Stafford Rangers 0 York City 4
Blue Square Premier at Marston Road
Attendance: 455
York City took the points at Marston Road with four second-half goals and mathematically condemned Rangers to relegation from the Blue Square Premier.
Manager Steve Bull MBE made two changes with Wayne Daniel and Tom Ingram coming into the starting line-up in place of the injured Richie Sutton and Alan Dodd.
Rangers chose to attack the Town End in the first half with York, on their second visit to Marston Road, getting the game underway.
The first serious chance fell to Stafford in the 22nd minute. Richard Brodie was penalised and booked for getting his hand in the way of Samy Mawene's initial free-kick. Ishmale Reid curled the second free-kick from 30 yards out over the wall and straight at City keeper Tom Evans. Four minutes later, Martyn Woolford delivered a near-post corner from the right which Emmenuel Panther glanced towards goal and Mawene headed clear. Danny Alcock gathered a long-range shot from Woolford.
Alcock produced a fine save in the 39th minute to prevent the visitors taking the lead. Onome Sodje broke down the right and squared a pass to Mark Robinson who had strinted forward. Robinson fired a close-range shot which Alcock blocked.
Stafford, as well, almost broke the deadlock just before the interval when Nick Wellecomme shot against the left-hand post.
York took the lead in the 53rd minute. Woolford burst down the middle and fired a low shot past Alcock. Brodie netted the second five minutes later when he turned inside the area and slotted home at close range.
Bull made a double change just after the hour mark with Ross Draper and Steve Hopkinson replacing Jon Loukes and Alex Gibson. Later Nathan Smith came on for Ishmale Reid.
Alcock produced a smart save to turn round Brodie's shot but could do nothing in the 78th minute to keep out York's third goal. Stuart Elliott thumped a rsing drive into the top-right corner from fully 40 yards out.
Evans held Smith's rising drive and Smith also fired over after Neil Grayson drove across the face of the York goal.
York added a fourth goal in injury time. Woolford looked offside when he latched onto a ball down the right. Alcock saved his initial shot but Mark Robinson put away the rebound.
Teams
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Danny Alcock, 6. Djoumin Sangare, 7. Chris Flynn, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 22. Samy Mawene, 38. Alex Gibson, 16. Tom Ingram, 43. Jonathan Loukes, 30. Ishmale Reid, 42. Nick Wellecomme, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 15. Nathan Smith (for Reid, 70), 17. Ross Draper (for Loukes, 62), 19. Seb Arnolin, 24. Steve Hopkinson (for Gibson, 62), 33. Danny Allen (gk)
York City (yellow / blue / yellow): 1. Tom Evans, 6. Danny Parslow, 5. David McGurk, 2. Darren Craddock, 23. Ben Purkiss, 8. Emmanuel Panther (capt), 4. Stuart Elliott, 3. Mark Robinson, 11. Martyn Woolford, 16, Richard Brodie, 7. Onome Sodje. Subs: 9. Leo Fortune-West, 13. Josh Mimms (gk), 18. Adam Boyes (for Sodje, 66), 22. Nicky Wroe (for Brodie, 83), 24. Anthony Lloyd (for Parslow, 86)
Referee: S. P. Cummins (Cheshire)
Attendance: 455 (away fans 52)
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
