Four games in seven days for Rangers

Stafford Rangers manager Greg Clowes today expected a physical test when a tough trip to Whitby kicks off a hectic schedule of four games in seven days.

After Wednesday's call off at Buxton, Rangers move on to North Yorkshire tomorrow as they travel to face the relegation-threatened Seasiders.

Nantwich - who currently hold the eighth place berth where Clowes wants to finish - then come to Marston Road on Easter Monday.

The re-arranged match at Buxton will take place next Wednesday night, before they meet again in the corresponding fixture next Saturday.

The Rangers boss is expecting his squad to be stretched so much he might recall midfielder Michael Morton from his loan spell at Norton United.

But defender Luke George and winger Peter Heler are chasing recalls and are available to start in any of the four fixtures coming up.

And 6ft 3in striker Matthew Jukes will start tomorrow as Clowes looks to match the hosts - who have lost one of their last five games - for muscle.

He said: "Whitby can be as good as anybody in this league and we are playing an in-form team on their own patch tomorrow.

"But we know what our players are capable of - the good, the bad and the ugly. That's what makes it so frustrating.

"I am told they are quite a tall side who are a threat at set pieces, so I have got to take a lot of things into consideration.

"It's a long trip and I don't want to get caught cold up there, I want to get a foothold on the game and get three points."

Clowes is also treating Monday's game as a revenge mission, after Rangers lifelessly lost 2-0 at Nantwich in December.

He said: "We owe the fans a performance against Nantwich, because we are absolutely appalling up there on Boxing Day.

"That was, by far and away, our worse display of the season."

A fixture pile-up has heaped more pressure on Rangers, who will play four of their five remaining games over a seven-day period.

But Clowes knew of how bad the conditions were in Buxton yesterday as he lives in North Rode, just 14 miles away.

He said: "It's not ideal, especially with how tough this league is from top to bottom, and we have got five cup finals left.

"All the teams we are facing have something to play for and I am still looking for that eighth spot.

"There's no reason why we can't get there."