Rangers boss fuming at Grantham

Stafford Rangers manager Greg Clowes was unhappy with the physical approach of Grantham in the 2-2 draw.

Both sides finished the match with 10 men and there was a plethora of yellow cards as the second half threatened to boil over last night.

Clowes said: "What I have issues with is some of their tackles. One on Kevin Street should have been a straight red, one on Luke Bottomer wasn't good. There were a few that were distasteful."

But Clowes was also critical of his own side for allowing Grantham back into the match after taking a two-goal lead.

He said: "I felt we should have been 2-0 up, it was a sloppy goal to give away. People say you're at your most vulnerable when you've just scored and what we should have done is hold the line for five or 10 minutes."

Rangers scored with their first attack of the match, Simon Everall beating the offside trap, rounding the keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net.

They doubled their lead as the same player glanced a corner in at the near post.

However they allowed Grantham to hit straight back as Martin Ball put Ben Saunders through and he lobbed the ball in.

Stafford's Karl Espley saw red after hauling down Karl Demidh who was through on goal. From the following free-kick they failed to clear and Grant Brindley levelled things up.

At that point the home side looked favourites to go on and win but Demidh soon followed Espley down the tunnel for a second yellow.

Grantham: Lindley, Puricoe, Potts, Brindley, Jacklin, Watt, Lewis (Nwadike 86), Ball, Demidh, Saunders (Battersby 90), Magee (McGhee 80). Subs not used: Carchedi, Higginson.

Stafford Rangers: Read, George, Brown, Walshe, Espley, Carr (Street 49), Turner, Downes, Everall, Bottomer, Pitt (Dicker 59). Subs not used: Kassiama, Forde, Alcock.