Rangers striker to face former club

Stafford Rangers striker Liam Shotton is set to get the nod ahead of new signing Neville Thompson against his former club Kidsgrove.

Thompson is likely to be among the substitutes tomorrow at the Seddon Stadium after joining this week, lacking in match fitness as he has become a father over the summer.

But Shotton will go up against the team he left to join Rangers at the start of the month, starting alongside Chris Budrys up front.

The two caused Port Vale problems in last Saturday's first pre-season friendly at Marston Road, with Shotton on the scoresheet in the 6-2 defeat.

Midfielder James Marsden also found the net as a late substitute and could be rewarded with his first start for the first team.

Management want to run the rule over Charlie Reeves, who played in midfield against Vale, in defence and that may open the door for Marsden.

Goalkeeper Tom Turner, a team-mate of Marsden's in the Rangers reserve team that reached the Central Conference Cup final last season, will also get his first chance to impress.

Turner will play a half against Kidsgrove, as will trial goalkeeper Gareth Barker, with current No 1 Danny Read rested.

Left-back Jon Sheldon is still out injured but is having acupuncture on his knee, although Sean Kinsella could return after pulling out of the warm-up last Saturday with a hip problem.

Three divisions separated Vale and Rangers but Greg Clowes' men are the higher placed team tomorrow, with both teams in the Evo-Stik pyramid.

And Clowes has told his side to show their Premier League class against their Division One South opponents.

He said: "We don't want to be banging it in the air all of the time, we have got to get the ball down to feet and into the front lads. That's what will be on the agenda next year.

"There will be no-one in this team who doesn't have quality, some of them may have more than others but they will all be fit, strong and wearing that shirt for a reason."