Udoji fit to return for Rangers

Stafford Rangers defender Manny Udoji has declared himself fit to return to the side after injury at play-off chasing Eastwood Town.

The 21-year-old sat out Tuesday's 1-0 defeat against Redditch with a groin strain and has not trained all week, after being instructed by management to rest up at his home in London.

Grant Goodhead replaced him in the second-half against Alfreton last Saturday after the player initially suffered a knock and again in midweek but, after time off to recover, Udoji has handed Rangers a fitness boost ahead of the trip to Coronation Park tomorrow.

He said: "During the game against Alfreton it felt like my groin was going to go, and if we had risked it I could have been out for the rest of the season, so the decision was made not to take any chances.

"It was just heavy bruising really, but it needed time to go down."

Udoji feels that Rangers can stun the sixth-placed Badgers, despite a disappointing defeat at home to relegation-threatened Redditch in midweek.

He said: "That is the thing with us, we rise to the challenge. The better the opponents, the better we play. The bigger teams want to come out and play and so do we, because we are a footballing side.

"We will do well tomorrow, I am sure of it."

Udoji could be needed immediately at the back, as Rangers were still locked in negotiations today to see if Eastwood will allow on-loan defender Craig McAughtrie to play against them.

Full-backs Andre Francis and Jon Patrick are also doubts with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while captain Nick Wellecomme sits out the last match of a three-game ban.