Express & Star

Stafford Rangers 1 Barwell 0 - Report

Kieran Morris nodded in the winner as Stafford Rangers bagged a third straight home win and clean sheet against Barwell.

Published

The decisive goal arrived just before the hour as defender Morris headed in off the post from an Alex Fletcher corner.

It was enough to decide a nip-and-tuck contest in which Boro just about warranted their success having hit the crossbar through Richard Gregory on the stroke of half-time.

Stafford started brightly but conceded the first chance on 11 minutes when Matt Stenson’s volley from a Ben Baker centre had to be repelled by keeper Adam Whitehouse.

Liam Kay headed wide from the corner that followed with openings drying up from there until Gregory struck the woodwork with a close-range header.

Morris saw his 57th-minute header hacked away at the last but it had already crossed the line to nudge Rangers in front, although the Canaries were not done.

Luke Barlone had two efforts soon after and the visitors had their moments but as the match became stretched, chances began to fall Stafford’s way.

Substitute Dan Westwood had a golden opportunity to seal the deal with seven minutes to go but his finish drifted wide when one on one with keeper Liam Castle.

Nigel Julien’s shot was well watched and held by Whitehouse in spite of a double ricochet with a minutes to play, while Eddy Nivesic had a last-gasp shot blocked in the third minute of added time as Barwell pushed in vain for a leveller.