Woking 1 Stockport County 2 ( Vanarama National League ) Saturday 20 November 2021

 

 

 

 

 

( All words by hedgegrower, images by hedgegrower & Andrew Machin )

 

County toughed it out in encouraging style  to nip ahead of today`s opponents Woking ,in the National League with a 2-1 win at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

DC largely kept faith with the team that won so splendidly against League One Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday, only Ross and Collar missing out- Hinchliffe and Rooney starting in their place.

The strategy worked perfectly as County took an early lead on 5 minutes through Paddy Madden, doubling their advantage before the half hour when the same player scored again.

That was as good as it got though as eventually Wednesday`s exertions took their toll on tired legs and Woking redoubled their efforts to capitalise. They were able to nick one via Tahvon Campbell, but try as they might, they could not pierce County`s defensive cover again.

In the prevailing circumstances it was a decent win was that, not excessively pretty in the end but Dave Challinor`s first league win as County Manager starts us on a climb up the table at just about the right time of a season that was in danger of slipping away from us just a few short weeks ago.

 

 Just part of the County throng !

 

 

 

It was great to see County again and see over 300 County supporters give them a rousing welcome come 3 o`clock.

 

    Out they come.....

 

 

If doubts lingered as to just how well County legs and lungs would stand up to today`s exertions so close to Wednesday`s epic effort, they were quickly dispelled as that evenings prime movers Southam- Hales and Quigley were in the thick of much of the early action, which was mostly taking place in the Woking half.

 

 Southam- Hales resumed normal service!

 

 

 

This was excellent, and it got better as just 5 minutes in, Southam – Hales` third raiding party saw his cross-reach Madden whose finish beat keeper Craig Ross to give the blues an early lead and set the delighted County following cheering loudly.

 No mistake from Madden !

 

And 3 belters of that goal from Andrew Machin :-

 

 

 

 

I could see no noticeable sign of fatigue from the blues which, although it was admittedly early, wasencouraging.

It was good to see the reassuring figure of Ben Hinchliffe back between the sticks too and he reassured early with a confident claim from a Woking free kick on 6 minutes.

 

 Ben back and in the groove !

 

 

 

Back came County and Kyran Lofthouse did well for Woking stopping Rydel from applying a finish to a Madden pass.

 Madden`s cross.....

 

 ....and Rydel`s effort.

 

 

 

Rydel and Sarcevic both looked in decent nick too, but the home defence did just enough to keep them out.

 Sarcevic on the attack ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

Ross then kept Woking afloat with a good save from Rydel before our hosts mounted a first real assault on Hinchliffe`s goal.

This came via another free kick – Max Kretzschmeyer went close with this ,but it stayed 1-0.

Play switched ends again next as a foul on Keane by Campbell saw County pile into the box for the free kick. Palmer wanted it, but was disappointed the ball flying out from Rooney`s free kick.

Keane showed again almost straight away his run and cross seeing Madden`s header fly inches over!

 

 Keano on the ball !

 

 ....and Madden`s header ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

Then the early County pressure told when the umpteenth cross from Southam-Hales enabled Madden to curl a beauty beyond the Woking Ross into the net…it was 2-0!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Andrew Machin captures the 2nd goal  with these 2 ex`lent shots:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This ushered in a period of pressure from Woking and more good work from Hinchliffe including 2 confident catches with Woking looking for reasons to be cheerful.

 

 Confident catch by Hinchliffe ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

Free kicks given away by County were breaking up their rhythm, it was fortunate that our opponents, so far, were not showing any real intent in front of goal.

Ross was doing OK though between the sticks for the home side and the 35 th minute saw a good save from him thwart Sarcevic.

 Keepers !

 

 

 

 

If we were giving free kicks away, we were also getting them, but not making that much of them- Rooney and Rydel over thinking one on 37 minutes before the former sent it wide.

It was at this point that Antoni Sarcevic ran into me at speed in the company of a desperate defender with County pressing….my only record of the moment….

 

 

 

 

….it was no one`s fault.....hedgegrower`s thanks to Antoni for his concern which was appreciated- I am fine thank you!

Woking replied through Campbell late on in the half, but Hinchliffe was up to the task and it remained 2-0, as it did a couple of minutes later as Sarcevic just missed nicking a third goal- his chip drifting inches wide with Ross beaten.

 Close from Sarcevic.

 

 

 and Andrew Machin`s view of Sarcevic`s effort.

 

 

 

 

A few  crowd shots :-

 

 

 

 

                                                    And some from Andrew Machin :-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second half opened at breakneck speed with Quigley looking for a reprise of his second goal on Wednesday, but his lob came back off the bar, and he was flagged offside to boot, but it was neat to see!

 

 Neat work by Quiggers !

 

 Andrew Machin`s shot of that action.

 

 

 

On it went, so far no let up from the blues, but Southam-Hales found his route to goal blocked by the keeper 3 minutes in.

 Southam- Hales v Ross ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

The next action came at the other end where Campbell slipped in behind the blues cover to test Hinchliffe with a raking drive from close in, but the County keeper excelled himself with a brilliant save- Jamar Loza lifting the follow up shot high over the bar.

 Hinchliffe commands his box ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

It went end to end briefly….Ross pushing a Rooney shot over the bar . The corner from this was cleared fairly easily by Woking, who then went on to waste a decent scoring chance from a free kick after a foul by Croasdale.

A third goal would have been really handy for the blues at this stage and quelled any local revolts.

Quigley and Southam-Hales did have their moments in the play that followed, going close, but free kicks came and went without the gold of a goal to again light up proceedings.

 Quigley still running !

 

 Southam-Hales ( Andrew Machin )

 
 

 

 

 That goal however came at the other end instead where the persistent Campbell gained his reward reducing the arrears for his team to 2-1 from close in sixty six minutes in.

 Campbell makes it 2-1 ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

County responded well, and there was still no sign of fatigue from Quigley, and the ball flew neatly from him to Madden and on to Rooney who was inches away with a drive that just cleared the bar.

 

 Madden- busy ..game long !

 

 

 

Fresh County legs came on view next as Sarcevic and Rooney gave way to Crankshaw and Raikhy.

 

 Raikhy on....

 

 

 

They were needed as Woking were beginning to press more than previously- Hinchliffe making a brave save to deny Campbell with 15 minutes left to play.

Back came County but Quigley waited in vain for Southam-Hales` cross to reach him at the back post 3 minutes later.

County were looking to secure the win and do that with a third goal only for an excellent save by Ross to deny Crankshaw after a lively link up with Rydel.

 Rydel on the charge !

 

 

 

 

County legs must have felt like lead now, Quigley`s more than most, and the 83 rd minute saw DC replace him with Barclay.

This provoked a response from Woking and Hinchliffe did heroics to keep a clutch of shots out in rapid succession.

Normal time was almost done when County mounted another assault on home territory via Rydel. Champion conceded a corner to stop him, and headed the resultant corner out to frustrate County further.

County were still working hard …winning free kicks…keeping pressure on…. but it stayed 2-1.

That was more than good enough as a score line , but when 5 minutes added time began to stretch from 5…to 6…to 7 … nerves began needlessly to get a little frayed on the away terrace.

Brett Huxtable , the Referee added to our growing disenchantment with his showing by awarding Woking a late free kick. Hinchliffe was able to watch this fly over the angle of bar and post, but I was still in one when the custodian of the whistle at last blew it to end the game!

That will definitely do County…not perfect…again…but under the prevailing circumstances we might have expected a negative reaction to set in, and it distinctly did not….well done!

See you Tuesday for Kings Lynn`s visit to Edgeley Park!

 

Woking line up:-

Ross, Lofthouse, Casey, Champion, Diarra, Loza (Effiong 45), Nwabuokei ( Maguire-Drew 82), Kretzschmar, Johnson ( Annesley 45), Campbell, Ince.

Subs not used: Allarakhia, Thompson- Sommers.

 

Stockport County  line up:-

Hinchliffe, Southam- Hales, Keane, Palmer, Kitching, Croasdale, Rooney ( Crankshaw 69), Sarcevic ( Raikhy 69), Rydel, Madden, Quigley ( Barclay 83).

Subs not used: Collar, Reid.

 

Attendance : 2752 ( stopped counting at 312)

hedgegrower