Tim Flowers ready for Rangers' run

Stafford Rangers manager Tim Flowers has told his players to relish the tough run ahead in December when the team return to action.

Last night's postponed game with Eastwood and the weekend call off at Harrogate will make it a two-week enforced break going into Saturday, provided the home game with Workington does not suffer the same fate.

But those left on the schedule for 2010 and going into the start of January will test the mettle of Flowers' men, who currently occupy the second relegation place, with Rangers facing the current top three and fellow strugglers Worcester in the next six Blue Square North games.

Any prospective rearrangement with the postponed fixtures is unlikely to happen before the New Year as Eastwood and Harrogate play in the FA Trophy first round on December 11, which is Rangers' one free Saturday left in 2010.

After that Rangers will face Guiseley, home and away games with local rivals AFC Telford either side of a trip to Worcester, before a home game with current league leaders Alfreton on the Bank Holiday Monday of January 3.

If all of the games go ahead, it could be a punishing series of tests and Flowers has told his team to be ready.

He said: "As Martin O'Neill once said to me, 'bed yourself in boys!'

"If you are playing football, you are in the game for the tests that are coming up, like going to AFC Telford on New Years Day in front of 2,000-odd fans.

"Anybody who thinks that experience is too big for them, knock on my door and don't play! That is what you should want to do, always be better and against the better teams.

"These games are where you showcase your abilities."