By Liam Price
Two late goals saw Stafford claim victory with a 3-1 win over Nantwich at the Stan Robinson Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Dabbers team was undoubtedly depleted going into this game. A lengthy injury list was hindered further by illness and the often overlooked factor of work commitments that came into play with this being a rearranged game from its original date.
AJ Kandeke started a Nantwich game for the first time, with new signings Will Smith and Collins Kagame on the bench. Both made their debuts in the second half.
With Kandeke on one side and Tom Tonks on the other, the game really was a celebration of the long throw in.
Stafford took the lead in the 34th minute through former Avro striker Darrhyl Mason with a near post flick into the net from a Tonks free kick.
10 minutes into the second half the Dabbers were level, and it was Callum Saunders with it from a free kick that he sent into the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season, and against one of his former clubs to boot.
1-1 was how it stayed until the 87th minute when a corner was turned in on the rebound by Mitch Clarke after the Dabbers failed to clear.
The Boro added a third just into stoppage time, when Anis Zaknoune, who’d only just come on, turned and fired in after a Tonks throw in was not dealt with, for a scoreline that most observers including those of a Stafford persuasion seemed to think flattered them and was harsh on Nantwich.
Manager Luke Goddard said afterwards:
“It was a cruel ending to gain not even a hard earned point away at a side that should ultimately win the league with the quality they have & momentum they are building as a club which I have huge respect for.
Given the bodies we had unavailable and lads having to play out of position or large minutes for the first time this season they were excellent. We didn’t deserve anything first half but second half we really asked the question and the Dabbers faithful that travelled to support will share the disappointment not to back that up with points.
Unfortunately that’s football and mistakes yet again have undone the effort. However our season won’t be defined on losing at Stafford Rangers, it will be in the next few weeks where it’s clear and obvious we must put wins together which we will and show a real resilience in dealing with any frustrations we have collectively in the early start to the season based on points.”
Teams
Stafford Rangers: Russell Saunders, Bebeto Gomes, Joe Dunne, Todd Ferrier, Andrew Burns (C), Kyle Sambor (Wealth Da Silva, 67), Tom Tonks, Scott Bakkor, Jack Birch, Darrhyl Mason (Anis Zaknoune, 87), Mitch Clarke
Subs not used: Ty Webster, Joe Thompson, Max Chimines
Goals: Mason (34′), Clarke (87′), Zanoune (90+1′)
Nantwich Town: Liam Hall, AJ Kandeke, Tom Graves, Joe Piggott, Harry Davis (C), Paddy Kennedy, Callum Saunders (Will Smith, 78), Ethan Hartshorn, Luke Enright, Josh Hancock (Joe Collins, 84), Ollie Pope (Collins Kagame, 68)
Subs not used: Zac Prior, Fenton Green
Goal: Saunders (54′)
Attendance: 783