Rangers duo passed fit to join squad

Stafford Rangers duo Dan Skelton and Kevin Street will return to the squad for the visit of rock-bottom Burscough to Marston Road.

But defender Ryan Dicker today emerged as a doubt with a calf strain, with Karl Espley on stand-by to replace him at the back.

Skelton's miraculous recovery from what looked like a bad hamstring problem has, in the end, kept him out for just three weeks.

The utility man could even start tomorrow's Evo-Stik Northern Premier League game, as his void on the left wing has yet to be filled.

Street was filling in but missed last weekend's 3-1 defeat at North Ferriby United with a knee injury, although he is also fit again.

They are back as Rangers host a Burscough side waiting for the axe to fall, with their relegation all-but-confirmed.

The Linnets were reprieved from the drop last season due to Ilkeston folding and are some 19 points from safety this time.

However, Rangers boss Greg Clowes won't let his mid-table side take their opponents likely, after watching them recently.

Clowes said: "I watched them against Northwich last week and, in the first-half, they outplayed them.

"Once the goal went in, you could see the confidence drain out of them and they lost 2-1, but I was impressed with them for an hour.

"They are not going to lie down, they will see this season through to the end and they are going to give us a tough game.

"But the league table doesn't lie and I want three points for Stafford Rangers, irrespective of who we play.

"I have made it very clear that if you go on a bad run, you could drop down this league like a ton of bricks.

"There's a lot of managers in a lot of leagues now who can't wait for the season to end, that's not the case for me.

"I don't want to chuck the towel in, I want to finish the season off right."