Late comeback salvages point for Rylands

By Garry Clarke

WARRINGTON Rylands scored twice in the last ten minutes to overturn a two-goal deficit and salvage a point at Stafford Rangers.

Substitute Sean Cooke curled an 89th-minute free-kick into the top corner of Stafford Rangers’ net ten minutes after debutant Osebi Abadaki had thrown his new team a lifeline.

Rylands struggled in the first half against a strong physical hard working team on a bumpy pitch and fell behind in the 10th minute. A long diagonal ball by Joe Willis found Jack Baxter on the left edge of the Rylands penalty area, he brought the ball down, cut inside and fired high into the net.

Rylands tried to respond with two crosses from the left into the Rangers area being taken with ease by the home side’s goalkeeper Callum Belford.

Stafford were reduced to ten men in the 20th minute when centre-back Ethan Stewart was red-carded by referee Tom Swift for a bad challenge on Dean Furman.

Despite being a man down Stafford continued to dominate and doubled their advantage in the 29th minute.

Tom Tonks has for a long time caused problems for NPL defences with his long throws into the penalty area, having managed to scramble away his first two attempts Rylands finally succumbed. He launched the ball into a packed penalty area, at the back post Joe Kenton directed the ball towards goal with his chest and despite Luke Pilling clawing the ball away the linesman flagged indicating the ball had crossed the line.

Another Tonks throw caused further problems for the Rylands defence in the closing minutes of the first half but diving at full stretch Pilling was able to punch the ball clear.

With Michael Clegg’s half-time words of wisdom ringing in their ears Rylands started the second half much better as their hosts sat back allowing them to have the majority of the ball.

In amongst a number of aimless crossed into the box which was comfortable dealt with by Belford, Mo Touray had a shot deflected wide for a corner and A-Jay Leitch-Smith had two shots saved by the Rangers goalkeeper, the second being a brilliant reflex save at point blank range.

As Rangers legs started to tire, Abadaki won the ball, surged into the penalty area and slotted it into the net of one of his former clubs to register the first goal of Clegg’s reign.

The comeback was completed with only a minute left on the clock when Cooke struck after Touray had been brought down just outside the area.

Mo Touray is fouled Picture John Hopkins

RYLANDS- Pilling, Neild, Duxbury, Furman, Egerton, Hockenhull, Abadaki, Sargent, Touray, Leitch-Smith (Cooke), Mustoe (Hindle). Subs not used Hunt, Wright.

STAFFORD – Belford, Burns, Dunne, Harvey, Stewart, O’Neill, Kenton (Saunders), Tonks, Anderson, Willis (Morrison-Derbyshire), Baxter (Blissett). Subs not used Onyeka, Morgan.

Goals Stafford Baxter 9, Kenton 29 Rylands Abadaki 80, Cooke 89

Referee T Swift Attendance 496

Jack Hindle congratulates Osebi Abadaki
Picture John Hopkins

This stunning freekick from @SeanGCooke rescued a point for the blues.#WeAreRylands pic.twitter.com/DTZEhpk89L

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) March 5, 2023

A debut goal from Osebi Abadaki got the blues back into the game yesterday.#WeAreRylands pic.twitter.com/AZWp7GD5iH

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) March 5, 2023