Stafford Rangers 4 Hednesford Town 2
Staffordshire Senior Cup Quarter Final
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: press pass (£5+£2); Programme: free teamsheet
Mileage: 8.6 miles
Weather: rain
Attendance: 247
Duration: first-half: 46:00; second-half: 46:19
Two local rivals went head to head with the prospect of a home semi-final tie against Kidsgrove Athletic awaiting the winner. And it was Stafford Rangers who progressed and gained local bragging rights over Hednesford Town with a 4-2 win on a very heavy Marston Road pitch. The win had seemed a long way off when the visitors took the lead after just 47 seconds courtesy of an own goal from Alex Forde, but the impressive Tyree Clarke led the recovery with a hat-trick.For me it broke a three match losing streak of Stafford games, and superstitious part of me would like to claim some credit for the win – was it helped by my decision to park on Romford Road rather than Drummond Road and the first appearance at Marston Road of the ‘Gladbach’ black hat picked up last month at Borussia Mönchengladbach?
A lot of rain had fallen today, so I was pleased to read a note on Rangers’ website which said that ‘as of 3.00pm this afternoon, all still looks fine for tonight's Staffs Senior Cup game against Hednesford Town. Kick off 7.45pm’. Mike Hughes’s optimism proved correct as the game did go ahead as planned, admitted on a ‘ploughed field’ of a pitch.
As I travelled to the ground, I found the outcome of this game difficult to predict, partly because of the unknown strengths of the respective sides in this evening’s cup tie. After all, Stafford (20th in the Blue Square Bet North table with 16 points from 25 games) were involved in a fight to avoid relegation and faced a real six-pointer in their next game away to third-from-bottom Gainsborough Trinity. Hednesford (6th in the Zamaretto League Premier Division with 43 points from 25 games) also had far more important priorities to consider for different reasons with promotion to the Blue Square Bet North being the aim.
Rangers boss Matt Elliott named a very strong starting line-up though missing Danny Edwards, Andre Francis, Levi Reid and Ashley Wooliscroft. Francis, originally named on the teamsheet pulled out before kick-off so Callum Wright came in for his debut. Hednesford, with leading scorer Kyle Patterson on the bench, had three former Stafford players in their starting line-up, namely Chris Clements, Nick Wellecomme and Ross Davidson.Before kick-off, I was good to chat with Chris Elsley about our respective training for the forthcoming Stafford Half-Marathon, and also to catch up with Gary Hazlehurst and ‘Rugeley Mick’as well. Chris, who averages 8.5 minutes a mile as opposed to my speed of around 10 minutes a mile, certainly tempted me to follow-up the Stafford run with the Uttoxeter equivalent taking place at beginning of May.
Reduced admission attracted a crowd of 247 – not bad at all on a horrible wet night and with both Arsenal and Tottenham in Champions League action.
“Red kick”, the referee announced and Hednesford (wearing all red) got the game underway attacking the Shed/Town End in the first half. And the visitors from across the Chase got off to a dream start with a goal after just 42 seconds. Nick Wellecomme far-post shot from the right side of the area deflected off Alex Forde and ended up in the net.
Wright hit a long-range 35-yard shot that Hednesford keeper Dan Crane parried and Liam Francis cleared the loose ball. In fact it was Wright who got Rangers back on level terms in the 14th minute. He fired home a loose ball after Crane blocked an initial shot from Tyree Clarke.
At the Shed End there was a group of about 35 Hednesford fans stood behind the goal in drizzle and another less hardy group under cover down the Lotus Side. And, interestingly, the were miked-up as part of a Staffs FA training evening and a group of referees sat in the stand.
Wellecomme fired over and Chris Clements cleared a Marco Adaggio header off the line before a great 33rd minute goal from Clarke put Stafford in front. Tom Moss took the ball into the Hednesford half and fed Clarke who got into the area to place a right-foot foot past Crane into the bottom right corner of the net.
Ben Mills almost made it three a minute later. Put clear, he lifted the ball over the advancing Crane only to see it drop just over an unguarded goal.
Hednesford levelled things up in first-half stoppage time. Darren Campion hit a low free-kick through a six-man wall and into the net via the hands of Lee Evans.
Early in the second half, Jermaine Johnson unmarked in the Hednesford area saw a shot blocked by Crane and Clarke sent the rebound over the bar.Clarke’s second goal, scored in the 65th minute, made it 3-1 and got the sound of ‘Rings of Fire’ reverberating around Marston Road. Forde on the left passed to Mills who crossed for Clarke to score with a first-time shot.
Stafford were awarded a penalty when substitute Fabrice Kasiama was brought down inside the area. Clarke stepped up to fire home from 12 yards. I say ’12 yards’ rather than ‘penalty spot’ as the referee was forced to pace out 12 yards from the goal line as the original penalty spot was now obliterated. Clarke’s hat-trick, 84th minute, 4-2, Rangers into the semi final.
There was time for Marvin Robinson to head against the Stafford bar and in stoppage time Mills send a weak shot wide of the target.
So Stafford record back-to-back victories for the first time since January last year. Can they make it three wins out of three in Saturday’s trip to Gainsborough Trinity? One thing that was clearly evident was the effort and determination put in by the Stafford players – something that Matt Elliott has instilled in the side during his so-far short spell in charge.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Lee Evans, 2. Martyn Naylor, 3. Alex Forde, 4. Jermaine Johnson, 5. Craig McAughtrie (capt), 16. Callum Wright, 7. Marco Adaggio, 8. Niall Maguire, 9. Ben Mills 10. Tyree Clarke, 11. Tom Moss. Subs: 12. Shane Benjamin (for Mills, 82), 14. Fabrice Kasiama (for Moss, 73), 15. Joe Rogers (for Naylor, 87), 17gk. Tom Turner (not used).
Hednesford Town (red/red/red): 1. Dan Crane, 2. Ben Bailey, 3. Darren Campion, 4. Liam Francis (capt), 5. Dello Gomes, 6. Louis Keenan, 7. Jay Denny, 8. Chris Clements, 9. Nick Wellecomme, 10. Marvin Robinson, 11. Ross Davidson. Subs: 12. Kyle Patterson (for Denney, 74), 14. Aaron Gibson (not used), 15. Jamey Osborne (for Bailey, 87), 16 Cheyenne Dunkley (not used).
Referee: Oliver Langford (Darlaston).
Assistants: Scott Simpson (Stoke) and Matthew Jones (Penksridge)
Goals:
0-1 Alex Forde (1 og)
1-1 Callum Wright (14)
2-1 Tyree Clarke (33)
2-2 Darren Campion (45+1)
3-2 Tyree Clarke (65)
4-2 Tyree Clarke (84 pen)
Cards:
Stafford: none
Hednesford: Ross Davidson (YC, 38), Darren Campion (YC, 81)
