Stafford Rangers 0 Farsley Celtic 2
They all came to watch and welcome Steve Bull: Stan Collymore, Robert Plant, Lightning the Gladiator, Buster the Bull – and Stafford Rangers' biggest crowd of the season.
They all came to watch and welcome Steve Bull: Stan Collymore, Robert Plant, Lightning the Gladiator, Buster the Bull – and Stafford Rangers' biggest crowd of the season.
But the most important guests at the party failed to show up – Rangers' team.
The players who have been battling so hard over the past few weeks to try to turn the impossible dream of Blue Square Premier survival into a reality were nowhere to be seen.
And what had been built up as a blood-and-thunder relegation battle turned into a stroll for Farsley Celtic, Rangers' closest rivals in distress.
Rangers needed to win this one but, instead, they gave Farsley's hopes of surviving for a second season of Blue Square Premier football a massive boost.
A crowd of just under 1,900 turned up to welcome Bull and his arrival was milked for all the publicity value it was worth.
But after all the razzmatazz had died down, it was Farsley who put on the show that mattered.
Veteran goalgetter Steve Torpey headed them in front midway through the first half and a spot kick from Dominic Krief after the break turned Bull's party completely sour.
More importantly it meant a 10-point cushion between Rangers and Farsley, who also moved out of the relegation.
Bull, in his first match officially in charge, gave full debuts to Keenan Meakin-Richards and Courtney Shaw, as well as Liam Hughes, the on loan Wolves striker.
He also opted for a daring 3-5-2 formation, which backfired badly.
Veteran Neil Grayson's off target header from Matt Hazley's corner in only the third minute was the closest the home side came to scoring all through the game.
And Farsley took the lead on 25 minutes when winger Andy Watson left Shaw stranded and his centre was headed home by Torpey.
Rangers looked like a team drained by all the media attention and pre-match hype, which included the parading of a bull on the pitch.
Stafford's renewed burst of energy at the start of the second period didn't last long.
A half-hearted appeal for a penalty as Grayson went up for a high ball failed to impress the referee.
But there was no doubt in the official's mind about Ross Draper's foul on Iqbal in the other penalty box on the hour.
It came after a goalmouth melee and the referee pointed immediately to the spot. Krief sent Danny Alcock the wrong way – and that was that, game over.
Attendance: 1,853.
