Shot-shy Rangers held in bore draw
Stafford Rangers ground out their second goalless Marston Road draw in quick succession.
Stafford Rangers ground out their second goalless Marston Road draw in quick succession.
After Saturday's stalemate with Droylsden, Rangers fans were sent home with another blank 90 minutes against Workington last night.
Rangers, in fact, have now made it three draws in a row as they inch towards Blue Square North safety.
But few supporters will be happy with the entertainment value, or rather lack of it, from this latest bore.
Amid the dross of kick and rush there were only two clear-cut chances for Rangers to add to their meagre Marston Road goal tally this season, at either end of the proceedings.
Nick Wellecomme, who has yet to score since his return to the fold, should have put that right in the ninth minute when he latched on to David McNiven's flick off Stuart Pierpoint's long ball. Unfortunately, Reds keeper Adam Collin came out to block at point blank range.
On-loan Christian Millar, playing his last game for the club, could have signed off in style four minutes from time. His sweetly struck shot from the edge of the box was superbly saved by Collin and McNiven was just beaten to the rebound by a defender in front of an open goal.
Workington too, however, had one moment of inspiration, Jonny Wright and Gareth Arnison linking up to set up the kind of unmissable chance Andy Cook will have nightmares about as he missed it.
At this level, players rarely have the nerve to take a 'dive' in the box for fear of becoming a laughing stock, so Arnison can consider himself unlucky to get a 27th-minute yellow card for falling over in a bit of rough and tumble. The Workington striker shrugged it off to test Tim Sandercombe a couple of minutes later.
The effort was there, but the passing, the crossing and the guile to open up defences was totally absent.
But Rangers are showing a resilience, especially at the back, that in the final reckoning might just save their skins. The game was watched by Rangers' lowest league crowd of the season so far, just 377.
Rangers: Sandercombe, Franics, Murray, Thorley, Daniel, Pierpoint, Clements, Moult (58 Millar), McNiven, Wellecomme, Wilson. Subs not used: Buckham, Magee, Dodd, Allen.
