marco Adaggio partnering Neil Grayson up front. Ross Draper returned from suspension with a place on the bench though he replaced Steve Hopkinson in the 26th minute.
Halifax got the game under way on a playing surface used the previous evening for Rugby League. The home side attacked the away end at Shay Stadium and, after just 16 seconds, Danny Alcock got down to his right to hold a low long-range shot from Simon Heslop.
Seb Arnolin also tried his luck inside the first minute from well outside the area and fired wide of the left-hand post.
Steve Bull, who began the game seated at the back of the dugout, was quickly on his feet in the technical area and remained there until the final whistle.
Halifax did most of the early attacking and Heslop drive straight at Alcock from 25-yards out. Tom Kearney and Jon Shaw combined to set up Craig Nelthorpe who shot over from no more than 10 yards out.
On the quarter hour, Jon Shaw set up Craig Nelthorpe who fired over from 10 yards out. Alcock was certainly kept on his toes and produced a good save in the 20th minute. Nathan Joynes fed Jon Shaw who saw a rising drive from 15 yards tipped over by the Rangers keeper at the expense of a corner.
Kearney was next to test Alcock. The busy keeper got down to his left to hold a low 25-yards drive. Joynes also headed wide as the home side continued to press for a goal.
Rangers were forced to make a change in the 26th minute when Ross Draper came on for the injured Steve Hopkinson. Arnolin switched to left and the Frenchman was given instructions by his new manager. Marco Adaggio also limped off and was replaced in the 41st minute by Courtney Shaw.
Halifax made a change for the start of the second half with Andy Campbell replacing Joynes.
Chris Flynn chipped the ball forward into the Halifax area. Damion Jarrett, tightly marked by Adam Quinn got on the end but his shot lacked direction.
Halifax appealed for a penalty when Jon Shaw went down inside the area but, fortunately for Rangers, referee Webb allowed play to continue.
In the next attack, Quinn bravely got his head to Nelthorpe’s cross and sent the ball narrowly wide.
The home side made a second change on the hour with Lewis Kileen replacing former Stafford loanee Anthony Griffith.
Ross Draper was booked in the 62nd minute for a foul on Tom Kearney.
Halifax went even closer to taking the lead in the 63rd minute. Shaw took the ball forward and hit a low drive which beat the diving Alcock only to rebound off the right-hand post.
Quinn again went close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful header which Alcock tipped over.
Rangers brought on Matt Hazley in the 65th minute in place of Arnolin.
With the game really opened up, Heslop’s long-range drive took a deflection off Flynn and out for another home corner. Alcock held a 25-yard shot from Kearney at the second attempt.
Rangers won their second corner in the 79th minute, delivered into the six-yard box by Hazley, and both Neil Grayson and Wayne Daniel just failed to apply the finishing touch.
Alcock produced yet another save when he tipped over a rising shot from Kearney.
In the 86th minute, Kevin Street took the ball forward down the middle and laid it to Courtney Shaw in space on the left. The substitute played it back to Street who fired at Adam Legzdins.
Flynn was booked in stoppage time for a foul on Killeen and just before the final whistle, Richie Sutton made a vital tackle on the edge of the Stafford area.
Teams
Halifax Town (blue/white/blue): 21. Adam Legzdins, 18. Gareth Davies, 4. Tom Clarke, 5. Adam Quinn, 3. Matt Doughty, 27. Simon Heslop, 6. Tom Kearney (capt), 19. Anthony Griffith, 16. Craig Nelthorpe, 11. Jon Shaw, 26. Nathan Joynes. Subs: 8. Andy Campbell (for Joynes, ht), 10. Lewis Kileen (for Griffith, 60), 9. Darryn Stamp, 14. Jake Wright, 28. Mark Whitehouse
Stafford Rangers (all red): 1. Danny Alcock, 38. Alex Gibson, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 2. Richie Sutton, 7. Chris Flynn, 35. Damion Jarrett, 8. Kevin Street, 19. Seb Arnolin, 24. Steve Hopkinson, 20. Marco Adaggio, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 17. Ross Draper (for Hopkinson, 26), 40. Courtney Shaw (for Adaggio, 40), 37. Matt Hazley (for Arnolin, 65), 6. Djoumin Sangare, 16. Tom Ingram
Referee: D. Webb (Durham)
Attendance: 1103
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
