Stockport County 2 Bishop Auckland 0 ( FA Cup 4QR) 15 October 2016
County duly
earned their place in Round 1 of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory over Bishop Auckland of the Northern League, at
Edgeley Park today.
Bishop Auckland fans raring to go ! |
Two corking
strikes from the consistently excellent Danny Lloyd were enough to see County
through in a game that simmered but never quite came close to boiling.
Danny Lloyd ( Andrew Machin ) |
County’s
2-0 half time lead maybe, in some minds, was the prelude to a hat full of
County second half goals, but this, due to some fine defensive work from the
visitors, never quite materialised. In this respect Ross Colquhoon and Scott
Martindale, at the heart of the Bishops defence, were superb, keeping the blue
strike force at bay with top notch performances, and Andrew Bennett along with
Mike Hoganson were not far behind in the kudos stakes - both pushed on down the
flanks urging their colleagues to make in roads in the County lead.
County
pushed on too, but were never really able to close the game off- and the afore mentioned
defenders ( and an alert performance from keeper Edward Wilczynski) were the
primary reasons!
Edward Wilczynski- in good form ! |
For
County….Lloyd was Lloyd and might have had a couple more with a touch more
luck. Cartwright got his first start, on the left at the back, and this enabled
Minihan to switch flanks and take up his more accustomed position in front of
Ross.
Ross & Minihan working well off each other! |
Ross and Minihan preceded to make hay down the right, but with the
diminutive Hoganson in good form, the duo had to work extra hard for anything
in the way of chances. No one let County down today though….all in blue applied
themselves well to the tasks in hand and can be well satisfied with the result
of their efforts- a place in Round 1 Proper! For Bishop Auckland it’s back to
Northern League fare, and there is no doubting that they will again be in there
pushing for top spot on today’s evidence!
Away End...... |
At 3 o’clock
a crowd approaching 3000 took up their positions pending what was likely to be
a decent football match in my view.
A fair cop ? |
For some
reason however , others felt something altogether different was in the air as a
ridiculously large phalanx of police ( appropriately decked out in Bishop
Auckland yellow) occupied strategic points of the Railway End- four even made it
into the Cheadle End, but to what end I am not sure!
There was a
nice touch before the off as the two captains exchanged pennants – a nice tilt
of the hat towards a gentler…less thrusting age , in direct contrast to the
impression the police presence made!
Clarke- in control ! |
Clarke was
in early action ushering Ian Ward out of harms way on the end of the first of
many crosses from Hoganson. `Foot up’ by Alex Francis brought County their
first free kick, but this came back out again as the Bishops’ defence got
themselves organised.
Lloyd's free kick ( Andrew Machin ) |
They needed to as well because Lloyd looked to be super
charged and only the finest of saves ( with his legs)by Edward Wilczynski kept
him out, from Amis’s pass!
Wilczynski saves with lesgs ( Andrew Machin ) |
Stopforth’s
follow up was charged down, and a foul on Amis gave County a chance , from the
free kick, to make a bit of early FA Cup hay, but although going close the
blues could not claim the cigar.
Ball free kick. |
Both teams
applied themselves after this without either of them creating a chance, but
despite a couple of free kicks, County could not snatch the lead they craved.
County attack. |
Fifteen…sixteen
minutes had gone, and whilst County for the most part were on the attack, it
was still 0-0, and thus should the Bishops prove sharp enough to catch us on
the break, we could be toast!
As you may
already gather…I was in my now customary `apocalypse coming’ mode again , oblivious to the general
good vibes that abounded to the right left and centre of me. This mood was not
helped by keeper Wilczynski who again put his finger in the visitors threatened
dyke, advancing bravely to keep Amis from the ball beyond the box.
The throw
that followed saw Lloyd go close ,prompted by Ross, but with almost 20 minutes
gone it was still 0-0.
Smalley/ Montrose push on...... |
Bishop
Auckland , made their first concerted attacking move next, thanks to Bennett
whose run down the right won his side a
corner, but despite fancying it at the back post, Andy Johnson was denied by
clinical defending from Clarke. Dylan Elliott did manage to get a shot off a
minute or so later, but this went wide, and failed to trouble Hinchliffe at
all.
Stopforth (
and me) thought he had won a corner
shortly after, but apparently not…..and the consequence was that the
Bishops were able to put a move or two
together . Clarke again stepped up to block the first of these, denying Francis
the opportunity to get a shot off from a Bennett pass. Jeff Smith did better,
but found Hinchliffe’s dive sufficient to deny him. It was that rarity…a shot
on target however…so no doubt the visitors took heart from that!
County won a
corner via Minihan’s energy, but Clarke found his way to goal blocked by 3 men
and any chance was gone.
We were now
beyond the 30 minute mark, and although County definitely looked the stronger
team, Bishops were undeniably doing well- Hoganson particularly so …seeing a
shot charged down, and Montrose had to pull out all the stops to keep Johnson
quiet as he emerged with the ball.
Bishops raid in progress. |
It was still
0-0…..and then it wasn’t as Ross pinged a neat cross field ball over on the end
of a nice bit of pressure play from County, and up popped Danny Lloyd to rifle
home the sweetest of drives from the edge of the box! That was a terrific
finish, and County had that vital first goal, could they build on it?
Montrose was
taking some stick it must be said and again his frame took an unceremonious
clattering courtesy of Elliott, who got a yellow for his pains( or more
accurately…...............
1 Foul/ 2 Views ( Above-hedgie/ below- Andrew Machin.) |
......Montrose’s).County got the free kick but nothing more, and what’s
more they were hit on the break by Johnson. Clarke probably did enough to
instil an element of doubt in the forward’s mind as he got his shot off.....
Johnson shoots....... |
..... but
Hinchliffe added the killer in the form of a neat…neat save -
Hinchliffe make the save ( Andrew Machin ) |
-
adding an encore by catching the incoming kick with consummate ease.
Hinchliffe again ! |
Hinchliffe
was slightly discomforted next though, in so far as he could only parry Ward’s
shot, offering the rapidly advancing Elliott the glimpse of a chance. But it
was snatched away almost instantly as the County keeper quickly claimed the pill
much to Elliott’s chagrin!
That was
perhaps a crucial moment in the game as…within a minute, County had doubled
their lead thanks to another fantastic finish from Lloyd after great approach
play from Stopforth.
Goal coming up as Stopforth breaks ( Andrew Machin ) |
That was
enough to see us in at the break. Two nil was a decent enough lead, and I was
fully angst free now…..honest!
Greetings from Bishop Auckland fans ( Andrew Machin ) |
The second
half started at full pelt and Danny Lloyd almost had his hat trick – straight away-his snap shot just inches from
going in!
Ball then
stung the keeper’s hands with a shot, from an Amis prompt, but it stayed 2-0.
Ross was
busy at both ends of the park…..keeping Bennett’s cross from Ward at one end….and
then pinging throws and crosses himself over at the other. County kept getting
a steady flow of corners and free kicks but without converting any of them.
Ross free kick. |
Amis, who had come close at one point running onto a Ball ball(sorry about that
!!!!) was clattered by Martindale, who was doing a reasonably good job of
keeping tabs on young Josh.
Martindale & Amis tangle.... |
County were
wanting that possibly deciding third goal, but Wilczynski was adamant they
would not get it, and did really well to stop the predatory Clarke with his
goal threatened.
Carney came
on for Ball just before the hour mark, and I thought that was a good move on
JG’s part, but there was little time to ponder the why’s and wherefores of that
as Hoganson was still working hard at inspiring his colleagues in to salvaging
the game!
2 Views again ( hedgie top/ Andrew Machin below) |
It was to no
avail as County’s defence looked to not be overly disturbed, indeed Clarke had
time to wander up the field and come within a fag paper’s width of forcing the
ball home after Minihan and Amis had taken liberties with the Auckland left
flank.
Wilczynski to the fore... |
The visitors
were under the cosh somewhat now, but a small touch of good fortune helped them
out, with 20 minutes left. It started with a break by Amis, and a fine tackle
by Colquhoon that put a stop to it. Ross revived County’s forward push with his
throw, and it took a cool bit of work from Wilcyznski whose catch ended much
angst for his team after an attempted clearance by Hoganson had hit Minihan and
ricocheted goal wards at a rate of knots!
Keeper Wilczynski again ! |
It went
on…..Amis seeing a shot deflected for a corner…..Colquhoon keeping a Stopforth
cross from Amis….and Amis forcing the keeper to drop the ball over the line (
it was a free kick to Bishop’s, to no one’s surprise)
That man again ! |
On…on…..Amis
header from a Carney cross flies over the bar and Bennett worked wonders in
stopping Ross’s pass from reaching Stopforth at the sharp end.
Carney header.... |
Midst all
this…..the Bishops continued to try and play some football, and when they could,
work at putting a raid or two together themselves via Bennett or Hoganson.
Free kicks
and corners continued to mount for County, but despite Amis’s best efforts he
found Colquhoon too smart for him at times, and it stayed 2-0, although there
was some evidence now that one or two of the visiting defenders were cramping
up now- could they stay the trip with all the BA subs now out on the park?
Amis late on.... |
Nothing much
was coming back at Hinchliffe as the game entered the last 10 minutes. County
now had Meppen-Walter and Marsden on in place of Minihan and Lloyd, both of
whom left to ear splitting ovations!
Lloyd, so good again today ! |
Smith did
get an opportunity via a late free kick but this only served to give the County
keeper catching practise, and it looked like another clean sheet on the way for
the County keeper.
Smith's late free kick. |
It was not
long before County summoned their resources again and went after that third
goal, but….much as before Lady Luck was looking the other way again as Smalley
stabbed a shot wide. As for Wilcczynski…he was in his element….getting down
well to smother a strike from close in by Meppen-Walter. He followed this with
another fine stop from a Carney header- it was now very much on the cards that
Bishop Auckland would not concede again, and that would be reward for a fighting
performance!
There was
time for another long Amis run onto
another Carney through ball, that at last seemed likely to lead to a third
goal. But although Amis reached the by-line….and his ball back inside was
good….Colquhoon had the last laugh by getting to it before Marsden who was
approaching at speed.
That was
pretty much that, for a pretty decent game.
County well
and truly deserved this result and the Round 1 opportunity it brings with it,
whilst Bishop Aukland can be well pleased with their performance that belied
their status a couple of divisions below us.
Stockport
County line up:
Hinchliffe,
Ross, Clarke, Smalley, Cartwright, Minihan( Meppen-Walter 83), Stopforth,
Montrose, Amis, Ball( Carney 58), Lloyd( Marsden 83).
Subs not
used:
Smith, Rule,
Odejayi, Spencer.
Bishop
Auckland line up:
Wilczynski,
Bennett, Hoganson, Colquhoon, Martindale, Francis( Winn 66), Griffiths( Orritt
61), Smith, Johnson, Ward, Elliott( Nicholls 58) .
Subs not
used;
Thompson,
Jury, Madden, Pocklington.
Attendance:
2770
Ian Brown
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