Trafford’s play-off hopes are all but over as they fell to a 2-1 defeat on Saturday, leaving them eleven points behind fifth placed Chasetown.
Karl Marginson’s side started brightly with Rio Clegg breaking clear in the 6th minute but hesitating and allowing a Rangers defender to clear. However, from the resulting corner, Hilal Khan played the ball short to Brad Byrne who struck a first time cross that was headed home by Cian Donohue.
Ryley Smith thought he had doubled his side’s lead in the 15th minute when he netted at the far post but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside decision against Rio Clegg.
The visitors’ first attempt on goal arrived in the 29th minute when a Dan Cockerline header was comfortably held by Ollie Culkin, deputising for the injured Sam Booth, and just a minute later Rio Clegg skipped past two Rangers defenders and struck a great shot that was heading for the top corner before keeper Leon Phillips brilliantly tipped it over.
Rangers winger Kaiman Anderson headed wide at the back post in a rare attack for the visitors and the first half ended with Rio Clegg firing weakly at Phillips from 15 yards.
The second half was scrappy for long spells with both defences on top and little goalmouth action.
However, in the 56th minute Trafford should have extended their lead when Hilal Khan and Rio Clegg linked superbly, the latter pushing the ball through to Ryley Smith who screwed his shot wide of the far post.
Jerome Wright’s appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears as he burst through and appeared to be pulled down whilst at the other end Rangers midfielder Ashley Fallon sliced a shot wide from 15 yards.
Trafford’s defence were once again in magnificent form but in the 67th minute the visitors levelled with a freak goal, Joe Thomas firing a cross from way out on the right touch line that flew over Culkin and in off the back post.
Rangers sensed victory and poured forward in search of the winner, Kaiman Anderson shooting weakly at Culkin before Mason Rees rattled the home crossbar with a rasping drive from 18 yards.
The game appeared to be heading for a draw when, in the 91st minute, Trafford failed to clear a corner from the right and the ball fell to James O’Neill who fired through the packed goalmouth and into the bottom corner from 15 yards.
This victory moved Rangers seven points clear of the relegation zone but extinguished Trafford’s dreams of promotion as they slip down to 10th place in the NPL West Division, and they now face a monumental task on Saturday when they travel to play much fancied, and in-form, Hednesford Town.