Rangers captain rated '50-50'

Stafford Rangers captain Lee Downes has been rated as '50-50' for the FA Trophy tie at home to Bradford Park Avenue.

Downes hurt his Achilles and ankle in last weekend's defeat at Blyth Spartans and missed the trip to Wolverhampton Casuals in the Walsall Senior Cup.

Christian Dacres started in his place for that 3-1 win on Tuesday in his first start after returning from a knee injury and could keep his place on Saturday.

Strikers Karl Ashton and Dean Oliver are both cup-tied, so top scorer Danny Quinn and Fabrice Kasiama will lead the line as they did at Casuals.

Darren Alexander could be another forward option on the bench having missed the midweek game with a groin strain, but there are defensive issues.

Ryan Dicker had five stitches in his shin after the Casuals game and is a doubt with two other centre-halves, Luke George and Karl Espley, also out injured.

Jimmy Turner could again be shifted into the centre with winger Peter Heler coming in at right-back, as Alex Forde is injured and Levi Reid is suspended.

Rangers take on the Blue Square North new-boys, who were promoted from their league last season, having seen off lower-league Rugby Town after a replay.

Manager Greg Clowes: "It's roles reversed, we have played the lesser lights in the cups so far and they rolled their sleeves up, we have to do the same now.

"We have got to be fully on it, Bradford play a certain way and are a footballing side, like we are trying to be, so it's a big game.

"We can take encouragement from the fact we beat them at our place last season and our home form has been OK since then."

Clowes has watched in awe of the job his opposite number John Deacey has done at Park Avenue and wants to emulate his feats.

The Rangers boss said: "I am a big admirer of their manager, he's got them promoted and to the first round of the FA Cup.

"That's what I want to be doing at this club but it doesn't happen overnight. I am a long way off that, at the moment."