Video: Stafford Rangers 3 Gresley 1
Stafford Rangers boss Neil Kitching expressed satisfaction after his table-topping side overcame struggling Gresley by a 3-1 scoreline at Marston Road on Saturday.
The result keeps Rangers seven points clear of second-placed Shaw Lane Aquaforce in Evo-Stik Division One South.
The South Yorkshire team have three games in hand, starting with a tricky trip to play-off candidates Coalville Town tomorrow night (7.45pm).
Kitching said: "I was pleased with both the result and performance in what was a must-win game for us.
"It keeps it interesting from now until the end of the season. I thought that we controlled the game from start to finish and moved the ball around well.
"We scored three goals but it could quite easily have been five or six. We're everybody's cup final in this league and teams step up a gear when they play us, so I think that we did the job well.
"It's still all to play for and I am pleased with my players' attitude and approach so we'll see where it takes us."
In front of 784 spectators and a reunion of Boro's legendary 1970s FA Trophy heroes, Rangers went ahead in the 27th minute.
Defender Jermaine Johnson was on hand in the opposition box to convert Christian Dacres' headed knock-down.
Gresley struck back just five minutes later when former Rangers player Jack Langston caught Boro goalkeeper Adam Whitehouse off his line to score with a 25-yard free-kick.
But, after Ben Haseley restored Stafford's lead on the stroke of half-time, a second-half strike from Nathan Rooney sealed the points for Kitching's men.
