Stockport County 4 Alfreton Town 3 ( Vanarama National League- North) 6 August 2016
After 7 days or so of sports coverage
from around the globe that has at times been more about chemicals than actual
sport, it was great to get to Edgeley Park and see something you could believe
in, in the shape of James Gannon’s Stockport County team.
James Gannon.(by Andrew Machin) |
They had a tough task on their hands
today in the shape of visitors Alfreton Town, who had not been beaten away from
their place since December last year, but for whole swathes of this game,
particularly before the break, there was largely only one side in it- County.
County cruised into a 2 goal lead
with goals from Danny Lloyd, who was a constant threat to the visitors, and
John Marsden.
Danny Lloyd- a constant threat ! |
With County well in control it was a massive surprise when Town
snatched one back via an effort that looked at least 10 yards offside. I hardly
had time after that to lapse into one as County scored a third via Kayode Odejayi almost immediately.
That should have been that ….but it
wasn’t, and when the visitors pegged it back to 3-3 we looked on for the kind
of shock best avoided.
To say that Town were physical in
their approach is rather like describing Donald Trump as a bit rude, and
they paid for this late on when adding time wasting to their repertoire. Off
for an early bath went Tom Allan as a result of
a bit of empty headed buffoonery with just over 5 minutes left to play,
which left County to grab the latest of
winners via an immaculate finish from substitute Gary Stopforth.
County had finally won a match that had looked
comfortably sewn up much earlier.
The sun was blazing above Edgeley
Park as the game got underway with a blast of Referee Simeon Lucas’ whistle.
It was the signal for County to pile
forward on the attack, with Lloyd a severe nuisance to Nicky Law’s team with
his nippy runs, egged on by Marsden and Duxbury. Down the other flank it was a
similar story as Minihan and Ross combined to make life distinctly
uncomfortable for the visitors.
County press.... |
The first 4 minutes were all County,
and the Alfreton reply, a minute later, saw Dan Bradley lift a poor effort high
into the Cheadle End.
Another minute……and we were one up
and it was an archetypal route one effort as well….started by a long punt from
Hinchliffe and put away by Danny Lloyd who was tearing into the Town back line
like a croc on a wildebeast.
It was 1-0…Lloyd having tucked the
half chance away brilliantly, and he was back again in no time at all giving
Doyle, and the auxiliary help he had with him 100% of the time, apoplexy with a
run that took him almost within sniffing distance of Fabien Spiess’s goal. The
ball inside, from Lloyd, was good, but, try as they might, Meppen-Walter and
others could not get a shot off.
Meppen-Walter worked hard. |
No matter…..back came Lloyd at the
double, and Niall Heaton did wonders to keep his shot out on the line!
This was high octane…fever pitch stuff
and no mistake, the excitement heightening when Minihan picked out Duxbury with
the slickest of cross field balls, after good work by Meppen-Walter had won
possession. It looked like another decent opening, but Town were back in
numbers and the move fizzled out.
Meppen-Walter & Montrose battle for it. |
On…on….it went with County continuing
the assault on Alfreton’s goal, as the neatest of flick on’s from Odejayi sent
Minihan darting clear. Keeper Spiess was clearly compromised when Minihan’s
final ball headed inside to where Marsden lurked, but somehow Brad McGowen
managed to save the day for his team and prevent the County forward from
getting to the ball.
County were camped in Alfreton’s last
third now , and with 15 minutes gone all the possession and pressure paid off,
and the crowd were ecstatic as Duxbury’s throw reached Odejayi , whereupon
another deft flick on teed Marsden up for the second goal that he slammed home with alacrity.
Marsden's goal ! |
County continued to dominate
proceedings and it was 20 minutes in before Alfreton managed a response, a header
from Allan that Hinchliffe dealt with easily.
Two views/ one catch - hedgie above/ Andrew Machin below. |
Momentarily …after this….Craig
Westcarr looked to be in with a chance as he made his way into the County box.
He might have shot….he didn’t…..he could have gone down looking for a foul…..he
didn’t, and Clarke and Ross did exceptionally well to not give him the
opportunity of either!
Mainly though it was still County in
charge with Marsden, Minihan, Ross and the live wire Lloyd taking turns to
probe and tantalise their opponents.
Again 2 views...hedgie above/ Andrew Machin below,. |
That said….the 26th minute
saw the Alfreton corpse twitch, via Paul Clayton, whose break was only cut short by the quick
responses of Michael Clarke. A corner
followed and a thunderous shot from Bradley that looked to be going in. It did
not solely because Hinchliffe treated us to a blinding save right out of the
top draw- a real match winner as it turned out!
Great save by Hinchliffe. |
That was not at all typical of
play….it was a bit of a shock…but not typical, and play reverted to type straight off after . As
I said earlier Lloyd had 2 on him, both of whom were having great difficulty
coping, except by somewhat dubious means, and 28 minutes in Lloyd’s latest run
was ended with him on the deck. The referee waved Danny’s appeals away
disappointingly!
Andrew Machin catches that`no pen' moment ! |
We were about 7 or 8 minutes from the
break now and the contest had been somewhat one sided but not a bad spectacle, except for the
propensity of the Alfreton team to lapse into the overly physical. It wasn’t so
much the full blooded crude tackle as the sly lean or tug of the shirt that had
a tendancy to send the BP soaring. In response we needed to be sure to punish
the offenders whenever possible, but following the latest foul on Odejayi, the
subsequent free kick was wasted despite a pre-kick conference twixt Marsden and
Lloyd.
The response from Town was immediate
but not that impressive and the best that Clayton could do was to hurl himself
to earth in the box and hope. The referee waved this appeal away too, and the
forward was perhaps fortunate not to be carded for the wobbler that followed.
Back came County ,looking to snuff
out any fight back, real or imagined, and Spiess made a good save to deny
Marsden. The ball stayed in play however and County’s luck was out again when
Montrose saw his follow up shot deflected onto a post by an unsighted defender.
Spiess spoils County raid. |
With Duxbury and Minihan getting
forward at will the pressure mounted on Alfreton as half time neared. Lloyd and
Marsden continued to offer no respite to the Town back line who just kept on
racking up the free kicks and bookings in reply.
It was getting boring though….the
sight of Marsden picking himself up off the deck having been put there
dubiously. We had just had another free kick for the latest Town indiscretion,
and not done much at all with it, when County lost possession allowing their
opponents to clear their lines. County were caught out for sure….but…that
said….there was more than a hint of offside when the ball was played beyond the County back line to the back post where Clayton forced it home from close in.
That was dispiriting and annoying in
almost equal measure, and there was barely no time at all left of the first
half in which to dwell on it. Err…except there was time enough for County to
hit their opponents on the counter through Lloyd whose cross saw Odejayi head
home off the under side of the bar.
Odejayi makes it 3-1 |
Wow…..what a finish to the half…and
it was the finish as the referee blew for the break pretty much straight off.
Cheadle End View |
The interval was enlivened by the
presence of top line band Blossoms who did the half time draw, and presented a
cheque to Stockport homeless charity The Wellspring.
Top Band Blossoms ! |
It was great to see the
boys who are such a magnificent advert for the town!
The re-start saw Alfreton replace
Doyle ( nerves shredded/ confidence annihilated) by switching Heaton to right
back , with Todd Jordan taking up the number 3 role.
County looked about to repeat their
first half display early on, and for Alfreton’s part …they were going to carry
on as before evidence Minihan who was sent sprawling unceremoniously just 2
minutes past the break . This earned Allan a booking, but the free kick saw
Jordan combine with keeper Spiess to keep Marsden out, so he may have thought (
at that point) he had done well by his team!
Marsden break..... |
Suddenly though….things began to get
a touch worrying, and Allan underlined my disquiet with a cross that fizzed its
way across the box inviting that scoring touch that never quite came!
County under pressure. |
I have not mentioned the long throws
yet have I? Well we had one to defend next and it was a belter that Allan met
sweetly on the volley to beat Hinchliffe all ends up!
Bugger….it was 3-2, and from looking
no hopers Alfreton were now looking very likely lads indeed and it was no great
surprise when ,just before the hour, they levelled things , and it was another
sweet strike leathered home from 25…30 yards by Bradley after a brief cooperation
with Cecil Nyoni, with County midfield standing off.
3-3 was now distinctly worrying, and
it signalled movement from the County bench where James brought Stopforth on
for Lloyd.
Both teams clearly must have thought
they still had chances of winning the game, but faced with a series of free
kicks neither could take advantage of the opportunities available.
One example of free kick blight ! |
The last 20 minutes saw Amis on for
Odejayi , who received a decent ovation from the home crowd. County’s rhythm
was not what it was in the first half, and the change was worth a try, with
Alfreton beginning to buzz a bit.
Amis battles on..... |
The Alfreton free kicks may not have
been any better than ours, but their long throws were a definite threat and
time after time County found themselves pushed back defending one, and
Hinchliffe did particularly well to scramble back and keep it at 3-3 with
around 15 minutes left with the latest cloud scraper heading goal ward.
Hinchliffe on his toes. |
With 12 minutes left Spencer came on
for Minihan….Alfreton countered with Garnett on for Westcarr, as we prepared
for a roller coaster finish to proceedings.
County were beginning now to ratchet
up their effort again , and Clarke was unlucky to see his shot fly inches wide
from a Meppen-Walter knock down, after Duxbury had picked the ex City man out
with a late free kick.
Duxbury on the ball. |
County continued to press…..Alfreton
didn’t……and they did worse than that…they opted to waste time most particularly
Allan who….having been booked earlier…..should have known better…he didn’t….or
just did not care….deciding to grab the ball like a peevish child and run away
with it with County about to take a set piece. The response from the referee
was inevitable and the second yellow that followed despatched the crestfallen
defender to the dressing room.
County press. |
There were only about 5 minutes left,
so maybe Alfreton could survive OK with 10 men…..and County do have a
reputation of not being particularly successful against teams reduced in
numbers!
No matter…it was `roll up our sleeves
time’ now and Duxbury tested the keeper with a strike….Amis looked to do
likewise not long after being denied by the slyest of fouls by Jordan that went
unpunished.
Foul ?! |
It was one- way traffic again and it
was all heading our way in Row R. Jordan found touch with Spencer in full
flight, and from the resultant throw, I thought we had snatched the winner
until Stopforth’s shot came back out off one of a line of defenders.
It went on….a Ross cross seeing
another Duxbury shot ping into Spencer rather than the back of the net. That
was unlucky!
Spencer- worth a run out ! |
Almost smack on the 90 minute mark Alfreton
rallied and Hinchliffe was under the cosh for a time as corners pinged in at
him with every chance of one of them spoiling
County’s day completely. They didn’t, and that was down to good
defending, but I looked on in a rage to see Marsden upended on the break by
Nyoni ,after Duxbury had broke clear from deep with the ball.
The free kick from Duxbury that
followed was blocked by the Town back line, but after Meppen-Walter had seen a
shot charged down, County had themselves another free kick thanks to a Bradley
foul on Duxbury.
Late County free kick. |
Somehow Alfreton kept the kick out despite the best efforts of
Meppen-Walter and Marsden .The chance looked gone…and then the ball carried to
Stopforth, who stylishly stroked the ball home through the crowded box.
Winner seen by Andrew Machin. |
Cue…..giant celebrations…it was 4-3
and the game had been won by the classiest of goals!
And Andrew Machin catches the celebration as well ! |
How good was that?
Very…very good…I say….and the referee
soon blew for time confirming that the points were all ours!
That was a good win…..not a perfect
display be any means, but 3 points against such a set of proficient
professional curmudgeons as Alfreton will do me, and no doubt James will work
on ironing out a wrinkle or two twixt now and Tuesday’s muck and nettles
encounter with Stalybridge Celtic.
See you there then!
Stockport County line up;
Hinchliffe, Ross, Duxbury,
Meppen-Walter, Clarke, Smalley, Minihan( Spencer 78), Montrose, Odejayi( Amis
70), Marsden, Lloyd( Stopforth 59).
Subs not used:
Ormson, Carney.
Alfreton Town line up:
Spiess, Doyle( Jordan 45), Heaton,
Allan, McGowan, Nyoni, Wilson( Kennedy 87), Westcarr( Garnett 81), Clayton,
Bradley, Monkhouse.
Subs not used:
Smith.
Attendance: 3008
Ian Brown
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