Recap

The Manchester club have enjoyed a good start to their season after being promoted from the North West Counties League and occupied 2nd place in the table at the start of play but they had little answer to the strength and pace of Rangers.

It took just 12 minutes for Rangers to get ahead. The provider was Beto Gomes who skipped past Vita Mbolokele before picking out Darryhl Mason for a close range header that Ryan Forde was unable to keep out.

Soon after, Mason forced an error in the heart of the Wythenshawe defence. The ball eventually came back to the Stafford man who fired across the face of goal where Scott Bakkor was inches away from converting as he slid in.

Rangers created a couple more half chances without seriously threatening the Wythenshawe goal but when Forde was called in to action, he proved equal to the task.

This was none more so than when Mason sent Jack Birch in on goal and Forde stood his ground to prevent Rangers’ leading scorer from increasing the lead.

Within the same minute, Wythenshawe created their first real opening of the game but Leon Phillips pulled off an excellent save to deny Luke Partington.

In the final minute of the half, an attempted clearance by Forde hit Bakkor but rebounded wide via the foot of the post.

Half Time: Stafford Rangers 1 Wythenshawe 0

Rangers extended their lead just a couple of minutes after the restart. Forde got his hand to a long throw from Tom Tonks but he could only push the ball out to Birch who hooked his shot into the back of the net.

But Wythenshawe pulled one back on 52 minutes with a quality long range strike from Partington. It was a shot from nothing but one that Phillips could do nothing about.

Back in the game, Wythenshawe now enjoyed their best period. Henry Carne headed over and Tonks had to take a yellow card to halt a run from Sam Adewusi.

A double substitution by Rangers saw the home side regain authority. An earlier substitution introduced Kyle Sambor to the action and he almost scored with a close range header following a Tonks throw but Forde was able to push the ball away.

Another sub – Ty Webster – did turn Birch’s shot into the net but was clearly in an offside position.

Wealth Da Silva wasted a great chance when put in by Andy Burns but, with just Forde to beat, he placed his shot the wrong side of the post.

Eventually, it was Sambor who put the game to bed on 88 mins. Joe Dunne won a high ball near the half way line to set Webster free. The ball moved from left to right and Sambor fired in from a tight angle after getting away from Mbolokele.

Webster could have added a fourth in added time, but again Forde was his side’s saviour.

Full Time: Stafford Rangers 3 Wythenshawe 1

Stafford: 1 Leon Phillips, 2 Beto Gomes, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Todd Ferrier (12 Ty Webster 78m), 5 Andy Burns, 8 Tom Tonks (18 Harvey Washington 90m), 9 Scott Bakkor (14 Wealth Da Silva 78m), 10 Jack Birch, 11 Darrhyl Mason (7 Kyle Sambor 63m), 15 Mitch Clarke, 19 Remi Efunnuga. Unused Sub: 6 Anis Zaknoune

Wythenshawe: 1 Ryan Forde, 2 Luke Partington, 3 Vita Mbolokele, 4 Joe Robbins, 5 Henry Carne, 6 Josh Dickin, 7 George Sankey, 8 Sam Adewusi, 9 Joel Mumbongo, 10 Finn Grady (17 Jack Banister 85m), 11 Darius Palma (14 Shahzad Sabree 40m). Unused Subs 12 Luke Worth, 15 Jake McLoughlin, 16 Chris Howard

Referee: James Astley

Cautions: Tonks 61m, Da Silva 88m (Stafford); Robbins 9m, Sabree 78m (Wythenshawe)

Goals: Stafford: Mason 12, Birch 48m, Sambor 88m Wythenshawe: Partington 52m

Att: 732

Report by Chris Elsley