Stafford Rangers 5 Quorn 3 - Report

The cup tie was a welcome break from the Northern Premier League for the Rangers who’ve struggled to find a victory in recent times - winless in their last nine league games to be exact.

But, Kaiman Anderson, Nathan Blissett, James Carvell and Simon Njaria restored some happiness to the Stan Robinson Stadium, with Stafford finding the net four times in a second-half flurry.

Despite a promising start for the home side, Quorn found the net first inside eight minutes played. Silvio Bello’s excellent strike from the edge of the box rattled the woodwork but fell kindly for Tyrell Shannon-Lewis who headed home past Cameron Belford.

Anderson was unable to cause a problem at the other end with his effort soon after with Niah Payne’s shot held too. Meanwhile, Rangers midfielder Simon Njaria continued to impress likewise to Bello on the left for Quorn.

After a quiet period, the home side earned a corner which eventually led to the leveller just past the half-hour mark. Ethan Stewart felt the full force of Charlie Woods’ attempted punch clear, and after consultation between linesman Ewan Patrick and referee Joe Cunningham a penalty was awarded to Matt Hill’s side. Up stepped top-scorer Kaiman Anderson to level the game firing past Woods who earned a yellow card for his error.

Nathan Blisset’s back-heal nearly led to a promising opporunity for Stafford before he was unable to scramble home from the floor, and the sides entered the break level at one-a-piece.

Just under five-minutes into the second-half, Quorn claimed back the lead through Paddy Webb. Defensive errors cost the Rangers allowing the striker too much time to pick his shot out into the top-left corner after twisting and turning through the defence which was initially stopped.

However, the away side weren’t infront for long, as Nathan Blissett headed home in the 55th-minute to level the game once again. James Carvell then added a third three-minutes later and claimed his first Rangers goal giving the home side the lead for the first time in the match.

Carvell’s strike was sumptuous and promted wild celebrations from the Shed End, before Simon Njaria extended the lead with a strike equally as good. The midfielder and star-man volleyed powerfully into the back of the net from Carvell’s corner, and Stafford pulled away from the visitors with 27-minutes to go.

Njaria added his second and Stafford’s fifth in the 75th-minute, with a goal that summed up his performance. Collecting the ball from a headed clearance, Njaria fired past Woods and provided Hill’s side with daylight heading towards an emphatic win.

Anderson looked for a sixth but was denied well by Woods’ dive before youngster Lewis Keeling was handed his Stafford Rangers debut.

Meanwhile, Webb added a consolation and well-taken solo goal for Quorn in additional time, but despite the away side’s best efforts the Rangers progress.