Season: 2025-2026

2025-2026

Trafford FC vs Stafford Rangers

Trafford made it two wins in four days with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Stafford Rangers at the Away Day Care ShaweView Stadium on Saturday.

Manager Tom Baker fielded the same starting eleven that had performed so heroically in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Lower Breck and they made a bright and confident start on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Despite monopolising possession, the hosts had to wait until the 19th minute for their first attempt on goal, Charlie Frost heading an Izac Khan cross goal wards that Rangers keeper Scott Moloney held at the second attempt.

The game was a contrast in styles with Trafford attempting to play neat possession football whilst their opponents relied on long balls out of defence and the massive long throws of centre back Jimmy O’Neill.

Baker’s Boys were desperately unlucky not to take the lead in the 34th minute when Kyle Worsley struck a thunderous drive from 25 yards that cannoned back into play off the crossbar with Moloney saving brilliantly as James Butterworth tried to force home the rebound.

And from the resultant corner, Rangers were fortunate once more when Ollie Southern saw his header clip the crossbar and fly over.

The visitors were a little more adventurous in the second half and in the 53rd minute Dylan Scott fired a first time shot wide from just eight yards before home keeper Harvey Bardsleypushed a Marsel Tola volley from 25 yards past his left hand upright.

Moloney tipped a 20 yard dive by Charlie Frost over the crossbar and then a goal bound header by skipper Harry Norris was cleared off the line by Rangers defender Luke Edwards.

Kyle Worsley looked a constant threat on the right flank for the hosts and in the 79th minute the deadlock was finally broken when his corner from the right was headed in at the back post by Norris.

Four minutes later the home fans were stunned when Rangers forced the equaliser, slack marking at another corner resulting in Matthew Hearsey heading past Bardsley from just seven yards.

Things could have been even worse for Trafford when, in the 85th minute, John Atherton was clean through but, with only Bardsley to beat, he fired hopelessly wide of the right hand post.

Trafford substitute Bile Ahmed made several piercing runs down the left wing as the hosts pushed forward in search of the winner and they were rewarded for their enterprise in the 89th minute when Ahmed coolly fed Charlie Frost who crashed the ball home from just six yards.

Referee Matthew Friend signalled five minutes of time-added-on but Baker’s Boys held on comfortably to their lead, led by a towering performance by skipper Norris, and this win moved his team into third from bottom place in the NPL West Division still five points from safety.

However, Trafford now face three tremendously difficult games, visiting in-form Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday, before entertaining Runcorn Linnets on Good Friday and travelling to Avro on Easter Monday.

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Trafford FC vs Lower Breck

Trafford turned the form book upside down with a remarkable 4-0 victory over fourth placed Lower Breck, a result that moves them off the foot of the NPL West Division table for the first time since August.

Manager Tom Baker gave debuts to teenagers James Butterworth and Izac Khan and the youthful and energetic Trafford side set the early pace, taking the lead in the 10th minute when Mackena Bradshaw fed Kyle Worsley who stepped inside his marker and struck a great low drive into the far corner.

A Worsley cross from the right just evaded Charlie Frost and then Trafford skipper Harry Norris headed a free kick wide before another teenager, goalkeeper Harvey Bardsley, came to his team’s rescue with a superb double save from Breckdanger man Sam Burns.

Nathan Corness skipped past home left back Jack Sloan but shot hopelessly wide and an exciting and eventful half came to a close with James Butterworth flashing a drive from 25 yards just wide.

The visitors were well on top in the opening minutes of the second period and when Corness broke clear on the right in the 50th minute Bardsley produced the goods once more with another brilliant reflex save.

In the 54th minute, and with virtually their first attack of the second half, Trafford struck again when James Butterworth was pulled down by Jordan Barrow and Charlie Frost coolly stepped forward to plant his penalty past Patrick Wharton and into the bottom corner.

And the Trafford fans were in dreamland five minutes later when Butterworth outpaced the Breck defence on the left and coolly slotted the ball past the advancing Wharton to make it 3-0.

Charlie Frost then squandered two golden opportunities to make it four when he broke clear of the visitor’s defence but on each occasion saw his shot deflected wide for a corner.

Breck showed great fighting qualities with Danny McKenna striking the foot of the post from a right wing corner, Harvey Bardsley twice producing fine saves to thwart the mercurial Burns and Dilon O’Callaghan nudging a cross against the right hand upright.

But it was to be Trafford’s day and, despite some rather sloppy play in the closing stages, Kyle Worsley capped a fine individual performance to complete the scoring in the 85th minute, rounding off a slick five man move with a tremendous low drive inside the far post.

This wonderful victory means that Baker’s Boys move off the foot of the table at the expense of Wythenshawe Town but they must now refocus their efforts on this Saturday’s fixture in which they entertain Stafford Rangers at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3 p.m. 

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Shifnal Town vs Trafford FC

Despite dominating the game for long periods, Trafford missed several gilt-edged chances and fell to a defeat that leaves them two points adrift at the foot of the NPL West Division table.

Tom Baker’s side made a bright start with Matt Davies particularly prominent and in the 19thminute a great curling drive by Kyle Worsley was tipped over by Town keeper Andrew Wycherley.

Wycherley then comfortably saved a Davies volley from 20 yards before the hosts took the lead in the 36th minute with their first attempt on goal, Macauley Taylor collecting the ball just outside the Trafford penalty area and cracking a sweet shot into the bottom corner past Harvey Bardsley.

A Harry Norris header from a Worsley corner was scrambled past the post by Wycherley but fortune was on Trafford’s side shortly afterwards when goalkeeper Bardsley struck a clearance against Town striker Whttingham who coolly netted the rebound, referee Owen deeming the ball to have struck the forward’s arm and disallowing his effort.

On the stroke of half-time Trafford almost snatched an equaliser when Kyle Weston crossed from the right and Charlie Frost glanced his header inches wide of the upright.

The second half belonged almost entirely to Trafford as they launched attack after attack with the hosts continually frustrating the vociferous visiting fans with their blatant time-wasting.

Kyle Worsley shot weakly at Wycherley from just 15 yards following good work by Bile Ahmed and then another Charlie Frost header was easily held by the home keeper.

In the 67th minute Trafford substitute George Unsworth floated a delightful cross to the back post but Matt Davies miskicked from close range.

Charlie Frost saw his shot deflected wide as the Trafford pressure mounted and George Unsworth should have done better when he fired past the angle of bar and upright from 12 yards.

However, the best chance fell to Charlie Frost in the 75th minute when he stretched to convert from just two yards but under pressure from two Town defenders fired over!

Yet another good chance fell to Kyle Worsley three minutes from time but his goal-bound effort was deflected wide and the final whistle arrived to signal yet another desperately disappointing result for Baker’s Boys.

Trafford are in action on Tuesday night when they entertain Lower Breck, kick off 7-45 p.m. before playing host to Stafford Rangers on Saturday, kick off 3 p.m.

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Trafford FC vs Kidsgrove Athletic

Trafford produced a magnificent second half performance to stun Staffordshire based Kidsgrove, Charlie Frost leading the way with a sensational four goal haul.

Tom Baker’s side got off to the worst possible start when, after just 90 seconds, Nat Morley found himself in acres of space and lashed a half-volley past Sam Booth and into the far corner.

Trafford’s response was immediate and they levelled in the 4thminute, Charlie Frost breaking clear in the inside right channel and firing past the advancing Ryan Brown.

Both teams committed players forward in search of further goals with Grove looking particularly dangerous from a number of corners, Jack Howse heading down and over the crossbar when completely unmarked, and Sam Booth saving a Josh Thorpe header at the near post.

Thorpe then appeared to upend Levi Welsh but Trafford’s penalty appeals were ignored and on the stroke of half-time Sam Booth produced a fine save to deny Georgie Jenkins and keep the scores level.

Manager Baker roasted his side during the half-time interval for their disappointing first half performance and they came out for the second half in a completely different frame of mind.

Dana Amaral shot weakly at Brown from 25 yards and in the 53rd minute the hosts stormed ahead when Matt Davies and Brad Byrne combined to release Charlie Frost who strode forward to fire inside the near post.

Trafford were now well on top and Grove keeper Brown produced two spectacular saves to thwart a Kyle Worlsey free kick from 25 yards and a close range header from Bile Ahmed.

On the hour mark another incisive attack by the hosts ended with Levi Welsh being pulled down from behind and Charlie Frost stepped forward to drive the resultant penalty into the bottom corner to complete a superb hat-trick.

Matt Davies wasted a great opportunity when he cut in from the right but the scoring was completed in the 84th minute when Frost broke clear of the Grove defence once more and slipped the ball past the hapless Brown.

Trafford defender Scott Sephton rather foolishly pulled a Grove forward back in the 89th minute, earning himself a second yellow card and a subsequent red, but the final whistle arrived to signal an absolutely crucial victory for Tom Baker’s side, a result that moves them to within two points of next-to-bottom Wythenshawe Town.

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