Stafford Rangers 1 Crawley Town 3
Blue Square Premier
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 470
Stafford took an early lead through Nick Wellecomme against Crawley Town who hit back with goals from Tyrone Thompson, Mustapha Carayol and Jamie Cook. Richie Sutton was sent off for a professional foul which led to Cook converting a penalty.
Injuries forced manager Steve Bull MBE to make four changes to the starting line-up. Nathan Smith and Djoumin Sangare (hamstring) were both missing through injury while skipper Wayne Dniel, with a calf strain, was only fit enough for the bench alongside Damion Jarrett. Ross Draper played his final game of the season before commencing a three-match ban. Crawley named an unchanged side.
Crawley got the game underway atatcking the Social Club end and immediately went on the attack.
There was danger for Rangers as early as 17 seconds when Tom Ingram's clearance looped towards goal off Thompson and flew wide. Jamie Cook volleyed over from eight yards out. Danny Alcock also turned round a low long-range drive from Dannie Bulman from Thompson's pass. Alcock blocked another shot from Cook and Glenn Wilson's follow-up went over the bar.
Stafford, however, took a 13th minute lead arguably against the run of early play. Confusion between Kieran Murphy and his keeper Ashley Bayes allowed Nick Wellecomme to slot home his third Rangers goal since arriving from Newcastle Town.
In the next attack, Stafford went close to doubling their advantage when Samy Mawene narrowly drove across the face of goal
It was all-square again in the 20th minute. Tyrone Thompson beat the advancing Alcock to a throughball and fired into an empty net.
Just after the half-hour mark, Alcock left his area to head a high ball clear. The clearance fell to Lee Blackburn 35 yards out who headed towards goal but Alcock recovered to catch.
Thompson lifted the ball over and Cook drove across the face of goal before Blackburn was booked for a foul on Jon Loukes in the 34th minute.
On loan Mustapha Carayol beat two defenders two minutes later and shot low past Alcock to put his side in front.
Steve Bull introduced both Wayne Daniel and Kevin Street at the start of the second half. But any hope of Rangers salvaging a point ended eleven minutes after the restart. Richie Sutton was sent off for a professional foul on Thompson and Jamie Cook gave Alcock no chance of keeping out the resulting penalty.
Rangers rallied. Ross Draper fired wide from well outside the area while Wellecomme went close in the 71st minute after latching onto Samy Mawene's throughball. But Bayes blocked the resulting shot. Wellecomme glanced a header wide from Mawene's free-kick.
The visitors could have further increased their lead but for Alcock. The keeper was well positioned to save a low 20-yard shot from Ryan Hall.
Daniel was booked for a foul in the 81st minute.
Thompson intercepted Daniel's back pass header, squared to Carayol who brought an excellent save out of Alcock.
Alcock also saved from Hall and Carayol put the loose ball over the bar.
Both Ross Draper and Carayol were booked in the 88th minute for their part in an incident inside the Rangers area.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Danny Alcock, 2. Richie Sutton, 7. Chris Flynn (capt), 18. Alan Dodd, 22. 22. Samy Mawene, 16. Tom Ingram, 17. Ross Draper, 43. Jon Loukes, 30. Ishmale Reid, 42. Nick Wellecomme, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 5. Wayne Daniel (for Reid, ht), 8. Kevin Street (for Ingram, ht), 24. Steve Hopkinson, 33. Danny Allen (gk), 35. Damion Jarrett
Crawley Town (red / red / red): 1. Ashley Bayes, 16. Glenn Wilson, 19. Kieran Murphy, 6. Jamie Stevens, 24. James Krause, 8. Lee Blackburn, 17. Thomas Pinault, 14. Dannie Bulman, 26. Mustahpa Carayol, 7. Tyrone Thompson (capt), 18. Jamie Cook. Subs: 4. Bradley Thomas, 11. Ryan Hall (for Blackburn, 59), 25. Nick Carter (for Carayol, 90), 39. Paul Raynor, 22. Oliver Barton (gk)
Referee: G. Stretton (Leicestershire)
Attendance: 470 (away fans 34)
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
