Express & Star

Stafford Rangers 1 Radcliffe 0 - Report

Adam Livingstone’s deflected strike fired Stafford up to second in the Northern Premier League despite Radcliffe creating havoc during a late surge.

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Livingstone’s shot from the left of the box looped off a stray leg and dropped inside the far post three minutes before half-time to hand Rangers a deserved edge at the interval.

Matt Hill’s men had hit the top of the crossbar through Ethan Stewart in the seventh minute with Joe Kenton and Kaiman Anderson close to making long throws from Tom Tonks pay dividends in the first half.

Radcliffe had been effectively shackled until the 65th minute but then burst into life with ex-Reading and Bolton ace Jem Karacan’s blistering 25-yard half-volley drawing a smart flick against the bar from Stafford keeper Cameron Belford.

At that point it seemed likely that Radcliffe would continue to lay siege to Belford’s goal but Stafford calmed things down to secure a victory that moved them to within a point of leaders South Shields at the summit.

Boro: Belford; Nevin, Stewart, Morrison-Derbyshire (Smith, 81), Dunne; Baxter, Tonks; Kenton (Kiwomya, 55), Willis (Caine, 70), Livingstone; Anderson.

Unused subs: Massanka, White.

Attendance: 531.

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