Stafford Rangers were given another dose of the Blue Square Premier blues by Djimi Sangare’s old club Grays.
The Rangers defender, promoted to first choice centre back following Craig McAughtrie’s departure, could to little to prevent his side slumping to their eighth defeat in nine league games.
Fellow Frenchman Cedric Avinel was also pitched straight in by manager Phil Robinson a day after signing on loan from Watford.
They were supposed to put some backbone into a leaky rearguard - unfortunately they and the rest of the team were let down by keeper Danny Alcock.
Earlier this year, Alcock was in such good form that he was picked for the England National Game X1, but on Saturday he was a bystander as Charley Hearn’s clipped free kick into the box flew over everyone’s head and into the net.
That 34th minute goal handed all the initiative to Grays and with one of the meanest defences in the league, Rangers always faced an uphill struggle from then on.
But things got worse in first half stoppage time and there was also a finger of suspicion pointing at Alcock over Gavin Grant’s second goal for Grays.
Alcock wasn’t responsible for him breaking clear when Rangers were caught a little square, however the final shot looked eminently saveable.
Grays were scarcely worth their half time lead and, to their credit, Rangers did try to do something about it.
Sad to say, their other great failing - in front of goal - reared its ugly head.
The match stats would tell you that while Grays had barely more shots than the ones they scored from, Rangers missed SIX good scoring opportunities after the break, to add to the crafty chip from David McNiven that would have brought a first half equaliser, but for Ross Flitney’s fingertip save.
One Comment
Rangers have looked, at times this season, up to the task of competing well in a full-time league, judging by the improved football overall which is played where it should mostly be - on the deck. Confidence, belief and a cutting edge are the main thing which are lacking, as much as they weren’t for much of the time with last season’s more brutish, less cultured side. But - results count and this season they’re not happening. Apart from one or two decisions (such as why is Arnolin not even on the bench - great potential which will only be realised by playing him), Robbo has obviously got his heart in the club - along with a respectable record in the professional game, and with a lack of funds from the typically unimaginative administration at Rangers, who else could achieve what he has at the club? He’ll turn it around and we’ll survive, as daffy as that sounds right now.
Finally, what really lets the club down is the town’s fickle population. Rangers really need support and the funds that come with it. So, the pre-emptive response to the “costs too much to watch that bloody rubbish” crowd is - it ain’t gonna get any better til you change your short-sighted, selfish outlook. Me n my 9-yr old son travel at least to every home game from 60 miles away…not martyrs, just proper, traditional footy fans who have a sense of where we’re from and what it means to be a true supporter - as opposed to the over-marketed, over-paid brattish bunch that populate the big clubs….whilst truly excluding proper footy supporters through over-pricing to fund their greed! People of Stafford - except the few hundred die-hards of course - get along and support your town and its football club; those who claim to be fans of the game and stay in their armchairs giving Murdoch all the riches he truly doesn’t deserve - SHAME ON YOU!