Rampant Rylands in seventh heaven

by Garry Clarke Pictures John Hopkins

“It was coming,” Rylands manager Michael Clegg said after his sides emphatic 7-2 win over Stafford Rangers at a cold, wet and windy Hive Arena.

“There’s been some games we’ve won and drawn where we’ve missed a lot of chances but today, they went in,” said a jubilant Clegg.

In an initial feeling out process both sides got the ball into their opponent’s danger zones without looking like scoring before Joe Adams opened the scoring in the 9th minute.
Cutting inside from the right and seeing the defence open up in front of him he unleashed a vicious shot from 25 yards which swerved in the air leaving Rangers keeper Cameron Belford flapping at thin air as the ball crashed into the net behind him.
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Belford saved a Ben Hardcastle shot from the edge of the area shortly afterwards but was unable to prevent Adams from doubling the advantage in the 21st minute by finishing off a well-worked corner routine.
Stafford desperate for points to aid their fight against relegation pulled a goal back 4 minutes later; Kaimen Anderson received the ball on the edge of the area with his back to goal, turning his marker he fired home.
Adama Sidibeh restored Rylands two-goal advantage in the 40th minute turning the ball into the net after Hardcastle had crossed into the box.
Both sides traded chances in the opening exchanges of the second half, with Anderson ending a good run by shooting over the bar, while Mo Touray fired a free kick over Stafford’s bar and Belford did well to block a Sidibeh shot from close range.
Adams completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute when his long-range free-kick flicked off the wall wrong footing Belford who was left stranded as he watched the ball sail into the net.
Sidibeh nabbed his 2nd in the 62nd minute, DJ Pedro broke down the left, slipped the ball inside for Sidibeh to slot into the net and Mo Touray finished off a good move, in which Sidibeh and Hardcastle combined, to hit Rylands 6th goal two minutes later.
James Baillie rounded off the scoring for the home side, picking up the ball around the halfway line he raced into the Stafford penalty area to fire home Rylands 7th goal in the 79th minute.
Anderson scored a late consolation goal for Stafford in the 84th as Rylands recorded their highest-ever score in the NPL Premier Division.

Joe Adams is congratulated by Ben Hardcastle

WARRINGTON RYLANDS: Pilling Smith Swaby-Neavin Neild Regan Furman (Hough) Adams (German) Hardcastle (Baillie) Pedro Touray Sidibeh; SUBS: Uche, Butler

STAFFORD RANGERS: Belford Bird Kamga Moult Stewart Burns McMahon Njaria Blissett Willis Anderson; SUBS: Leitch-Smith Endacott Payne Ford Woods

Referee Ryan Aldred Attendance 391

MAN OF THE MATCH selected by Jobfinity = Joe Adams