Stafford 1 Blyth Spartans 0

Stafford Rangers gave absent boss Steve Bull a boost by notching up only their second home win of the season, with only their second goal in front of the Marston Road fans so far.

With Bully away on business in the USA, assistant Chris Brindley drafted new loan signing Jimmy Philips into his 16 to tackle in-form Blyth Spartans.

The teenager, on loan from Stoke City, sat on the bench for the first 45 minutes before Brindley decided to use him – and thank heavens he did.

Philips whipped over a sensational 66th minute cross for his Stoke Academy club-mate Tom Thorley to volley the winning goal.

That it needed two teenage proteges, whose stay could be shortlived, to unpick a plodding Spartans defence, summed up Rangers' afternoon.

Brindley first tried the two Davie Macs up front, McNiven and MacPherson.

McNiven did make an exquisite backheel to Bobby Wilson just before half-time that brought a great save out of keeper Mark Bell.

This was another game Rangers should have won in a canter. Philips was only a whisker away from getting a goal on his debut just after setting up the matchwinner and McNiven was guilty of a glaring miss by lobbing wide over the advancing keeper.

They could have been made to pay, because in injury time Rangers other debutant, keeper Tim Sandercombe, escaped with a yellow card for tripping Robert Dale outside the box.

Rangers: Sandercombe, Pierpoint, Loukes, Thorley, Daniel, Amos, Palmer, Francis (Philips 46), McNiven, Wilson, MacPherson (55 Wellecomme).

Subs not used: McMahon, Ingram, Allen.

Att: 545