FC United of Manchester 0 Stockport County 1 ( Vanarama National League- North) 17 February 2018
County gave
their travelling support a performance to remember at a packed Broadhurst Park
today, winning three vital points with a thoroughly deserved 1-0 victory
against in form FC United of Manchester.
2 more of County following, these by Andrew Machin |
The margin may
have been just one goal, and at times County came under plenty of pressure, but
all the quality on show was County’s.
County absorb the pressure. |
The blues
defending was absolutely first class throughout, with everybody of the back four
earning max plaudits, and one or two others who tracked back more than once to
help out- FCUM needed far more nous and craft than they exhibited to prosper,
and County made late winter hay as a result.
The County
forward play always looked superior to that of the Moston based side too, with
Darren Stephenson on fire at times.
Matty Warburton put the icing on County’s cake with a superb finish but this
too owed much to Stephenson’s assist as the power and precision of his cross demanded
the result it obtained.
Icing from Warburton ! |
A very satisfying team performance then, and
one deserving of the highest praise!
Teams Out. |
Back at 3
o’clock there was all to play for though, and the Moston locals fancied their
chances based, presumably on the recently improved form of their side, that had
crept close to County in the table as a consequence.
Welcome sign ! |
There were
two changes in the County starting line up with Duxbury and the suspended
Winter making way for Stott and Stopforth, as the game got underway with both
sides probing the other for openings.
The first
real chance, and the first corner were FCUM’s, but that quality I have
mentioned earlier, was already shown to be lacking in the home forwards –Steve
Irwin going down in the box- his desperation showing and failing to impress
referee Sam Barrott.
Appealing........ |
Connor
McCarthy did benefit from good work by the FCUM captain Scott Kay but then
found his shot well covered by Ben Hinchliffe in the County goal.
Andrew Machin sees Hinchliffe cover the shot. |
All this
time, County had been working at getting an opening at the other end, where a
fairly large contingent of home specs were already giving us a welter of 50’s
footy favourites lauding teams and men they could not have seen, or very few of
them anyway.
The tuneful
accompaniment did nothing to deter County, particularly Warburton who ended a
lovely smooth move by putting the ball in the net just 6 minutes in.
1-0...err....no appaently |
He was
offside………apparently……so it stayed 0-0, but how long would this state of
affairs appertain with County revving up noticeably- Stephenson seeing a
shot kept out by keeper Lloyd Allinson ,
and Warburton again to the fore but shooting wide this time?
Stephenson run caught nicely by Andrew Machin. |
Oswell won a
corner and County went close again from this, and again a minute later as
Stephenson’s powerful run down the right drew a poor foul from Matty Hughes.
There’s more than a touch
of the Mick McManus about Hughes, who has loads of previous, but referee
Barrott waited until the move finished to wag a finger at and give a lecture to,
the player( no booking).
OO...ERR...not exactly an ace tackle( Andrew Machin)this time on Oswell |
Maybe it was the fact that Stephenson shrugged off the
uncouth attempted mugging, with magisterial disdain, and continued to power his
way into the box, that influenced the ref in not giving County a free kick or
stopping play- anyway it was the right decision, and only the best of saves
from Allinson could keep a finish of blistering magnificence out!
Dazzer.....simply unstoppable ! |
Hmm…that was
good…disappointing too….but excellent from Dazzer!
So…County
were warming up nicely now, and duly swept into the lead 17 minutes in. A
lovely move, reached Stephenson, just about the moment that the home specs gave
us another reprise of the `United Calypso’ from the 50’s, but the music
suddenly stopped as Stephenson surged to the edge of the box before crossing to
Warburton with uncanny accuracy and power. In a flash the County number ten,
did what he does so well, almost bursting the net with a shot that brooked
absolutely no argument!
County had
the lead then…… but over 70 minutes to hang onto it or increase it.
Fair do’s…….United
responded to going behind – Chris Smalley doing well to block Irwin, at one
point. The pressure continued from the home side, Luke Higham linking up with
McCarthy to cause County a small issue or two, but Cowan had their numbers,
charging McCarthy’s eventual shot down bravely.
FCUM were
trying a bit now , and came as close as they ever would do next, with 24
minutes gone, Stott saving on the line from a Kieran Glynn shot after McCarthy
had set him up. Sam Baird then had a shot deflected for a corner , and Glynn
again went close( twice)- the second time being thwarted by Stopforth’s
energetic defending.
Stopforth
was there again, almost on the half hour, with a block that saw an Irwin effort
off.
Fagbola blocks Stephenson( Andrew Machin ) |
We had seen
about 8 or 9 minutes of pressure from FCUM, but nothing in the way of extra
quality that told me that ` sometime soon they would equalise’- that was always
a definite possibility of course, but the communal assurance with which County
were responding to FCUM pressure was definitely confidence inducing!
McCarthy and
Irwin both went close in the minutes that followed but without ever looking likely to ruffle Hinchliffe’s
none existent feathers.
Storm
weathered…County came back at their hosts in the last 5 minutes of the half-
first via a neat O’Halloran / Warburton collaboration that deserved better than it achieved, and then through that man Stephenson who was
simply irrepressible- twice unlucky as the minutes drained away before the
break.
O'Halloran's ball ( Andrew Machin ) |
Credit to
FCUM though, they ended the first 45 minutes, with a late effort , that saw
Glynn looking hopeful on the end of McCarthy’s ball to the back post. It was a
decent ball too, but so was O’Halloran’s response, and Glynn just could not get
a shot off, giving Stephenson the chance to run the ball to safety as the
whistle went for the break.
Frank guards the flag ( Andrew Machin ) |
County Bench ( Andrew Machin ) |
Now , we
definitely needed County to get a second goal, and thus limit any second half
jitters, and Jim Gannon’s side opened the half on the front foot, a Warburton/
Oswell combination thwarted by a home
back line containing ex Hatter Jordan Fagbola, who did well to cut a run by
Adam Thomas out with that second goal looking on.
O’Halloran was distinctly unlucky in this
period, seeing his shot, following a lively break from deep by the former Irish International, deflected for a
corner.
Great work from O'Halloran. |
It was not
all County in this period however, and Cowan did really well to stop Craig
Lindfield as he strove to hit the blues on the break.
It was
noticeable that the odd bit of `afters’ was now being indulged in by those in
red shirts with Warburton, Ball and Thomas all coming in for treatment, but the
referee was slow to act to protect County players, and it was only a mild surprise
therefore to see that Stopforth was the first name in the ref’s book- it was
ever thus!
Oswell and Ball vie for possession. |
Dixon was
now on in place of Oswell, but the first chance that occurred fell to Warburton
, who unfortunately lifted his shot over the bar. Matty was unlucky twice after
this, and following a regulation clattering from Hughes( booked at last)
Warburton left the field to be replaced by Rhys Turner, leaving to a similar
ovation to Oswell from a very supportive County following, many of whom were
straining to see on the ludicrously flat standing area behind the goal and
elsewhere.
Terracing....absent. |
All this
time Danny Racchi was putting himself about irritatingly….impeding Stephenson
whose run had turned defence into attack taking him into the box. The referee
looked away……
There were
less than 20 minutes left now, and County were not getting as much time on the
ball as I guess they would like, as FCUM were pressing again looking for that
elusive equaliser.
Time after
time, with County defending deeper and deeper, the home side pumped balls into the box from wide and deep
positions. It was meat and drink though to
Cowan, Smalley, Stott and O’Halloran , as they kept Hinchliffe largely well
covered.
Hinchliffe
had just made a save from Lindfield, when County broke from just outside their own
penalty area. Turner had the ball, but Stott found the legs to accompany him up
the park. Now….Turner has pace…. buckets of it…..and the FCUM cover was nowhere
to be seen as the duo reached the box with only Allinson keeping a lonely vigil
in their path. What to do…..a shot was on ….but surely he would be better
skirting the keeper and then shooting at what might then be a completely empty
goal….or….and this was a decent shout…he could slip the ball sideways to Stott
who would then have had a shoo-in! In the end Turner shot…but straight at the
keeper and the chance was gone!
Allinson saves the Turner effort ! |
County found
impetus after that last action- O’Halloran / Dixon and Stephenson/ Thomas
seeing efforts blocked.
Into the
last 10 minutes we went with Duxbury on for Stephenson who again got a well
deserved ovation on leaving the pitch.
Stephenson in form( Andrew Machin ) |
This saw
County back defending deep again, fending off a never ending series of high and
hopeful balls into the box.
Duxbury- excellent...... |
The defending was excellent in this period, as
County concentrated on striking from deep , but when they did , and Duxbury was
looking top notch in so doing, there was Racchi to contend with and he
infuriated the County specs near the left corner flag by climbing all over
Duxbury as he made ground towards the home box.
Racchi prepares one for Dixon. |
Racchi was
there again, and Turner was the victim this time but without the referee taking
recourse to his book.
FCUM were
getting desperate now and it showed in their shooting too as a shot on the
break missed the target with Hinchliffe
watching it as it slid beyond his back post.
Into added
time we went with tempers fraying as Racchi continued his orgy of awfulness
whenever a blue shirt appeared over the half way line. FCUM had loads of
possession in the time that remained, but little idea as to just how to penetrate
what looked to be an impenetrable County defence.
Andrew Machin sees Racchi engage with County following. |
Soon enough
the whistle went for time and the celebrations could begin for County and their
supporters!
That was Job
done….and done very well indeed!
Here’s to
more of the same on Tuesday!
FC United of Manchester line up:
Allinson,
Fagbola, Higham, Kay, Hughes, Baird, Glynn, Racchi, McCarthy( Gilchrist 61),
Irwin, Lindfield( Greaves 78).
Subs not
used: Jones, Tattum, Palmer.
Stockport
County line up:
Hinchliffe,
Cowan, Smalley, Stott, O’Halloran, Ball, Stopforth, Thomas, Oswell( Dixon 56),
Warburton( Turner 70), Stephenson( Duxbury 81).
Subs not
used ; Ormson, Clarke.
Attendance :
3084
hedgegrower
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