Maidenhead United 0 Stockport County 2 ( Vanarama National League) Tuesday 14 September 2021

 

 

(All words and images by  hedgegrower)

 

 

Well, that was better!

County showed their travelling fans a much more acceptable side of themselves with a commanding performance against Maidenhead United who never really looked like challenging the blues all evening at a relatively balmy York Road.

Peddants  amongst us will point to the fact that for much of the game they were playing against 10 and then 9 men as the Magpie`s discipline went walk-about, but I remember Saturday and then imagine the trauma that result will have induced in every one of them, and noted that not once all evening did the home team look likely to make a dent in County`s confidence. 

The margin of victory was 2-0 via a goal in each half from Rooney and then Reid , and whilst it could be argued that we did not fully take advantage of the numerical advantage we enjoyed, `a win is a win ` and this one gave a decent sized County following (I stopped counting at 351)a real lift .

So I will take that , and look for more of the same away to FC Halifax this Saturday.

If matters on the park were serene, off it there was wall to wall trauma for the 26 County supporters on the Fingerpost Flyer, who were caught up in the mother of all traffic jams on the M42. By the time we made our escape via M6/ M1 /A46 et al we arrived inside the ground 15 minutes into the game.

There were 2 consolations for us….County were apparently playing well, and we had not missed a goal it was still 0-0.

County had an interesting back 3 out with Barclay out on the right( I thought he looked more solid there than previously on the left), Hogan took the central position with Fryer on the left, and I liked what I saw of him, he looks a decent signing.

 Fryer we like !

 Barclay did OK too.

 

 

There were two recognisable attack minded wing backs in front of the back three with Southam- Hales his usual lively self on the right, and Kitching making a very welcome return on the other flank- both enjoyed good games.

 

 Kitching- a welcome return !

 

Elsewhere the midfield functioned better this time around    with Collar the pick, and up front it was good to see the manager keep faith with Alex Reid, who repaid him with a neat goal having had a hand in Rooney`s opener earlier!

 Reid- faith rewarded !

 

 

So the match was already 15 minutes old when we arrived joining an enthusiastic gathering on the away terraces and part of the main stand.

It was great to hear the shouts of encouragement despite the 0-0 score line, and it was even better to see us togged out in all blue- more of this please when we can!

And within a minute or so of our arrival there was a County goal to celebrate as Madden, Collar, Reid and Rooney combined to see the latter make it 1-0 with a sharp finish inside the box.

 

 Old hedgie was still locating an away end position when goal went in , but got celebrations !

 

 

 

Maidenhead`s reply was fairly rapid but less than 100% affective, as they won a free kick and then a corner but without ever showing the slightest semblance of knowing where the goal was.

County`s defensive cover had more than a slight influence on that last aspect of our hosts play, and the blues resilience was looking like being tested next as another home free kick pinged in from Adams on the left.

The box was a seething mass of bodies all wanting the ball, except for Clerima who chose the moment to kick seven bells out of Collar.

Yalta III followed, and credit to Referee Ryan Atkin, he consulted with his main stand liner who obviously agreed with County`s view of what had happened and duly waved a red card in the offender`s direction sending him on the long walk of shame to an early bath!

 Yalta III- Mr Atkins takes witness statements !

 

 Early Bath 1

 

 

 

Eons seemed to have elapsed now, and we had quite forgot that Maidenhead still had a free kick to take( or re-take I am not sure which) their indiscipline costing them dearly.

Take….re-take….they made nothing of it and County`s advantage, now facing 10 men, was still 1-0.

 A later Adams` free kick, the wall, draft excluder and all......

 

 

 

 

 

County replied through Madden, whose prompt teed Croasdale up for a tilt at goal, only kept out by good work from keeper Holden.

The attacking continued to the accompaniment of applause as Fryer approached the away end sending a neat ball to Rooney. On it went to Collar, but again Holden did enough to keep the resultant shot out.

 

 Rooney on the ball

 

The half hour mark came and went with Adams shooting wide for the Magpies, and Hogan just wide with a header after Reid had won a corner for County.

On it went with Kitching showing no visible sign of ill effects after his long lay off, his cross 35 minutes in seeing another Collar shot blocked decisively by Parry.

 Kitching looking the part !

 

 

Still there was no respite for Maidenhead and Holden did well under pressure as a rash of County corners threatened his peace of mind.

Mr Atkin`s free kick relieved the home side`s angst, but not for long as another corner pinged over-attacked first by Madden and then by Hogan, without reward.

 

 Madden has a go......

 ......as does Hogan .

 

 

 

 

 

With half time nearing, United were able to fashion a response thanks to Blissett`s surreptitious purchase of a free kick in mid park. This headed across the box at speed only to see Parry in position to slam his header loudly into the advertising hoardings a yard or so wide.

There was in fact time for a decent save at the death by Hinchliffe who beat a shot from Adams behind with some confidence, and the half ended with more applause for Fryer and Southam- Hales from the County terraces.

 More qualty from Fryer !

 

 

 

 

 There wasn`t time for the throw the duo had won to be taken, but no one minded they just kept on applauding.

Some crowd shots ( more later in this report):-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second half opened with Hinchliffe in action briefly making a confident catch to prevent Acquah from reaching a hopeful bouncer launched from deep in the Magpies half towards County`s goal.

This was followed by some good clean up work at the back from Collar who was having one of his better games.

 

 Feet up folks.

 

 

 

County`s opponents were now giving the pill some fearful welly, but on the end of all these `bouncing bombs` they needed some discipline, and it was pretty much none existent, Blissett and Kelly ruining possibly hopeful moments with crass fouls.

County gradually reasserted themselves and Hogan was close to getting on the end of Southam- Hales` free kick with 7 minutes gone of the half.

The pressure from County continued to build with a fine move involving Kitching, Madden and Reid only foiled by a foul on the latter on the edge of the box. Rooney stepped up for the kick, but this was deflected for a corner that the Magpies cleared.

The pressure returned however with interest, as Holden just managed to push a shot by Southam- Hales around the post. That was probably the keeper`s best work so far, but his next left something to be desired as Reid bossed the ball away from him and into the net to double the County lead. 

 

 Two moments from the action as Reid puts County`s second away !

 Edd to `Ultras` in response !

 

 

 

 

At this point Kitching was replaced by Rydel to loud applause after a fine hours work!

 Superb 60 minutes from Kitching !

 

 

 

 

Good work by Southam- Hales and Hogan came next, and it set County up for a trip up the park where Collar saw his drive fizz inches wide.

It went on-a cooperation twixt Collar and Rooney seeing the County number eight go close, then Collar again to the fore bringing Southam- Hales into play  and Reid was a fag paper`s width from putting that one away.

 Rooney in decent nick.

 

 

 

The 71^st minute saw Fryer booked, Mr Atkin rightly showing fulsome distain for the local ultras cries of `off…off….off`. Adams prevaricated prodigiously over the free kick…..lining it up…..checking the line of sight…..checking again. We were expecting something akin to a Ronaldo special but the kick did not make it beyond the County wall.

Upward did offer the local ultras another moments joyful anticipation a minute later, only to frustrate and disappoint them by lifting his shot over the terrace behind the goal.

It was not long though before County resumed attacking and Reid was in the van of this…until that is he reached the edge of the box where his senses and limbs were scrambled by an assault of lumpant stupidity from keeper Holden.

Reid was down for some time before resuming the vertical again, during which time more consultations twixt liner and referee saw Holden taking the early bath route.

 

 County press.

 

 

Meanwhile Upward took over keeper`s duties for the Magpies, facing a Rooney free kick that turned out to be a total anti-climax flying harmlessly wide.

 

 Going wide from Rooney

 

 

 

More home indiscipline next as Southam-Hales run was halted by a perfunctory foul as he cut inside  at speed.  Again the kick disappointed missing the target to keep the score at 2-0.

 Perfunctory or not, Southam- Hales was stopped !

 

 

 

 

 

On it went with County attacking via Southam -Hales with time running out…being fouled…and the free kick flying over the top!

 

 Candidate for M.O.M again !

 

 

 

Corners…free kicks piled up through 7 minutes added time with no change to the score.

Croasdale went close on 95 minutes with a cracking volley but 2-0 was looking like the way it was going.

The final whistle signalled a chance for County supporters and team to applaud each other which they did in some happy scenes that hopefully will be repeated at the Shay on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Well done County, that performance gives us something to hopefully build on, a decent test by FC Halifax will give us an indication of what`s what.

Finally though, a word on the County supporters today- there in numbers and supportive throughout. The trauma`s mentioned earlier in this report attributed to the players, were also felt by supporters most of whom have been around these here parts some time.

To a man/woman they all have opinions whether it be on the team, the manager, the owners- it was ever thus, and they have every right to express those opinions freely within and without the County family-long may it be so!

Nobody came to York Road to `boo` their team, and that`s how it should be- supporters support their team  despite any real or perceived differences on issues , and 351+ showed the way on how to do just that last evening….well done all!

See you at the Shay then !

 

Maidenhead United line up:-

Holden, Massey, Parry, Clerima, Sheckleford, Adams, Ferdinand, Beckwith, Acquah( Senga 78), Kelly, Blissett ( Upward 57).

Subs not used: Asumgangi, Smile.

Stockport County line up :-

Hinchliffe, Barratt, Hogan, Fryer ( Fish 78), Southam- Hales, Kitching, Collar ( Whitfield 81), Rooney, Madden, Croasdale, Reid ( Rydel 78). 

Subs not used :- Raikhy, Walker.

Attendance : 1082

hedgegrower