Coalville 2 Stafford 1
Stafford boss Steve Bull found out the hard way that FA Cup shocks don't befall only the professional teams.
Stafford boss Steve Bull found out the hard way that FA Cup shocks don't befall only the professional teams.
In this second qualifying round, Bully's team was deservedly beaten by a side 62 places and three divisions below them in front of a partisan Owen Street crowd of 410.
The competition is the Holy Grail to non-league clubs, providing chances to make money – this tie alone was worth £4,500 to the winners – and gain national glory.
That will have to wait until next season, despite Rangers going in one goal to the good at the break.
David McNiven produced a great effort on the stroke of half-time as he turned on the edge of the box and shot home.
If the away supporters thought their team would build on the lead, they were sadly mistaken. Almost immediately after the break, Carl Adams got the equaliser when stand-in Stafford keeper Tim Sandercombe could only parry Cameron Stuart's free-kick to Adams.
Adams then burst clear of the visitors' defence but sliced the ball off target. The home side continued their pressure and an outstanding winner came in the 63rd minute through Lee Miveld, who beat Sandercombe from the edge of the box after more good work from Adams and Swan.
Stuart went close to increasing the lead when his curling free-kick hit the bar. For Stafford, the closest they came to an equaliser was when Dave MacPherson forced a good save out of Coalville keeper Chris Gibson and then a McNiven header late on hit the bar.
Rangers: Sandercombe, Pierpoint, Loukes, Francis, Daniel, Wilson, Palmer, McPherson, Wellecomme, McNiven, Phillips.
Subs: Spalding, Reid, Dacres, Ingram (for Francis 54), Allen.