Rangers 1 Exeter City 5
Stafford Rangers were left licking their wounds for a second time within a week.
Stafford Rangers were left licking their wounds for a second time within a week.
Another five-goal hammering from Exeter followed on from their FA Cup humiliation against Cambridge.
The difference was that this one was in front of their own Marston Road fans and being a league match, it really hurt their Blue Square Premier survival bid.
Rangers had keeper Scott Loach back on loan and gave a debut to latest loan signing Chris Humphrey, a winger with Shrewsbury.
However, manager Phil Robinson could hardly have legislated for a nightmare performance from one of his usually most steadfast defenders, Jimi Sangare.
Nor could he have predicted skipper Wayne Daniel getting himself senselessly sent off deep into injury time for handball in the box when the match was already long past a lost cause.
Daniel will now be missing from Rangers' win-or-bust showdown with fellow strugglers Droylsden in a fortnight's time.
Sangare's nightmare began in the 21st minute when he let Jamie Mackie escape his clutches and although Loach saved Mackie's shot, all Wayne Carlisle had to do was tap in the rebound.
Four minutes later, Matt Taylor headed home a corner kick unopposed – and Robinson pointed the finger of guilt at Sangare for that too.
But it was the Frenchman's third and final gaffe, just on the hour, which completed his bad day at the office.
At that stage, Rangers had fought their way back into the match with a superb goal from Kevin Street just before the break and at 2-1, it could have gone either way.
But then Sangare inexplicably failed to clear when in possession facing his own goal, Mackie took advantage once again and this time put his own name on the scoresheet.
The result already sealed, Exeter rubbed Rangers' noses in it with a second headed goal from Taylor four minutes from time and an injury time spot kick by Steve Basham resulting from Daniel's handball.
Rangers: Loach, Daniel, Sangare, Potter, Humphrey, Flynn (McNiven 62), Mawene (Draper 76), Street, Murray, Grayson, Smith (Youngs 88).
Subs Not Used: Alcock, Ingram. Att: 914.
