Rangers suffer in Staffs derby
Stafford Rangers suffered only their second league defeat of the season with a 2-0 reverse at Leek Town.
Boro who sit pretty at the top of Evo-Stik Division One South were beaten thanks to a goal in either half by Tim Grice sending Neil Kitching's side to their first defeat since October.
It was Boro who started buoyantly after their victory against Chasetown on Boxing Day with Nathan Rooney, Peter Till and Stuart McNaught all firing wide early on.
On 12 minutes the Boro thought they had made their pressure pay when Sam Griffiths crossed to Christian Dacres to turn the ball home, but the pacey winger was judged to be offside. Against the run of play The Blues got the opening goal a minute later when a long-ball over the top found Grice whose shot took a deflection before finding the net. Despite seeming to struggle against their mid-table opponents Rangers claimed for a penalty on 37 minutes when Josh Craddock rose to meet a Matt Wood cross and seemed to have been pushed, but nothing was given.
Rangers improved in the second half and Craddock had two chances to bring his side level, firstly he failed to connect with a Dacres through ball and his second chance was saved.
Again Kitching's side were hit with a sucker punch on 73 minutes when Grice slotted home his second of the day after finding space between the two centre-halves before shooting under Adam Whitehouse to confirm the win.
Rangers: Whitehouse, Griffiths, Johnson, Daniel, Wood, Rooney, McNaught, Craddock, Till (Thomas 67), Haseley (Cater 67), Dacres.
