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FC United aiming for play-off place against Stafford Rangers

FC United welcome Stafford Rangers to Gigg Lane on Saturday afternoon knowing that a win could put us into the play-off places for the first time since the beginning of September.

The Reds are looking to do the double over Rangers after beating them 2-0 on the opening day of the season at Marston Road thanks to goals from Matthew Wolfenden and Dean Stott. Karl Marginson’s side are on a good run of form, having lost just once in the last 11 weeks of Evo-Stik Premier Division action.

Whilst minds will be focused on the task in hand, many FC United supporters and players will be keeping a lookout for how our nearest promotion rivals are getting on. With Bradford Park Avenue facing a tricky trip to third placed Hednesford and Marine away at Stocksbridge, the Reds could potentially occupy the all important fifth spot in the table at 5pm on Saturday if they take all three points against Stafford.

Rangers have a very different squad to the one that saw them relegated from the Conference North last season and they have struggled to adapt to life in the Northern Premier Division. Their current form does not make for happy reading with four defeats out of the last five in the league. However, their away form is much better with three wins from their last five road trips, so United need to be wary of that fact.

Captain Kyle Jacobs is available to return after missing the last two matches for being sent off at Guiseley. The right-back has developed into one of FC United’s most consistent performers over the last 18 months but Paul Armstrong has filled in well during the suspension, capping his two appearances with the vital second goal in the 5-2 romp at Bradford Park Avenue on Bank Holiday Monday. Meanwhile, left-back Lee Neville will have to sit out two more matches because his mud throwing antics against Burscough in the Doodson Sport Cup were deemed to be worthy of a three game ban.

Margy is looking forward to another exciting encounter and hopefully another three points. He said: “We enjoyed a fantastic 5-2 win on Monday against Bradford, but after 20 minutes I was thinking the match could quite easily have gone the other way.

“We managed to play some good stuff on a very difficult pitch and I can’t wait for us to play like that on a decent surface, as we could be looking at quite a scoreline. It was a real test of our stamina and I think we came through it very well, leaving us full of confidence as we go into the New Year. Hopefully we’ll pick up where we left off on Monday and keep the push for promotion on the right track.???

FC United of Manchester versus Stafford Rangers is this Saturday with kick-off at the traditional time of three o’clock. It’s pay on the gate with the usual prices, £8 for adults, £5 for concessions and just £2 for under-18s. Get yourself to that football ground.


First Posted ~ 12:46 Mon 16 Jan 2012
News ID ~ 3979
Last Updated ~ 00:47 Tue 16 Feb 2021