Stockport County 0 Gillingham 1 ( Football League 2 ) 5 August 2023

 

 

 

 

County got off to just the start they did not want, going down1-0 to Robbie Mc Kenzies late goal in a frustratingly uninspiring game at Edgeley Park today.

Their opponents Gillingham were no more than obdurate.

 They defended well but had little to offer at the other end of the park and should have been fair game for a County side near the top of their game, but sadly they were nowhere near that level today their disjointed display lacking moves of sufficient quality to unravel the Kentish maze before them.

. Gills will be delighted with the win whereas County`s Dave Challinor is left with lots to ponder as he prepares for Tuesday`s clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Croasdale`s absence ( through injury) was arguably a key factor in the defeat but ,that said, there appeared to be enough quality players in County`s starting line up for them to do the job required of them, backed up by what I saw as a strong bench, but I looked in vain for the flowing moves that would undo Neil Harris`s side  instead – frustration.

Yes, Paddy did have a late strike ruled out, but I don’t blame the liner so much as our lack lustre attacking that left it so late. Louie Barry gave us a glimpse of what might have been possible, but he went off injured and despite trying hard thereafter County just could not find the cutting edge necessary for them to claim the points- Gillingham did and that was the game and the points lost!

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Back at 3 o`clock a mighty full-throated roar from the Cheadle End got County`s season underway but we were to see an unhappy trait in the visitors` approach to game management early doors as, after the exceedingly irritating Jonny Williams had seen his pull back from the by-line cleared by Knoyle, Tanto was clattered comprehensively as he broke clear by Shaun Williams the Gills skipper.

Referee Ben Speedie did what was required by booking the miscreant, but his job was done and County`s move thwarted as the free kick was cleared.

And two minutes on from that unseemly bit of Kentish skulduggery we saw more as Knoyle again had his head above the parapet, his good work  teeing Powell up to create mayhem only for him to be mugged by Max Ehmer.

It went on….Jonny Williams taking Camps out just a minute later .If a certain pattern was emerging in terms of Gills play another was also as County had made nought of their free kicks.

Then Gills steadily worked their way up the park where Shadrack Ogie`s long throw threatened a familiar frailty of ours- Horsfall headed this one clear though and stopped the rot for County.

For a time, Gillingham pushed forward but without ever suggesting that Hinchliffe might be in for a busy day.

It was a while before County replied via Camps who sent Rydel clear, but this raid was eventually nullified by weight of Gills numbers at the back.

It was the 12^th minute before a small ripple of excitement surfaced at the sharp end for County when Barry went one on one with keeper Jake Turner- the keeper only partially won that one and County kept pressing the move finally ending following good work by Rydel and Barry with Southam-Hales shooting wide.

A minute later the visitors replied but Camps did well to block George Lapslie`s progress. This did not stop Gills forward impetus- but Hinchliffe did, saving Jonny Williams` shot comfortably!

Another minute and Rydel sent Barry scooting clear but he had Ogie for company and the Gills man got a firm tackle in to deny the County new boy.Sadly nothing came of our free kick again.

County needed to make their set pieces count but again, on 21 minutes, they failed to do so once more after multiple fouls on Nick Powell brought us another fruitless free kick.

I thought that maybe County were stirring a bit thanks to Rydel`s input as he sent Tanto on a run but  he drifted ever wider and then picked Barry out with his pass the shot deflected for a corner that was again wasted by the blues. Barry had taken that, and I like what I have seen of him, but I repeat what I have said before that scoreable free kicks and most corners should be Rydel`s to take- a personal opinion obviously!

 

That was disappointing, and more followed almost straight away when another raid that saw Tanto break clear fizzled out tamely.

Beyond 30 minutes and Gillingham pushed forward again and Barry had to look sharp to concede a corner when worse threatened with Cheye Alexander on the charge in the box. The corner was good from Shaun Williams but so was Hinchliffe and his firm punch sorted matters for County- for now that is, as Gills were soon attacking again.

And it was Ogie very much in the midst of things for the visitors ( I made him their M.O.M by  affair bit) and he burst through beyond Southam- Hales – Horsfall doing well eventually to sort things for the blues and dampen the Gills attacking ardour .

At this point I will take time out to clarify my earlier remarks about Jonny Williams- he was a tedious bore of a player who today spent an inordinate length of time on the deck seeking free kicks and more- he largely missed that particular boat but it was a relief when he was eventually substituted- I think my words were “not a moment too soon!”

No matter at this point, 38 minutes in, there was the mother of all scrambles in the Gills box following a free kick for a foul on Barry- it was panicsville for the visitors with blue shirted forwards sensing a clear chance, but when it emerged it came off a defender and Turner did brilliantly to prevent his side going behind to a spectacular OG.

On it went, Gillingham replying through Malone whose speculative lob ended up the wrong side of the net ( for him and his team)….Sarcevic scuffing a possible chance wide for County , as we neared the break.

Smack on 45 minutes County flattered to deceive again from a free-kick won when Coleman earned himself a booking for a poor foul on Powell. Powell was on the ball again from the kick only for Southam-Hales to totally miss-read Nick`s neat pass.

Four minutes added time produced just one moment of note for me and that involved a well-crafted run by Rydel - and shots by both Rydel and Southam- Hales that missed out , keeping it at 0-0 as the teams went in at half time.

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Expectations were raised somewhat with County attacking the Cheadle End in the second half- Powell was centimetres away from getting a touch to a cross on 47 minutes, but it stayed 0-0.

Barry looked like he was up for starting something good for the blues, but Ogie again imposed himself on his plans with a fine blocking tackle 5 minutes into the half.

County were certainly showing more signs early on but Camps miss-read the situation passing to Barry who was back on his heels at the time rather than out wide to Southam- Hales who was infinitely the man to pass to.

The forward push continued from County with Tanto winning a corner from nothing – County piled it on from the kick seeing a header and shot somehow kept out by  the visitors back-line.

Yes, I told myself…County were upping the revs!

But Powell`s powerful shot was saved by the keeper after excellent work by Barry in the build-up.

Then a veritable screamer by Southam-Hales flew across goal and out with the same keeper beaten.

We hit the hour mark with Ogie receiving a booking for a robust tackle on Barry. I thought Ogie was unlucky to be booked for that one, but heck we had a free kick and Rydel upped and took it forcing Shaun Williams into urgent action heading clear- it was a dicey moment or two for Gillingham and again as a shot from Camps headed goalward where Coleman just managed to keep it out- Horsfall putting the loose ball over the bar!

That was slightly better than previously at corners, but it was still 0-0, and it suddenly looked to be about to go pear shaped on us as Barry `s run to the edge of the box saw him slip and incur an injury that ended with him being substituted- a wise precautionary move hopefully.

Madden replaced Barry which posed different problems for Gills, but it was Powell who showed first for County his surging run winning a corner.

Unsurprisingly perhaps this fizzled out, and Sarcevic cleared the bar with his follow up effort about 30 seconds later.

Back came the blues as a neat 1…2 twixt Sarcevic and Rydel won them another corner. County tried to do better with this but the combined efforts of keeper Turner and Coleman kept the raid at bay.

Sarcevic did do well to block a break from this by Nichols but in turn Coleman did the same to Tanto as County countered.

The end to end bit continued with a prodigious long throw from Ogie putting County under pressure, midst which Nichols earned a booking after hacking Southam-Hales down- the free kick eventually being cleared by Gills after a bit of a struggle.

Into the last 15 minutes of normal time we went then with County, through Madden, exerting increasing pressure and Paddy`s ball to Knoyle sent him clear but he was unlucky to see it hit the bar and fly out!

Wright came on for Camps at this point, but the next action was at the wrong end where Hinchliffe pulled off a tremendous diving save to keep Malone`s goal bound effort out. That was simply excellent from County`s number one!

County responded though, Turner doing well to get a hand to Southam-Hales cross on 83 minutes.

By this time Gillingham were busily using their substitutes to good effect and it had an impact just 3 minutes later via a foul by Knoyle on Nichols . Nichols will have taken massive delight at the free kick as he and Knoyle had had a running battle that skirted the rules at times during the match.

The free kick came out off the County wall but ran sideways to McKenzie ( one of Gills second half subs) who beat Hinchliffe`s dive with a fine finish sending 700+ travelling fans in the Pop Side significantly AS !

 

 

 

 

We were a goal down and might have been two had not Knoyle partially atoned for his slip up with a top class blocking tackle, as  Gillingham hit County on the break.

With 8 minutes added time announced County brought Evans and Richardson on for Southam-Hales and Horsfall.

Eight minutes was long enough for 2 County goals – I deluded myself into believing, but Turner gobbled Powell`s follow up from a free kick for Clarke`s foul on Sarcevic, and 4 minutes were gone.

Then 7 as the keeper spilled a Rydel effort under pressure …and then joy as Knoyles cross saw Madden beat the keeper to the ball and find the net.

It was the Cheadle End`s turn to go AS but midst all that the joy turned to apoplexy as we noticed that the liners flag was upraised presumably indicating offside.

The disappointment was too great even to protest, numbing to an extent but it was still 0-1 and we had to live with that, but we had a minute left!

Turner did well to beat Richardson to the ball in the box deep into that minute, and we were beyond the 8 now as Touray blocked   Joe Bgode on the charge for Gills.

There was still time, almost unbelievably, for us to go apoplectic again as Richardson was through this time and some will have thought his shot went in as the netting made waves as it does when hit by a ball, but it was the side netting, and we were still trailing and that`s how it ended sadly.

Lots of criticism in this piece but it is meant constructively.

It is Dave Challinor`s job to get us on track this season which is merely 1 game old as this goes out, so we all need a sense of proportion – give him time to get it right, and do not bet against us winning on Tuesday is my advice!

See you at Hillsborough then!

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle, Horsfall ( Richardson 90), Touray , Southam- Hales ( Evans 90) , Rydel , Camps ( Wright 79) , Sarcevic , Powell , Barry ( Madden 63) , Olaofe.

Subs not used: Smith , Byrne , Pye.

 

Gillingham line up :-

Turner , Alexander , Ehmer , S Williams , Lapslie ( Clarke 84) , J Williams ( Nadesan 68) , Nichols ( Gbode 97) , Jeffries ( McKenzie 68), Malone ( Clark 84) , Coleman , Ogie.

Subs not used: Morris, Chambers .

Attendance : 9116 ( 739)

 

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