Matt Elliott faces his former club
Tuesday 25th January 2011, 8:30AM GMT.
Stafford Rangers manager Matt Elliott prepares to face his former club Hednesford in the Staffordshire Senior Cup insisting top scorer Chris Sterling will be replaced.
Elliott will come across the Pitmen for the first time since spending the 2008/09 season as Dean Edwards’ assistant at Keys Park, his first job in non-league football, when Rangers take on their local rivals at Marston Road in the quarter-finals tonight.
But Sterling, who still tops the club’s scoring charts with six goals, moved on at the weekend after rubber-stamping a move to Rushall Olympic, scoring on his debut against Sutton Coldfield Town last night.
The 24-year-old has been let go after failing to find the net for Rangers since Elliott first came to the club as Tim Flowers’ assistant in October with Ben Mills, Shane Benjamin, Danny Campbell and Tyree Clarke all ahead of him in the pecking order at Marston Road.
However, the manager is looking for a new signing to fill Sterling’s boots.
Elliott said: “I am still looking for a striker, but I am also looking for players in one or two other areas as well.
“I have let Chris go because he wasn’t getting many games and, at this level of football, people want to play.
“Some people will look at the fact that he is our top goalscorer this year, but he’s had a few opportunities in my time at the club and probably hasn’t fulfilled his own expectations.”
Rangers take a break from the relegation fight in the Blue Square North, where they are three points from safety, for tonight’s cup tie with Kidsgrove Athletic waiting in the last four.
And Elliott has vowed to put out a strong team for the game, even with Saturday’s league trip to Blyth Spartans in mind.
He said: “We haven’t been winning two many games of late and I would like a positive result.
“I haven’t decided on my final team as yet, but I wouldn’t be expecting too many drastic changes.”
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