Rangers complete clean-sheet cup run

STAFFORD Rangers steamrollered their way to the Sentinel Cup at the Britannia Stadium last night.

Rangers dominated the competition from start to finish, bagging a hatful of goals and conceding none in four ties en route to the final.

It was a similar story in their fifth outing as Longton were ruthlessly swept aside by their under-18 counterparts from down the M6.

Already leading 2-0 by the break, Stafford left Longton trailing in their slipstream by claiming three more in the third quarter to truly kill the contest.

Victorious manager Mick Hathaway said: "Not conceding in the competition was our main aim.

"We tried to get Ashley Phillips his hat-trick, but he kept fluffing his lines and we brought him off in the end. But at least he got the man-of-the-match award. I've now won this Cup as a player and a coach, which is very pleasing."

Opposite number Chris Kent admitted: "Stafford were better in every area, but we couldn't have wished to end our season better than playing here."

The clock had yet to tick to 10 minutes by the time the fleet-footed John Hodnet had skipped a tackle on the right and centred for Dan Armitage to belt home.

And there was a touch of deja vu about their second 11 minutes later as Hodnet was involved in similar territory when the ball was pulled back and dummied to leave Charlie Jones sweeping inside the keeper's right-hand post.

Longton could have buckled, but stuck to their task so well during the remainder of the first half that their goalkeeper was only really sweating on two further occasions.

He was grateful to see Hodnet drag his shot wide following Sean Gough's fine intervention near the half-way line. And Gough himself seemed certain to score in the 35th minute when teed up for a shot that was deflected.

Longton's attacking play was tidy and frequently convincing during the opening 45 minutes, but unfortunately their finishing was lacking.

Jordan Burrows saw a side-footed effort grabbed by Stafford keeper Dan Allen, while Ritch Shankland and Josh Hammersley shot straight at the keeper.

Rangers were quickest out of the blocks in the second half when a chipped free-kick was headed against the inside of a post by Ashley Phillips to confound the keeper. Five minutes later Phillips stroked home Gough's fine ball from the right. A fifth wasn't long in coming as Phillips headed a corner goalwards and saw Kieran Ellis touch home after the keeper had blocked the initial effort.

Longton's misery was complete when sub Josh Davis accidentally diverted a right-wing cross past his keeper.

GOALS: Armitage (9), Jones (21), Phillips (49,54), Ellis (65), Davis (og,90)

LONGTON HARRIERS: Wain, Statham, Jones, Hall, Bloor, Ford, Hammersley Pritchard, Conroy, Shankland, Burrows. Subs: Hughes, Davis, Gibson, Reid..

STAFFORD RANGERS: Allen, Bell, Kroll, Armitage, Ellis, Wain, Bettany, Jones, Hodnet, Gough, Phillips. Subs: Tonks, Humpage, Doody, Gough, Warren.

Referee: A Mapperson (Stone).