Rangers wait on Karl Espley scan

Stafford Rangers defender Karl Espley will take his first step towards rehabilitation today after a two-month wait for a scan on his injured groin.

The 25-year-old came off at half-time on his debut in the club's first pre-season friendly against Port Vale on July 9 and has been sidelined ever since.

Rangers' medical staff feared the muscle had grown and attached itself to the bone and, after a scan, will know for sure.

Espley is one of two centre-halves yet to kick a competitive ball for the club this season but Grant Goodhead, who returned to training last Thursday, will step up his comeback this week.

Ryan Dicker must also sit out Saturday's game at Kendal through suspension but is eligible to play at Matlock tonight, where he will partner either captain Paul Donnelly or Luke George at the back.

Donnelly reverted to right-back for the win over Marine last weekend - Clowes' first league success since taking charge - with George moving into the centre.

Rangers will be looking to build on that success away from home tonight against the Gladiators, managed by former Wolves and Blackburn midfielder Mark Atkins.

Clowes said: "Matlock are fifth and Mark has had them hovering around in this division for the last three years, so he knows what he has got to do.

"They have had a good start to the season and the league table doesn't lie, but I feel we have played a lot better than the five points we have.

"We look a real threat, at the moment, we look as if we can go and score two or three goals in every game."

A blot on Rangers' copybook was another goal conceded from a set-piece last Saturday, a corner met with an unchallenged header in the centre.

But Clowes' men went on to grab a winner and beat Marine 2-1, which took their goal tally to nine in three games.

And the manager said: "It's not a quick fix and it's not a settled back four, I am not making excuses but all we are doing in training is working on it.

"The one thing we were working on doing two weeks ago was putting the ball in the back of the net and that has obviously worked."

Dan Skelton will miss out for Rangers tonight with an ankle injury, so Luke Chapman could return to the squad.