Rangers to start season at Boston

Stafford Rangers will undertake a rare trip to play the resurgent Boston United when the Blue Square North season kicks off for 2010/11 on August 14.

Boston, who were a Football League club as recently as 2007, are back in the divsion after winning promotion at the second attempt from the Unibond League, through the play-offs.

Rangers have not played at York Street in league action since 1992/93 when both were in the Conference, the season their hosts were relegated in bottom place and the Marston Road men went on to claim a club-best sixth position.

Now they meet in the Blue Square North for the first time and it's a long trek for Chris Brindley's men, a 230-mile round trip, for the opening day fixture.

But the manager, who watched his side lose 1-0 at home to Hyde United in the curtain raiser of 2009/10, would rather have one tough away-day over and done with early.

He said: "It doesn't really matter who you get in the first game, it's a long trip to Boston but it's a long season and you have to play them all at some time. It doesn't make a lot of difference really, you prepare the same for every game.

"It's the same in every league for every team."

The big derby match for Brindley's men comes in the form of another double header against AFC Telford, starting on Boxing Day and finishing on New Year's Day for the third season in succession.

This time Rangers welcome their local rivals first, as they did in 2008/09, with the return at the Bucks Head to open 2011.

The local rivals have won one each over the two fixtures for the last three years.

Brindley added: "It's every year now and how the league works, you have your best local derby on Boxing Day and New Year's Day."