Rangers 1 Histon 1

Veteran Neil Grayson kept Stafford Rangers' revival right on track with a precious point-saver at Marston Road last night.

The 42-year-old veteran came off the bench after half time to change Rangers' fortunes against long-ball specialists Histon.

It was Rangers' fourth point from their last two matches and Phil Robinson's outfit were desperately unlucky not to have taken a maximum haul.

Despite falling behind in only the third minute to a spectacular John Kennedy volley, Rangers kept their nerve and slowly yet surely imposed their will on a Histon side who bore all the hallmarks of their coach John Beck. Beck rose to fame as boss of Cambridge United when he took them to within a whisker of the Premiership with a style that gave Route One a good name.

Now a mentor of a village team that has risen to dizzying heights in the football world, Beck has the aptly named Adrian Cambridge to hurl in long throws and deliver free-kicks and corners.

Cambridge supplied the throw that was headed on for Kennedy to score - and that was about as good as the first half got.

The second half was a different matter altogether. Chris Flynn replaced the tiring Dave Oldfield and Rangers began to make inroads.

When Histon's Roscoe Hipperson pulled down Marco Adaggio as the young striker raced clear in the 64th minute, the straight red card was not a game-changing dismissal, but a symptom of the fact that Rangers had already changed the balance in their favour.

In a tactical switch, Grayson immediately replaced the workmanlike midfielder Ross Draper and 10 minutes later, Fred Murray swept in a left wing cross for Grayson to net his first goal of the campaign.

For the rest of the game, Rangers were all over Histon.

In a contest virtually of shots-in, Adaggio, Grayson, Djimi Sangare, Sutton and Murray all found a foot or backside in the way of goalbound efforts.

And despite an added five minutes for Histon's blatant time-wasting tactics, a point was all Rangers had to show for their efforts.

Two games undefeated might not sound much, but it has put Rangers within touching distance of the Blue Square Premier safety mark.

Rangers: Loach, Avinel, Daniel, Sangare, Murray, Sutton, Draper (Grayson 66), Oldfield (Flynn 55), Street, McNiven, Adaggio.

Subs Not Used: Alcock, Ingram, Hopkinson.

Histon: Naisbitt, Pope, Hipperson, Ada, Gwillim, Okay (Barker 89), John Kennedy, Cambridge, Knight-Percival, Akurang (Wright 76), Murray (Langston 66).

Subs Not Used: Osborn, Haniver.

Referee: S Cummins (Frodsham).

Attendance: 705