Blue Square Premier
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 653
Weather: showers, windy
Stafford Rangers suffered more bad luck as visitors Ebbsfleet United took the points with a last gasp injury time winner. John Akinde slotted home from just a few yards out to deny Rangers what would have been a deserved point.
The Stafford side was unchanged as Djimi Sangare hadn't sufficiently recovered from his ankle injury to play any part. Luke Potter played his last game on loan from Barnsley.
There were two changes in personnel in the starting line-up with Seb Arnolin and Nathan Smith coming in to replace the departed Luke Potter and suspended Chris Flynn. With Djimi Sangare not sufficiently recovered from his ankle injury, joint caretaker player-manager Kevin Street moved from midfield to play on the left side of the defence. Dolapo Olaoye came on as a second-half substitute for his first taste of action since the opening day of the season.
Ebbsfleet got the game underway attacking the Social Club end with the aid off a strong and blustery wind. In the second minute, James Smith's backpass eluded Lance Cronin but nothing came from the resulting corner. The visitors also won an early corner after Jemiah Richards cut out a low cross from Chris McPhee. James Smith got his head to the corner which hit a defender and went out. In the 15th minute, Rangers were inches (and a gust of wind) away from taking the lead. David McNiven intercepted a poor pass from mark Ricketts and launched a lob from fully 30 yards out. The ball cleared Cronin and looked to be going into the unguarded net only to be blown the wrong side of the post.
There was a worrying moment for the home side when Akinde caught Danny Alcock with a late challenge as both went for a long clearance down the middle by Cronin. Akinde was booked for the foul. The Stafford keeper was able to continue and quickly pulled off a double save to deny both Akinde and Luke Moore.
Rangers continued to battle into the wind and were again unlucky not to score in the 26th minute. Neil Grayson may well have shot for goal but his misdirected effort fell kindly for Nathan Smith on the right inside the area. Smith got in a low drive which Cronin kept out with his boot.
Around the half-hour mark, Michael Bostwick, from out on the right crossed into the six-yard box and Wayne Daniel cleared the danger at the expense of a corner. Neil Barrett then tried his luck with a shot from well outside the area and the ball took a deflection on its way out for another corner. Richard Sutton got forward and drove over the Ebbsfleet bar from 20 yards out.
The visitors should have taken the lead in the 39th minute. McPhee got clear only to blast a shot high over the bar with just Alcock to beat. Before the interval, Bostwick sent a wind-assisted 25-yard free-kick over the bar and Stacy Long forced a routine save out of Alcock from 15 yards out.
Stafford took the game to the visitors in the second half and should have gone in front two minutes after the restart. Unmarked Grayson met a perfect cross from Nathan Smith only to head straight at Cronin from six yards out. On the hour, Frenchman Samy Mawene threaded a pass through the Ebbsfleet defence to McNiven. The striker hit a low angled shot which beat the diving Cronin and hit the outside of the left-hand post.
Ebbsfleet were always a thread on the break and got back into the game during the last half hour. Bostwick fired straight at Alcock from 15 yards out while McPhee saw another long-range effort deflected for a corner. Dolapo Olaoye came on to end a four-month absence through injury and set up a chance which Seb Hamilton drove wide from 25 yards out.
A draw would have been a fair outcome until Akinde stuck the very late winner.
Teams
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): 1. Danny Alcock; 2. Richard Sutton, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 21. Jemiah Richards, 8. Kevin Street; 15. Nathan Smith, 17. Ross Draper, 22. Samy Mawene, 19. Seb Arnolin; 10. David McNiven, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 30. Seb Hamilton (for Smith, 55), 11. Dolapo Olaoye (for Arnolin, 85), 16. Tom Ingram, 24. Steve Hopkinson, 33. Danny Allen (gk)
Ebbsfleet United (yellow/white/yellow): 1. Lance Cronin; 15. Mark Ricketts, 2. Peter Hawkins, 5. James Smith, 3. Sacha Opinel; 25. Michael Bostwick, 14. Neil Barrett, 8. Stacy Long; 12. Chris McPhee (capt); 18. Luke Moore, 19. John Akinde. Subs: 30. Rob French, 9. Raphael Nade, 16. Liam Coleman, 20. Dan Stubbs, 17. George Purcell
Referee: Dean Moharab (Stockport)
Attendance: 653 (inc 106 away fans)
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
