STAFFORD RANGERS 3 BRIGG TOWN FC 0

MATCH REPORT BY BOB TAYLOR

Cheered on by a home crowd of almost four hundred supporters, Stafford Rangers started strongly with the wind in their favour on a poor playing surface, saturated by the heavy rainfall. Matthew Wood and Liam Holt combined well in the first attack down the left before the latter curled a shot past the top angle of the goal. Jazz Luckie should have opened the scoring after five minutes when he was played clean through the middle but Jody Barford saved well to pick he ball up. Brigg’s first threat came from a free kick played into the penalty area by Anthony Bowsley but the ball drifted wide of the far upright. The home team opened the scoring in the eleventh minute when JAZZ LUCKIE nipped in to the near post to fire home a low penetrating cross from the right wing. The same player had the ball in the back of the net two minutes later but was ruled off-side. Stafford remained in control during the first half and scored a second goal after half an hour when the ball was switched across the pitch from the left wing to the right and back into the area for DOMINIC DELL to convert, giving his team a two goal lead at the break.

The second half began with a very harsh penalty award against Brigg for a foul in the area but Jody Barford did well to save James Dance’s spot kick. Then Brigg had their best spell of the game and were unlucky when a shot from Conner Southern struck the cross bar and bounced safely away from the penalty area. This was followed by another neat passing move inside the penalty area but Tim Taylor’s shot was blocked by a good save from home ‘keeper Adam Whitehouse. Stafford’s Sam Griffiths made a telling run from his own half to the edge of the Brigg penalty area but struck his shot wide of the upright. Brigg continued to press and another Conner Southern shot went just wide. At a time when it looked as though Brigg could get something from the game, the result was essentially settled in the seventy- seventh minute when DAN COPE, on as a substitute five minutes earlier, was played into space down the right wing and advanced on goal to beat Jody Barford with a shot into the far corner of the net as the Brigg ‘keeper tried to narrow the shooting angle.

This was always going to be a difficult game for a team lacking in confidence but after a nervous first half, the second half was more promising for the games ahead.

BRIGG TOWN:  Barford, Wright, Kingston, Bowsley, Rob Sanderson, McKay, Josh Barr-Rostron, Taylor, Southern, Palmer, Broughton. Subs: Hewson (89) for Kingston,  Kieran Helsdown (70) for Rob Sanderson;  Zand  and Jackman not used.

Attendance:  368