Rangers boss is up for a testing time

Stafford Rangers manager Greg Clowes was today steering his ship through choppy waters in January but insists his side are up to the test.

Saturday's trip to FC United of Manchester precedes two more tough away games, at play-off chasers Marine and Chorley.

A home game against fellow strugglers Stocksbridge Park Steels at Marston Road is sandwiched between them, with Clowes' men slipping down the table.

Back-to-back defeats over the festive season has left Rangers in 15th place of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League and just five points off the relegation places.

To halt the tide, one of the big guns will need to fall and Clowes is confident that can happen, because of his belief in the players.

He said: "We have got to start getting some results, because the league table suggests that we have to now.

"We are in a season where we are trying to fit all of the parts of the jigsaw together and I don't think we are that far off.

"We have to be positive about things, I am aware of where we are but I am not worried about where we are.

"I believe in these players, we have still got 18 games left and we have all got to stick together.

"The more people doubt us, the more we will be determined. This is a massive test and we are up for it."

The Rangers boss is not expecting the opposition to get any easier from February onwards, either.

Title-chasers Chester and Northwich come in the second month of the year and Clowes is expecting a rough ride.

He said: "We don't want to go into the last month of the season in a relegation scrap and we have got a tough four months ahead now.

"We have got FC United of Manchester, Marine and Chorley in the next four games, three teams who could get in the play-offs quite easily.

"We have also got Stocksbridge, who are now making a move, you will find a lot of the bottom clubs will now start making a move."