Stockport County 2 Harrogate Town 2 - ( Vanarama National League- North) 12 August 2017
County came
back from the dead today to earn a share of the points with unbeaten full
timers Harrogate Town at Edgeley Park.
It was a
superb , typically James Gannon side performance from the blues, who in the end
would not have been flattered had they snatched a third to add to Jason
Oswell's second half brace, after a heart warming comeback after the break.
Oswell -sharp as ever.... |
I say `heart
warming' advisedly, as the first 45 minutes had seen the blues stretched beyond
reasonable limits by a side clearly thriving on full time training and up to
make it 3 wins in 3 at County's expense. Two brilliantly taken goals from Simon
Ainge seemingly putting the game way beyond County's reach.
Clarke/ Smalley deal with early pressure. |
JG's chat at
half time I am guessing sorted any thoughts in that direction as the blues
second half verve and energy completely discomforted a North Yorkshire side
that had looked well in charge up until the re-start.
Minihan M.O.M |
In this
respect ,Sam Minihan was in superb form, and deservedly ran away with the M.O.M
award, although having said that , two goal Jason Oswell might have other
thoughts, but there again having benefited twice from Minihan's power play, so
maybe not.
I liked the
input of Hampson and Cowan when the chips were down, and also the added grit and
b***s Harry Winter brings to the County party is really adding something to
build on this term going forward.
Winter - impressive( Andrew Machin ) |
Back at 3
o'clock , County took the field without Darren Stephenson, who was not on the
bench, but with Sam Walker welcomed back in the number eleven shirt. This saw us
form up with 3 at the back Cowan , Clarke and Smalley with Hampson and Minihan
offering a five when needs must.
36 Minutes for Sam Walker. |
It was not
long before Harrogate stretched their full timer's legs in County's half and some impressive
passing saw them notch up a free kick, a long dangerous throw and two corners
in rapid order.
Thankfully Clarke marshalled the County defensive response
perfectly and Hinchliffe was not unduly bothered by this early action.
County under pressure. |
County did
find time to launch a response to all this, and a neat move initiated by Minihan and Winter , saw Ball unlucky with a
snap shot that was no more than a foot wide.
Ball- combative ! |
It was 5
minutes before any further ,goal worthy , action occurred and again it came
from County with Minihan once more in the van stretching the visitors rear
guard to the limit.
Minihan's pass created
space for Warburton, but his shot was charged down by Josh Falkingham. A corner
followed ,then another, as Hampson's run and cross saw Walker and Warburton
foiled with efforts on goal.
Warburton & Burrell vie for ball( Andrew Machin ) |
If that was
good, we really and fairly obviously needed to make all our chances count ,
with Town apparently intent on adding to their run of wins. But instead Joe
Leesley was able to scurry clear and almost open the scoring- his shot taking a
wicked deflection en-route goal. Hinchliffe was probably wrong footed , but
made light of this with a coolly execute catch to calm County's anxieties.
It went on
with Harrogate building a head of steam up, and Jack Emmett was unfortunate to
see his shot ushered off the line brilliantly by Smalley!
Chris Smalley caught by Andrew Machin. |
Harrogate
looked in impressive nick alright, and there was more than the odd intake of
breath on Row R as Ainge was denied in
the box with just a hint of good fortune
on County's part.
Clarke stops Ainge. |
That was
worrying.... but I felt my worries lifting like a sheet on a line in the
windiest of days, as Oswell scooted clear past his man 15 yards inside the Town
half.
Oswell on the ball.... |
It was a clear chance in the offing , but somehow the main stand liner conjured
up a free kick- earning great derision waving his flag, presumably indicating
`offside'.....ludicrous!
Stand Side Liner. |
Back came
Harrogate through Ryan Fallowfield who was in oodles of space out on the right
flank. In no time he crossed a near perfect ball to the back post where Ainge
was in position to meet it.
The forward was just half a yard out, but just
could not put the definite chance away, thus Hinchliffe grabbed the ball and
ended County's concerns.
Hinchliffe busy.... |
County were
still trying to get something moving, but Harrogate were immeasurably quicker
to the ball and they used it better too , and Ainge demonstrated this again by
turning defence into attack neatly before gifting George Thomson with a pass to
dream of. Thomson was away and should have done better, instead he lifted the
ball high and wide to the disappointment of the meagre crowd in the far side of
the Pop Side who had made the trip from North Yorkshire. At this point I ask
for your forbearance as I feel a rant coming on- just what do some people need to coax them to
follow their team- apparently for Town followers, being top of the league and
unbeaten just does not butter any Yorkshire parsnips at all!
Miserable turn out from Harrogate !! |
some parsnips |
And they
missed a decent goal too.... it looked anything but a Harrogate party with
County pushing on - Minihan's cross just kept out by Fallowfield. Another cross
followed from Minihan with the same result along with some tenacious play by
the much maligned Jimmy Ball.
Jimmy Ball ( Andrew Machin ) |
It was all building nicely with Walker adding his
two pennyworth seeing his shot charged down. Then in classical style County
were caught with the back door wide open and Ainge took full advantage nipping
through to finish with real aplomb!
We were one
down then....and within another 5 minutes the deficit became 2, when Ben Parker's
left footed cross picked out Ainge unerringly
at the back post, and he planted his header across Hinchliffe into the far
corner of the net.
Half an hour
gone- 0-2 down, there was some unease in evidence around Row R now , and
Harrogate did nothing to ease things for us forcing a series of corners.
James
responded by replacing Walker with McKenna
with just under 10 minutes remaining of the half. McKenna was again
quickly to the fore, and two crosses from him seemed to distinctly discomfort
Town ,who then proceeded to give away a free kick some 10 yards out.
McKenna |
It looked a duplicate of
last Tuesday's Warburton classic......but it wasn't to be I'm afraid as
Warburton lifted a really poor kick into our midst.
Free kick lined up.... |
....and missed. |
Both teams plugged
away in the remainder of the half without success , the nearest being a Thomson
effort that required a save of Hinchliffe.
Cheadle End ( Andrew Machin ) |
Going in
just 2 down in some ways felt a half decent position based on how play had
panned out, and then ...there was always JG's chat to invigorate his charges,
so nil desperandum then!
County were
4 at the back upon the re-start , and referee Steven Copeland was in early
action awarding the blues a free kick as Falkingham went through Oswell .
Add caption |
Nothing came from the free kick, but not long after something might have , as
Warburton's run out of defence saw Oswell go close after good work from the busy
Minihan.
County clearly had added a changed attitude to the different
formation now, and Winter did well, 10 minutes after the break, to rescue a
lost ball before picking Minihan out with an immaculate pass. Minihan was off,
cutting inside before releasing a beaut of a pass that Oswell put away with consummate
ease.
Oswell Goal....1-2 (Andrew Machin ) |
It was 1-2
now and was I at all mistaken...were Harrogate looking a tad rattled ?!
I think they
were...... and keeper Jim Belshaw did well to advance out of his area to deny
McKenna , after Hampson's hard work and Warburton's innovative flick on had set
him up.
It went
on with Minihan in dazzling form down
the right flank, and Warburton inches from putting the cross away.
County close.... |
Yes....
Harrogate were rattled...and showed no sign of snapping out of it as Hinchliffe
went long sending Oswell away. Good move
for sure, but Ben Middleton undid us by pulling Oswell to the ground. He was
booked, and County got the free kick but nothing came of it , which was
disappointing as County ,in my view anyway, were worthy of an equaliser.
Oswell and Middleton get acquainted... |
Panto time
came next as Oswell was involved in a minor waving of the handbags, which
perhaps surprisingly resulted in nobody being booked.
Handbags by hedgie... |
Not long
after however a foul by Winter set Harrogate up
with a scoring chance via a free kick some 10 yards out. In response
County's defensive work was excellent and Ball was able to raise the short siege
and run the ball to safety.
We were into
the last 20 minutes now and still County looked the more likely team
to......and they did....and a free kick started it , sending Minihan off on a
run that saw him again pick Oswell out to perfection.
2-2 ( Andrew Machin ) |
It was 2-2 as Oswell made
no mistake!
That was no
more than County deserved , but they still had to be watchful and not leave the
back door ajar again , and Winter did really well to cut Emmett off as he broke
clear from a deep position!
That could
have been nasty, and again as Cowan this time did for Emmett in similar
circumstances.
The game was
roughing up a touch now and it was disconcerting to see McKenna and Winter's names
taken.
McKenna battling. |
Harrogate
were trying for a second wind , with 10 minutes left, but Emmett missed the
target by a distance and Smalley did excellent work to deny Ainge as the
minutes ticked away.
With Duxbury
on for Hampson County set about trying to win the game , but they also needed
not to concede and in this regard the referee did us absolutely no favours
blocking a Warburton pass, setting Harrogate up with an undeserved chance which
thankfully Hinchliffe saved with his legs. The pressure was not over and Clarke
had to then head clear with several Harrogate forwards on his case.
Clarke clears. |
A further
punch out by Hinchliffe followed by a last gasper from Smalley to stop
Middleton and County had a free kick and could breath easily once again.
Harrogate kept
trying to get back the hegemony they enjoyed in the first half but Ainge could
only find the side netting with his latest header from Fallowfield's deep cross
late on.
Into added
time and County had defending to do with Ball and Winter getting in a couple of
brave interventions to stop the rot with Town trying hard for a late winner.
Add to this a neat...neat bit of work from Clarke that stopped Ainge's break
deep in added time and JG must have been really proud of his men at this point!
A late late
Harrogate corner had me worrying a bit, but George West ( on for Warburton who had been atrociously fouled by Jack Vann and
hobbled off) wellied this clear and that was that- a really good point against
a team who came here expecting to win!
Well done
County, more of the same second half verve and grit please on Tuesday at
Salford!
See you
there then.
Stockport
County line up:
Hinchliffe,
Cowan, Clarke, Smalley, Hampson ( Duxbury 84), Winter, Minihan, Ball, Oswell,
Warburton ( West 92), Walker ( McKenna 36).
Subs not
used: Smith, Brazel.
Harrogate
Town line up;
Belshaw,
Fallowfield, Parker, Falkingham, Burrell, Thomson, Emmett, Ainge, Knowles, Leesley(
Vann 71).
Subs not
used: Lees, Cracknell, Kennedy, Day.
Attendance:
3107
hedgegrower
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