New Windmill Ground
Saturday 11th July 2015

Stafford snatched a late winner in this first outing of pre season for both clubs courtesy of substitute Ryan Wynter's header.

The tempo of the game was as you would expect with both sets of players feeling their way back into things after the summer break. Leamington were without the likes of Jack Edwards, Tony Breeden, Ben George and Ben Mackey, while summer recruits Ross Oulton, Rob Ogleby and Jake Jones were all in the starting eleven, along with the returning Jamie Hood.

There were few chances of note for either side over the course of the afternoon, and while a couple of late challenges caused brief flare ups there was little to trouble referee Ben Cooke.

One of Stafford's new recruits Ben Haseley was the first to try his luck at goal, the prolific former Halesowen Town man firing across goal and wide of the far post, but he had his first goal in his new colours on 17 minutes when he was allowed ample time and space to fire a shot past Lewis Fenney in the Leamington goal.

Jake Jones had already drawn appreciative applause from the home crowd for a positive run up the left wing, and he levelled things up on the half hour, latching onto the loose ball after Jamie Tank's shot was blocked to crash his shot high into the net following a free kick.

Ogleby missed a good chance to put Leamington in front when he headed wide from a central position in front of goal, and he sent Brakes' best chance of the second half a whisker wide of the upright after being set up by Jones.

Stafford substitute Jazz Luckie fired straight at Fenney after a good turn, but there was one final chance for the visitors, keeper James Wren playing a free kick into the box which was missed by the advancing Fenney and headed into an empty net by substitute Ryan Wynter.

Leamington: Lewis Fenney, James Mace, Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda © , Jamie Hood, Jamie Tank, Ross Oulton (14 Josh Micklethwaite, 73), Richard Taundry, Rob Ogleby, Lee Moore (12 Ellison Porter, 78), Jake Jones (15 Reece Mitchell, 83)

Subs not used: 16 Matthew Warner, 17 Martyn Naylor, 18 Trialist, GK Matt Hill.

Stafford Rangers: Adam Whitehouse (James Wren, 46), Sam Griffiths, Alex Curtis, Tom Morris, Leon Miles, Jermaine Johnson, Judd Ellis, Nathan Rooney, Nick Wellecomme, Ben Haseley, Alex Melbourne.

Subs: 12 Dan Cope, 14 Jazz Luckie, 15 Ryan Edmunds, 16 Luke Male, 17 Ryan Wynter, 18 James Dance, 19 Christian Dacres, 20 Wayne Daniel, 21 Stuart McNaught.

Attendance: 242

Referee: Ben Cooke

Assistant Referees: Ryan Williams & Ian Croston