Stafford Rangers 0 Boston United 4
Blue Square Bet North
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: press pass; Programme: £2 (44 pages from original date)
Mileage: 8.2 miles
Weather: cold, dry
Attendance: 260
Duration: first-half: 49:35 second-half: 47:34
First game for six days after family had to come before football on Saturday, though the game I missed was Stafford 0 Hyde 5! Fans voted with their feet and on a cold evening just 260 fans turned up at Marston Road (around 80 following the visitors), the lowest home league crowd for 45 years. Stafford Rangers proved no match for promotion-chasing Boston United who eased to a 4-0 victory with all the goals coming before half-time. The Pilgrims took the lead after just 33 seconds, added a second goal in the 28th minute, a third in the 31st minute and completing the scoring courtesy of a 41th-minute Jermaine Johnson own goal. Rangers rarely tested Boston keeper Dan Haystead though he did produce an excellent second-half save to deny Niall Maguire – one of only three efforts on target for the men in black and white. First-half injuries sustained by Craig McAughtrie and Levi Reid didn’t help Stafford’s cause.Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes / black / black): 1. Lee Evans, 2. Martyn Naylor, 3. Mark Dudley, 4. Jermaine Johnson, 5. Craig McAughtrie, 6. Levi Reid, 7. Danny Edwards, 8. Niall Maguire, 9. Ben Mills, 10. Luke Keen, 11. Fabrice Kasiama. Subs: 12. Shane Benjamin (for Reid, 27), 14. Tom Moss (for McAughtrie, 34), 15. Craig Reid (not used), 16. Marco Adaggio (for Edwards, 75), 17gk. Tom Turner (not used).
Boston United (amber/amber/amber): 1. Dan Haystead, 2. James Cullingworth, 3. Gareth Jelleyman, 4. Anthony Church, 5. Shaun Pearson, 6. Kevin Austin, 7. Ryan Semple (15 Jamie Yates 61m), 8. Danny Sleath, 9. Adam Boyes, 10. Miles Hunter, 11. Jamie Green. Subs: 12. Darren Williams (not used), 14. Grant Darley (for Church, 68), 15. Jamie Yates (for Semple, 62), 16. Marc Newsham (not used), 17. Spencer Weir-Daley (for Hunter, 72).
Referee: Phillip Dermott
Assistants: Martin Howe (Altrincham) and Thomas Light (Knutsford).
Goals
0-1 Jamie Green (1)
0-2 Anthony Church (28)
0-3 Miles Hunter (31)
0-4 Jermaine Johnson (41 og)
Cards:
Stafford: Craig McAughtrie (YC, 27), Luke Keen (YC, 49)
Boston: none
