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www.staffordrangers.co.uk

Wednesday 16th August

Rangers sweat on Madjo fitness

Stafford travel to Gravesend and Northfleet tonight with Guy Madjo a real fitness doubt. The popular striker was withdrawn from Saturday’s defeat at Oxford due to a knock above his left knee, and will have a late fitness test to determine whether or not he will be available for the clash at Stonebridge Road.

Liam Murray has declared himself fit for the trip but a heavily disrupted pre-season means that he will probably have to compete for a place on the bench. Carl Motteram sits the game out through suspension and Christian Dacres is likely to be absent until September.

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The Sentinel

Thursday 17th August

Guy is simply Madj-ic

Hot shot Guy Madjo is the talk of Stafford after a double strike saw Rangers come from behind to comfortably grab all three points on a fine summer’s evening in Kent. The visitors didn’t have it all their own way as a sloppy start to the game cost them dear but a switch in formation half an hour into the game seemed to give the players more freedom to express themselves.

Stafford’s penchant for gifting early goals continued unabated when a long ball over the top found Charlie McDonald, and a neat low pass to Mark DeBolla was finished with precision in just the 2nd minute. A 5th minute DeBolla free kick came close to doubling the early advantage but the ball curled just wide of the upright.

Rangers sensed it wasn’t going to be their day when Madjo had a late offside flag to thank for ruling out his low drive following a flick on from strike partner Iwan Roberts. Stafford began to create chances and a scramble following a corner from the left saw Danny Slatter hack Kevin Street’s effort off the line with Lance Cronin well beaten.

Street then turned provider as a free kick from the right was blasted into the side netting by Madjo, with the angle too acute to cause Cronin a headache. Shortly before the break, Rangers hauled themselves level when a Gravesend attack broke down and Levi Reid hoofed the ball to safety. Madjo gave chase and a great first touch allowed room for a calm finish into the far corner.

Further chances were squandered at either end leaving the sides level at the break. Roberts cracked a long range opportunist strike over the bar before Gravesend responded by having two efforts blocked by resolute defending. DeBolla then showed an unsavoury aspect to his game when put one on one with Chris Slater the former Chesterfield man took a clear dive and received a caution for his theatrics.

Stafford went ahead late on when a glorious Robin Gibson cross saw Rangers players queuing up at the far post, but it was the dangerous Madjo who forcefully turned the ball home. Fleet footed substitute Dolapo Olaoye saw a clever turn expose Peter Hawkins and a decisive through ball found Craig McAughtrie in the box. The big defender was brought crashing down by a late Brendan McDonald challenge. Nathan Talbott denied Madjo the chance of a hat trick, but Rangers designated spot kick specialist despatched the ball with minimal fuss into the bottom left hand corner of Cronin’s net.

Gravesend and Northfleet 1 (DeBolla 2)
Stafford Rangers 3 (Madjo 37, 78 Talbott 87pen)

Line up: Williams, McAughtrie, Daniel, Slater, Gibson, Murphy (Lovatt), Street, Reid, Talbott, Roberts (Olaoye), Madjo (Rickards). Subs not used: Alcock, Sutton

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www.staffordrangers.co.uk

Friday 18th August

Managers update

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Sporting Star

Saturday 19th August

Ref justice for Stafford

Stafford Rangers manager Jay Jenkins has admitted surprise at the standard of officiating in the opening week of the season.

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The Non League Paper

Sunday 20th August

Stafford are Streets ahead

Former Northwich midfielder Kevin Street was the toast of Stafford last night as he opened the scoring before inspiring his side to a victory over the side that took the Conference North championship from their grasp last season. An injury time penalty prevented a clean sheet and a comprehensive look to the scoreline but make no mistake, Rangers deserved their win. The home side also had the relative luxury of naming an unchanged line up for a third successive game.

Within seconds of kick off, the Vics had to shuffle the pack when Kieran Charnock was stretchered off following a clash with Iwan Roberts. Journeyman centre half Gareth Griffiths came on in his place and proved an able deputy.

Stafford gently eased their way out of the traps and Roberts fired over a free kick in the 14th minute, the first real chance. Northwich responded when James Beaumont saw his effort deflected behind for a corner.

The home side could have gone ahead when a threaded Street pass found Guy Madjo. The former Forest Green forward had his effort parried before the ball was scrambled to safety despite the attentions of Roberts. On the half hour mark, another scramble saw Northwich just about clear their lines as Madjo fired in from a Roberts flick on, but young keeper Neil Travers saved and the Vics defence eventually cleared.

A Stafford goal seemed in the offing, and Street duly delivered after great build up play and a disguised Robers pass saw the visiting defence go AWOL. Street had time and space to pick his spot and there was only ever going to be one outcome. Soon after, a weak Travers goal kick was pounced upon by Madjo and despite the attentions of two defenders, he got in a low strike that squirmed under the body of the hapless keeper.

Ged Murphy came close to opening his Rangers account but his 49th minute strike was too high. When the visitors main goalscoring threat Paul Brayson limped out of the action before the hour mark, it seemed that the final whistle couldn’t come too soon for the Vics but they finished strongly and with eight minutes remaining, Mark Roberts thumped a header against the woodwork and soon after Beaumont headed over from a Jon Allan centre.

In injury time, Oliver James’ cross from the right caused havoc and amidst the panic in the home defence, Beaumont was tripped by Murphy. After dusting himself down, Beaumont despatched the spot kick with unnerving accuracy.

Stafford Rangers 2 (Street 34, Madjo 38)
Northwich Victoria 1 (Beaumont 90pen)

Stafford line up: Williams, McAughtrie, Daniel, Slater, Gibson (Sutton), Murphy, Street, Reid (Lovatt), Talbott, Roberts, Madjo. Subs not used: Alcock, Rickards, Olaoye

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www.staffordrangers.co.uk

Thursday 24th August

Reserves edged out

Stafford Rangers reserves represented the club during their first visit to the Pirelli Stadium since the play offs triumph of last season. Danny Edwards and Neil Grayson were the only players on show who were involved in the memorable victory against Droylsden, but a similar recipe for success wasn’t evident as Burton Albion won by a single goal.

Burton 1
Stafford 0

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Express and Star

Friday 25th August

Settled Stafford prepare for Villagers

Stafford Rangers supremo Jay Jenkins looks set to name an unchanged starting eleven for the fourth successive encounter as perennial Conference strugglers Forest Green Rovers make the trip from Gloucestershire tomorrow.

Defensive lynchpin Liam Murray completed 90 minutes for the reserves in the week but is not quite ready to step back in to contention, although Rangers may need to pool their resources as a trip to St Albans City winners of the Conference South play offs last season, beckons on Bank Holiday Monday.

Rangers have put in an approach for an attack minded player although at this stage the club have declined to reveal his identity.

Jenkins commented on the upcoming clash saying

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Great Stuff

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Cheers Welwyn, nice to know someone is reading this!

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Sunday Mercury

Sunday 27th August

Harvey nicks a point

A dull stalemate in front of a bumper 1900 strong Marston Road crowd did little to lift the dampers off the miserable Bank Holiday weekend weather. In a sometimes frenetic encounter, neither side really dominated territorially to confidently stake a claim for all three points, although both sides still occupy top half positions in the table – albeit the final two slots.

A largely insipid opening period saw Guy Madjo cause the Villagers defence a few problems with his pace. A speculative strike in the 18th minute ended up with the fans behind the goal though two minutes later the Rangers faithful were in raptures. A corner for the visitors was wasted and Stafford attacked with speed. The movement of Madjo was an excellent foil for the central run of Kevin Street who finished with aplomb from 12 yards.

Forest Green threw caution to the wind after the half time break and within minutes a magnificent triple save from Rangers stopper Dean Williams kept his side’s slender advantage intact.

Mark Beesley went close with a free kick before Jim Harvey’s men were rewarded for their gung-ho approach. A low Paul Wanless cross saw Simon Clist steer home a left footed effort to cap an impressive debut.

Wanless saw Stafford’s goal scoring threat become one less, as a crude challenge forced the formidable Street out of the game, allowing Craig Lovatt a slice of the action. The combative midfielder immediately helped put the visitors on the back foot and a fortunate bounce in the box saw Iwan Roberts with a chance, but his fierce first time effort cannoned back off the underside of the bar.

Ged Murphy was then forced out of the equation with a knock, and that signalled Stafford to once again switch tactics mid-game in favour of a more rigid 4-4-2 approach. Unfortunately all that ensued was a tactical game of cat and mouse as neither defence gave an inch.

It was the home side who came closest to grabbing an undeserved three points as Nathan Talbott and Dolapo Olaoye both saw efforts saved to see Jim Harvey’s men escape with a point. Rangers’ main concern after the game was the injury sustained by Street, as hospital tests confirmed that the former Shrewsbury Town and Crewe Alexandra man has sustained a fractured skull

Stafford Rangers 1 (Street 20)
Forest Green Rovers 1 (Clist 53)

Line up: Williams, McAughtrie, Daniel, Slater, Gibson, Murphy (Sutton), Street (Lovatt), Reid, Talbott, Roberts (Olaoye), Madjo. Subs not used: Alcock, Rickards

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Monday 28th August

The Sentinel

Street loss closes avenue for Rangers

“We’ll miss him. A lot.” was the verdict of Stafford boss Jay Jenkins when asked about the loss of Kevin Street due to a fractured skull following Saturday’s stalemate with Forest Green Rovers.

It forces Rangers to shuffle the pack for today’s visit to St. Albans City – the first time the two clubs ever meet. Rangers have maintained their starting eleven, and indeed the subs bench, for each of their opening four games.

Midfielder Ged Murphy faces a late fitness test on the knee problem that forced him out of the reckoning in the second period on Saturday, and strikers Iwan Roberts and Guy Madjo are also a doubt but are expected to start with a view to maintaining their excellent understanding so far.

City managed to beat Burton Albion but were beaten in their other three games as they struggle to adapt to the step up to the Conference. Worryingly for them, hotshot Lee Clarke, scorer of three of their four goals this season, is absent due to a gashed leg. Former Wolves man Richard Leadbetter has signed and is expected to take Clarke’s place for the clash.

Meanwhile, Jenkins confirmed that an approach has been made for Southport’s former Prescot Cables winger Mark Duffy, who has struggled to make an impact on Peter Davenport, the new Sandgrounders manager. Duffy has temporarily returned to Unibond League club Prescot, and will feature in their trip to Radcliffe Borough today with Stafford’s scouting team running the rule over his performance.

Of the clash in Hertfordshire, Jenkins said,