Recap

This was no easy affair against a Runcorn Linnets side who kept battling until the end.

Playing the first 45 minutes with the strong wind behind them, Rangers took a two goal lead into the interval with Ellis Horan marking his debut with the second, shortly before the break.

Conditions meant that it was inevitable that Runcorn would have more joy in the second half and they got back into the game a couple of minutes after the restart.

Wealth Da Silva restored the two goal margin for Stafford before Runcorn reduced the arrears once more. The visitors should have salvaged a point but Harry McGee blasted a late opportunity over the bar.

Runcorn produced the first effort on goal of the afternoon when Sean Miller picked up possession midway inside the Stafford half but he dragged his shot a long way wide of the target.

Rangers responded with a glancing header from Mitch Clarke also going wide.

Another Runcorn attack was ended when Beto Gomes raced across to block Noah Roberts before Lewis Buckley fired wide.

After their bright opening, Runcorn were forced to defend for much of the remainder of the first half.

An unsuspecting Joe Dunne missed out when the ball came off him and Calvin Hare dropped on the ball while Scott Bakkor’s penalty claims were waved away – the Stafford striker collecting a yellow card instead for simulation.

The breakthrough came on 18 minutes through Sambor who drove his 25 yard shot past Hare following an exchange between Dunne and Tom Tonks.

There was a scare at the other end when Leon Phillips fouled Noah Roberts just outside the area after the wind had held up the ball but Buckley’s shot deflected wide off Andy Burns on the end of the Stafford wall.

Clarke went close to adding another goal to his seasonal tally when he met a Tom Tonks free kick but was unable to control the direction of his header.

A second goal was needed and it came five minutes before the break. Bakkor’s deep cross from the left looked hopeful at best but it evaded the head of Lewis Bell and Horan placed his header back across Hare and inside the far post.

Half Time: Stafford Rangers 2 Runcorn Linnets 0

Any doubts that the game was not yet over were soon put to rest as Runcorn reduced the arrears on 47 minutes. The Stafford defence failed to deal with a long clearance from Hare and Buckley rifled home from the edge of the area.

Soon after, Phillips was forced to save another effort from Buckley while Runcorn penalty claims were turned down when Miller went to ground under the challenge from Clarke.

Rangers got their crucial third goal on 74 minutes. Rangers counter attacked after Burns had cleared off the line following a Runcorn free kick. Bakkor sent Wealth Da Silva away and he managed to hold off his man before shooting past Hare.

Bakkor should have added a fourth a couple of minutes later but fired over.

Miller hooked in a spectacular 83rd minute volley from Peter Wylie’s cross to keep Runcorn in the game and with the visitors looking to salvage a point, Miller sent a free kick inches over the Stafford bar.

But, the best chance of an equaliser came in added time. Tonks stretched to intercept a cross from Oscar Wright but the ball fell perfectly into the path of McGee but the Runcorn sub snatched at his chance sending the ball high over the bar.

Full Time: Stafford Rangers 3 Runcorn Linnets 2

Stafford Rangers: 1 Leon Phillips, 2 Beto Gomes, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Todd Ferrier, 5 Andy Burns, 6 Tom Tonks, 7 Kyle Sambor (14 Wealth Da Silva 62m), 9 Scott Bakkor (18 Harvey Washington 88m), 15 Mitch Clarke, 16 Ellis Horan (10 Jack Birch 71m), 19 Remi Efunnuga – Unused Subs: 12 Ty Webster, 17 Luca Navarro

Runcorn Linnets: 1 Calvin Hare, 2 Oliver Southern, 3 Lewis Bell (15 Connor Day 82m), 4 Peter Wylie, 5 Kian Bell, 6 Jack Byrne, 7 Nicholas Rushton (12 Harry McGee 79m), 8 Jacques Welsh (17 Harry Gerrard 64m), 9 Lewis Buckley (16 Oscar Wright 71m), 10 Sean Miller, 11 Noah Roberts (14 Toby Jones 90+2m).

Referee: Mike Pattison

Cautions: Stafford: Bakkor 14m, Phillips 30m, Sambor 60m, Gomes full time Runcorn: Welsh 49m, McGee full time

Goals: Stafford: Sambor 18m, Horan 40m, Da Silva 74m Runcorn: Buckley 47m, Miller 83m

Att: 1,330

Report by Chris Elsley