Levi Reid backs Rangers to fire back

Stafford Rangers winger Levi Reid has backed the club's shot-shy strikers to bounce back from their FA Trophy exit and fire the team into form.

Rangers bowed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle for the third year in a row, after a 85th minute sucker punch from Neal Hooks saw them lose 1-0 at Blyth Spartans.

Tim Flowers' men had created the bulk of the chances away from home but were again guilty of some woeful finishing.

And when they did break through on goal, Blyth's 40-year-old defender Chris Swailes cleared Ben Mills' effort off the line, before Rangers finished with 10-men after right-back Martyn Naylor's red card.

Reid had gone close in the first-half after rising to head Fabrice Kasiama's cross but his header was gathered by goalkeeper Mark Gillespie, who initially spilled it, at the second attempt.

It was typical of Rangers' toil in front of goal at the moment but Reid believes their luck will change, with a quick chance to break their duck in tomorrow's Blue Square North clash at Vauxhall Motors.

He said: "We just haven't had that bit of luck you need in front of goal, but I am sure if we keep knocking on the door it's going to open.

"If we were playing badly and not creating chances you could understand, but everyone who has been to the games recently can see the improvement in us.

"Saturday was another case of that, one chance hit the guy on the line from about three yards out and I had a header that the goalkeeper spilled and then caught again - on another day that would have gone in.

"Everyone seems to be having chances and we have got lads who can still the ball in the net, but they don't seem to want to go in for us at the moment."

Rangers go into tomorrow's game desperate for points, after falling into the relegation places of the Blue Square North.

Manager Tim Flowers is still searching for his first win as boss but Reid insists the spirit in the camp is good.

He said: "We have just got to stick together, like we have done, and hope things turn around for us.

"Hopefully we can get a result tomorrow and take it from there."