Ben Mills leaves Rangers for Nantwich

Stafford Rangers have lost their third key player of the summer after last season's top scorer Ben Mills signed for new Evo-Stik Premier League rivals Nantwich.

The Dabbers announced over the weekend that they had landed Mills, along with former Kidderminster Harriers loanee Matthew Lowe.

Mills' one-year contract at Rangers had expired and, after relegation from the Blue Square North, there was little chance the striker would get a deal on similar terms.

Defender Jermaine Johnson was the first to leave for the New Saints at the end of the season, the club's longest-serving player Andre Francis has joined Solihull Moors and now Mills has also gone.

The 22-year-old leaves Marston Road for a second time since joining from Leek two years ago, after a long pursuit of the player by then-manager Chris Brindley.

The forward spent the final seven months of his first season at Alfreton after becoming an instant hit with Rangers, where he returned last summer.

Now comes a drop back into the Evo-Stik pyramid for Mills, for the first time since his days at Leek, although Nantwich are one of the better-resourced clubs at the level.

And their manager Jimmy Quinn, the former Football League boss, wants to pair Mills with his striker Michael Lennon against Rangers and the other teams in the division next season.

Quinn said: "These are great signings for the club. Mills and Lowe will add height and strength where we need it and they have undoubted quality.

"They are youngsters with a bright future in the game and I am certain Ben will form a dynamic partnership with Lennon."