County left
it late today, but came away with all the points at the Tameside Stadium
against a Curzon Ashton side that probably could not believe their luck when
they somehow snatched the lead late on.
The white
shirted blues had dominated play from the first whistle, and to let one slip
took the wind out of their sails for a while during which time, marshalled by
Alex Brown, and sustained by a series of rib ticklers from Andy Watson the home
side started to look a tad better than they had done previously.
But once
again JG’s substitutions were right on the money …
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| JG...on the money again with subs ( Andrew Machin ) |
….enter substitute Sam
Minihan ….and a brilliant diving header from him made it 1-1. Into added time
and with County striving for that win….it came when Michael Clarke served up
another `goal of the season’ effort that threatened to remove the netting from
its moorings, after a prodigious effort from Glen Rule, a half time substitute
for Ball, had kept County moving forward!
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| Clarke in the thick..... |
That was
simply brilliant, and no more than County deserved, and sent the large County
following home happy.
M.O.M ? I gave this to Scott Duxbury for a terrific
all action performance that supplemented the drive and energy of Danny Lloyd
magnificently.
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| Duxbury defends( Andrew Machin )....... |
For the rest…County’s defence were hardly tested before the Curzon
Ashton goal went in. The midfield and forwards worked hard pretty much
throughout but despite some good work from all the forwards….. 0-0 …….for a long/ long time looked likely to
be the outcome yet again….until that frenetic ending!
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| Amis works hard...... |
At this point I must
mention Josh Amis, and I saw some evidence today that James’ determination to
ignore the `sounds off’ about him and opt to continue to nurture a young talent
were working. Some definite signs today…and the goals will come eventually!
Back to 3
o’clock and it was good to see that CA had learnt from last season’s match.
This time around there was a larger burger van….and there was access, before
the game, to the bar for County fans- a neat bit of PR by the Tameside Club!
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| Marsden - a welcome return ! |
There were 4
changes in the County starting line up too …out went Minihan, Meppen-Walter,
Odejayi and Spencer, with Smalley, Stopforth, Amis and Marsden replacing them.
Straight off
Duxbury was in the mix and a cross from him was inches from Ball at the back
post.
The build up
to that last action had seen County on the front foot, with Marsden and Lloyd
buzzing around the CA box like a couple of oversized hornets!
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| Lloyd dazzles..... |
It was early
days, but the pressure was building on our hosts who were conceding rather more
free kicks in the process of defending the persistent County raids than you
would reckon to be healthy. One County free kick saw Chris Rowney settle for
conceding a corner, but the 5th minute came and went with
Stopforth’s shot crashing into a defender before being hooked clear.
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| Stopforth & lloyd press...... |
Smalley and
Montrose did well as Curzon briefly threatened, but it was soon back to Marsden
and Lloyd pushing on…putting their opponents in difficulties.
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| Andrew Machin catches Montrose in good defensive action ! |
The up-shot of
this was that Lloyd made it to the by-line before delivering a neat ball inside
to Ball, who was unlucky to see his effort charged down.
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| Lloyd in full flight ! |
Rowney then
did for a run by Lloyd…and Smalley returned the complement when Luke Clark
tried his luck on the break for CA.
For a short
while County’s opponents had a go, but Hinchliffe was not tested at all by
Jordan Wright’s finish after Smalley had stopped the initial thrust from
Romney.
Wright was
possibly miffed by that last ending to what had been a briefly promising move,
but in seeking recompense, his blatant dive failed to impress the eminently
impressionable Paul Marsden the referee. Mr M waved play on…and rightly so!
To be fair
to Mr Marsden though( who I thought had a good first half ) he was in position to award County a free
kick after Romney laid Lloyd out shortly after. The kick was pinged in by Lloyd
only for the referee to spot something and relieve the home side’s angst with
the oxygen of a free kick.
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| Lloyd fouled ( Andrew Machin ) |
It went on
with County still on the front foot, and Lloyd earning applause with his latest
run. CA were in a tizz next as Lloyd’s pass
was enhanced by Amis’s header on
that saw keeper Hakan Burton in difficulties as a hurried back header
from Watson came his way, with Marsden sniffing for scraps.
 | |
| OOps....nearly ! |
It went
on….Ball going close….County winning a corner which the keeper dealt with
calmly. The keeper was on his toes again within a minute as a header from Ball
looked to be goal bound, after a neat lay off from Amis had ushered Lloyd’s
cross onward.
On…..and a
header from Amis deserved better after good work from Duxbury in the build up.
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| Amis mixes it with Hunt. |
Curzon Ashton
were pinned back on the defensive for long periods of the game and only really
good defending from Jonathan Hunt
and series of distinctly iffy
challenges from other home defenders kept the score line blank.
 |
| Lloyd a none stop menace ! |
Lloyd was in
terrific form and was not far away more than once. Amis too was inches away
from opening the County account, following the neatest of moves involving
himself …..Marsden and Lloyd.
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| Marsden watched by Watson ..... |
`Surely a
County goal would not be long delayed’, but no sooner had that bromide entered
my head than Clark did his best to give me mental indigestion with a run that
took him clear of County’s midfield. Fortunately for County however…Duxbury
spotted the situation and forced his man towards the corner flag where he
expertly robbed him of the pill and delivered it up field.
County
resumed the attacking posture from earlier after that brief scare, Ross doing
good work to win a corner. Once more County went close, but without reward.
 | |||||||||
| Burton saves..... |
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| and saves again....... |
Amis’s
reward for a leggy run a minute later was a limb threatener from Hunt that saw
him chewing mud yards from the bulk of the County following who were now going
ever so slightly AS at Mr Marsden who satisfied himself with the briefest of
chats with the miscreant – his cards nowhere to be seen(cue unworthy thoughts
in my head of 2014/15 at Gainsborough when Mr M’s cards were never in his
pockets when he reduced us to 9 for not fouling our opponents)!
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| Mr Marsden ( Image by Andrew Machin ) |
Ho hum….I quickly
remembered my new season promise to be nice to officials, and watched glumly as Amis’s header went a foot
wide from the kick.
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| Close call for CA( Andrew Machin) _ |
County were
building a head of steam nicely now be it via a Montrose/ Lloyd combo that
saw Ball narrowly beaten to the ball by Burton, or a lovely Marsden through ball that oh so nearly saw Duxbury in……
We needed
one…just one of these promising moves to be converted to a goal, instead the 41
st minute saw Ross in urgent action ushering Hall out of the danger zone on a rare CA raid.
Well…..County
kept pegging away at it…..and Amis did well applying just enough to the Duxbury
throw that headed his way to see it on to Marsden who was inches from scoring
with Burton beaten.
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| Countys open terrace and seated fans( hedgeie above/ Andrew Machin below) |
That was
that for the first half, and when the teams returned Glen Rule was on for Ball
as County set about winning a game they had bossed throughout!
Stopforth
brought a save from the keeper within a minute of the re-start and I was
instantly galvanised!
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| Early shot from Stopforth. |
This feeling
persisted as County pushed on, and Curzon Ashton looked about to wilt in
response. A mighty push from the men in white and a goal looked on with the
ball bouncing about in the box, and an almighty cry of `handball’ went up as
Clark caressed the ball with his hand prior to dispatching it up the park. Mr
Marsden was about 5 yards away but gave nothing …..thus our hosts were gifted a
lifeline and we were dished!
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| County press |
I was not
happy with that last action and even less so 3 minutes on, as Watson scythed Marsden down 5 yards outside the box-
again the referee contented himself with a free kick- an abysmally bad call in
my view, and my mood was not improved when Lloyd’s kick sailed off over the
bar.
County were
undaunted….and so was Watson who launched himself at Montrose who was breaking
at speed from deep. It was another appalling foul and this time the referee was
moved to book the guilty party. But that should have been his second yellow, so
I was not placated!
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| Amis booked... |
Nothing came
of the free kick, but the referee was moved to book Amis as he and the
obnoxious Watson came together( marginally ) a yard outside the box. My lack of
regard for the referee was underlined when…after allowing the physio on to
treat Watson….the player was allowed to resume playing without leaving the
field of play- he was making the rules up as he went along……..AGAIN!
It was
revving up no end now as Rowney
clattered Lloyd to earn a card( who needs Fury v Klichko with Curzon Ashton
abroad?) The free kick again came to nothing , and with the hour mark upon us
thoughts of another 0-0 finish were in the air!
Duxbury was
busy doing his best to move matters on and a decent run from him was the
prelude to shots from Ross and Rule that were charged down midst a flurry of
attacking play from County.
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| County put CA under pressure.... |
A cheap free
kick offered County’s opponents relief, which was brief because Niall Cummings
brought us back to Fury/ Klichko stuff again by laying Stopforth out in front
of the main stand. Duxbury was flying from the subsequent free kick and a
corner followed, and then a shot from Lloyd but this missed the angle of bar
and post by the merest margin and it stayed 0-0.
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| Amis off/ Big K on ( Andrew Machin ) |
Odejayi
replaced Amis next, leaving the field to applause, and more applause followed
quickly on as brilliant play by Duxbury opened the home defence as I would a
can of baked beans! Imagine the thoughts
that abounded then in the minds of County fans present when the referee gave
Curzon Ashton a most valuable free kick!
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| Odejayi and company.... |
I was still
mumbling discontentedly into my none existent beard when Stopforth’s excellent
through ball saw Marsden thwarted by Watson’s last gasper. Duxbury would not
let the momentum die however and Burton did really well to keep the full back’s
shot out as it fizzed its way goal ward!
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| Close........ |
County had
battered Curzon Ashton for almost 70 minutes….no goal…but a bit of a battering
none the less, but Hall gave us a warning 69 minutes in bringing a good save
from Hinchliffe on the break.
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| Ross lines up a shot watched by Andrew Machin. |
We had been
warned……but things got worse thanks to
substitute Alex Brown who from central midfield spread play wide left to
Hampson whose first time cross was headed home from close in by Cummins!
Almost
unbelievably….we were 1-0 down, but within 5 minutes JG had responded swapping
Minihan for Montrose.
This change
did not immediately declare a dividend, indeed , with Ashton finding space and
time on the ball easier to come by now I was somewhat relieved to see Brown
lift his shot high and wide when relatively well set.
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| Montrose & Clarke.... |
When Clarke
had to look sharp to end a likely looking run from Wright, it began to look
like we needed to act quickly if the game was to be salvaged- in short County
had to regain the initiative they had briefly but ominously let slip!
Marsden was
doing his best, and a couple of good runs from him gave Burton urgent work to
do.
 |
| Marsden tests Curzon..... |
It looked
that County were building a head of steam again, with Minihan in the van, his
initial run with 8 minutes left repulsed by one of a bevy of outstretched
defenders legs. Back came Minihan, but again he saw his shot charged down, and
it looked for all the world that the move was en-route to being dead. Enter
Glen Rule who latched onto the ball and surged on into the box simply refusing
to release it until he saw Marsden then the pass was on….but there was still work to do as Odejayi beat Watson to the punch and played the ball back to Minihan who threw himself
forward to head it home in brilliant fashion!
Fan…tas….tic….it
was 1 -1 , and the result was that the spark was suddenly back in County’s
play.
Curzon
Ashton in response stuck to their game plan and Minihan felt its full effects
next as Hampson fouled him as he ran by at speed. The free kick was better than
today’s average and set Lloyd up for a snap shot that whistled past the far post with keeper Burton watching
helplessly.
 |
| Marsden again ! |
Could County
get the winner? A draw looked the more likely outcome as we headed for added
time with Hinchliffe saving from Howard.
We were deep
into added time and County did not care what was most likely…they wanted the
points….all of them….and great work down the right by Marsden gave this
possibility wings that were only briefly clipped when Watson swung a meaty leg at the ball and
lumped it clear.
 |
| shot blocked..... |
Briefly…because Smalley
was on hand to usher it back- his effort blocked by a line of increasingly distraught
defenders. The angst continued and went into overdrive for the home side when
the ball reached Clarke on the edge of the box and he smashed it straight back
from whence it came…past Burton and a clutch of players into the net- a truly
sensational goal, and a worthy match winner too!
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| 1goal/ 2 views ( Andrew Machin above/ Simon George below. |
In the time
that remained Curzon Ashton tried to get back into it but this was one circle
that was unquestionably un-squareable!
It stayed
2-1 ….the points were all County’s and rightly so!
County just
do not know when they are beaten, especially on their travels, which is
heartening for the tests to come. We just need some of the chances to be put
away, and we will be flying!
See you all
at Edgeley Park on Tuesday for Fylde and thereafter Saturday for the first instalment of County / Salford.
Curzon
Ashton line up:
Burton,
Tomsett( Brown 61), Rowney, Hunt, Watson( Ennis 94), Hampson, Howard, Clark,
Cummins, Hall, Wright.
Subs not
used: Mason, Baillie, Gorman.
Stockport
County line up:
Hinchliffe,
Ross, Smalley, Clarke, Duxbury, Montrose( Minihan 75), Ball( Rule 45),
Stopforth, Amis( Odijayi 65), Marsden, Lloyd
.
Subs not
used : Ormson, Meppen-Walter.
Attendance:964
Ian Brown.
