Under 18's Match Reports

Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 20:39:51 +0000

Stone Dominoes U18’s v Stafford Rangers U18’s

Stone Dominoes under 18’s entertained Stafford Rangers under 18’s in the Minor Counties League in perfect conditions on a sunny autumn afternoon but found it difficult to match the Stafford tempo and strength. Rangers dominated the game from the kick off with the midfield in particular putting in a very strong performance winning nearly every 50-50 and every header. While the Stone strikers were isolated bystanders for much of the match Stafford created chance after chance. It was just surprising that it took them 25 minutes to open the scoring. The first goal came when Jon Hodnet latched on to a through ball on the right from George Bettany and placed a long cross to the far side where Aaron Gough had made a superb run from left back, arriving before any defenders to place the ball past the keeper and make it 1-0. Ten minutes later it was his twin brother Sean Gough, who finding himself in the same position but this time with his back to goal and under pressure from the defence played a lovely overhead kick, back across the goal, which Hodnet with a glancing header put just inside the post to make it 2-0. Stafford kept up their sustained attack forcing a wild clearance that fell perfectly to Charlie Jones 25 yards out. Jones hit it on the volley and although Dominoes keeper Joel Cliffe got both hands to it, there was too much power in the shot and it slipped into the net to give Stafford a 3-0 lead. One minute before the break Stone got a goal back when Adam Cheetham arrived late in the box to convert a good cross from the left at close range to make it 3-1. The come-back though was short lived, with Rangers again dominating in the second half, adding goals firstly from Dan Armitage and then from Jack Warren to make the final score 5-1.

Final score:

Stone Dominoes 1 (Cheetham)

Stafford Rangers 5 (A. Gough, Hodnet, Jones, Armitage, Warren)

Team 4-4-1-1

Orme; Humpage, Ellis, Wain (Bell 55), A. Gough;

Tonks (Warren 62), Jones, Armitage, S. Gough;

Bettany; Hodnet (Phillips 77)

Stafford Ranger Reserves

1st October 2008

Last nights reserve fixture saw Stafford maintaining their 100% start to the new season, featured in last nights squad were. Ashley Phillips, Arron Gough, Sam Wain, Charlie Jones, John Hodnet (all u18), Joe Rogers (u17s) and Adam Whitehouse (u17s) . Stafford ran out 3-1 wins in the end with Hodnet netting twice in the 1st half.

Stafford Rangers U18’s v Ellesmere Rangers U18’s

25th September

Stafford Rangers youth team played out a thrilling encounter with Ellesmere Rangers youth in the F. A. Youth Cup at Marston Road on Thursday night. From the kick off it was apparent both teams were determined and well organised. During the first half hour Stafford started to gain the upper hand creating some well worked attacks on the Ellesmere goal. But it was Ellesmere that broke the deadlock when a ball was punted towards the Stafford defensive line. The attempted headed clearance was missed and the Ellesmere attacker pounced forward and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper. The Stafford response though was excellent, straight from the restart they took the ball right up the other end and within 30 seconds put the ball in the net. After a quick interchange the ball was laid back to Tom Tonks, who in turn set Tom Doody, who fired home from close range to level the score.

In the second half Stafford started brightly and almost took the lead when Ashley Phillips dragged the ball wide at the edge of the box and fired a curling shot that hit the woodwork and bounced across goal. A few minutes later George Bettany came close with a powerful shot that went narrowly wide. Then Ellesmere started to gain momentum in the centre of the park forcing a series off free kicks. Stafford were eventually made to pay when a free kick was awarded for hand ball at the edge of the area. The kick was converted superbly with a powerful direct shot to the side of the wall leaving the keeper little chance. Stafford upped the game looking for the equaliser playing some excellent football, with Jon Hodnet coming closest after a great run that saw him beat the defence and place the ball round the keeper, but unfortunately it went narrowly wide. With the minutes ticking away Stafford thought they were thrown a lifeline when an Ellesmere player clearly hand balled in the box. As the play momentarily stopped the ref waved play-on deeming the player was protecting himself. Encouraged Ellesmere held on to the lead during the dying minutes to progress to the next round.

Final score: Stafford Rangers 1 (Doody) - Ellesmere Rangers 2

Team 4-4-2

Orme;

Bell, Ellis, Wain, Kroll,

Bettany, Jones, Tonks, A. Gough (Hodnet 69)

Phillips, Doody

Stafford Rangers U18’s v Newcastle Town U18’s FA YOUTH CUP

10th September

Rangers met Newcastle Town in the F. A. Youth Cup at Marston Road on Wednesday night and before an appreciative crowd put on an impressive performance to coast through to the next round. Rangers almost took the lead in the first 15 minutes when a ball was looped over the top toward the Newcastle goal. Ashley Phillips sprinted forward beating the defenders, as Matt Holmes the Newcastle keeper raced out of his goal to clear. Just as Phillips connected with ball Holmes ran straight into him. From the stand it looked as if was in the area. The referee had a long talk with the keeper and the card was a yellow. A free kick on the edge of the box was awarded but Rangers were unable to profit. As the game progressed Rangers grew in confidence and started to dominate the play. The Rangers defence were strong and very well organised, completely eliminating any real threat to the Stafford goal. Charlie Jones was as combative as usual breaking up the Newcastle play in the midfield. It was five minutes before the interval that Rangers broke the deadlock. From the corner, a short ball was played in to Tom Robinson, who laid it back to Tom Tonks, who turned and curled it into the top corner to make it 1-0.

Stafford continued where they left off in the second half, where 5 minutes after the restart, Phillips chased down a long ball and set it back for Aaron Gough at the edge of the box. Gough hit the ball low and hard leaving the Newcastle keeper no chance to give Rangers a 2-0 lead. This was the turning point of the game, where for a spell of about 20 minutes Rangers upped the tempo and played some excellent possession football. In particular Sam Bell and George Bettany were very strong on the right. Bettany was quick and determined with his head up always looking for a useful pass and Bell at right-back looked comfortable and assured on the ball, always in space and often being the starting point for many promising attacking moves. It was not long before this dominance paid off. Bell played a useful ball forward to Bettany who looked up and played a perfect weighted pass to Phillips at the edge of the box. Phillips cushioned the ball on his chest and held off the defender to run through and lace the ball past the keeper putting Rangers firmly in control at 3-0. The game was finished off 10 minutes later after a period of sustained pressure, when a useful ball was played out to the right. Jon Hodnet made a determined run to gather the ball before the defender could get there and played it across the box to Phillips, who cut inside and found space between the two centre backs to squeeze a shot away with his left foot that beat the keeper and made the final score 4-0

Final score: Stafford Rangers 4 (Tonks, A. Gough, Phillips 2)  Newcastle Town 0

Team 4-4-2

Orme;

Bell, Ellis, Wain, Kroll,

Bettany, Jones, Tonks (Warren 85), A. Gough (S. Gough 70)

Phillips, Robinson (Hodnet 52).

'Stafford Rangers U18’s v Nantwich Town U17’s

7th September

Rangers under 18’s eased their way through their first match of the season with a comfortable 3-1 win over Nantwich Town. Nantwich almost opened the scoring in the first couple of minutes when they pumped a ball forward. Their striker gambled on the ball not being headed clear and chased after it as it approached the Rangers goal. Rangers keeper Mark Orme was quick off his line with a brave dive to gather the ball, getting a split lip from the trailing striker for his efforts. Rangers then started to dominate proceedings, putting sustained pressure on the Nantwich defence. Tom Doody poached the first goal for Rangers when the ball fell to him on the edge of the six-yard box. Doody was unmarked and had plenty of time to pick his spot. Nantwich took heed of their lax marking and kept it tighter for the remainder of the half. Before the break Nantwich got back on terms grabbing an equaliser, when from a Rangers throw-in, the ball was thrown back into the box to Sam Wain. With little time to react, the ball bounced off Wain’s knee and the advancing striker took the chance to gather and place it in the corner and make it 1-1. This though was the last time that Nantwich troubled the Rangers goal.

In the second half Rangers were more disciplined and started to show just a few signs of the flowing football that they achieved last season. Tom Doody gave the lead back to Rangers with a powerful shot from the edge of the box and George Bettany made sure of the win with a powerful volley from a well worked corner, where the Stafford runners took all the defenders to the near post.

This coming Wednesday Rangers are to play Newcastle Town in the F. A. Youth Cup at Marston Road ko 7:45pm, £2 admission, and will need to be at their best to ensure they proceed to the next round.

Team 4-4-2

Orme;

Humpage (Bell 55), Ellis, Wain, A. Gough,

Tonks , Jones, Bettany, S. Gough (Kroll 60)

Phillips, Doody (Robinson 75)'.