Altrincham 1 Stockport County 4 ( Vanarama National League) Tuesday 11 January 2022

 

 

 

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

County turned on a five-star quality performance to run out deserved 4-1 winners against near neighbours Altrincham at Moss Lane last night.

If the evenings weather turned into a fiendishly unsavoury mix of creeping mist and bone chilling cold, the football was anything but, as County ruthlessly exploited the home side`s deficiencies.

Alty played with spirit throughout, but slender hope of success due to County`s proficiency. They did not get many chances, so what they did get they needed to put away, but when presented with a gilt edger 5 and a half minutes in….they fluffed it….allowing the blues to break up the park and open the scoring.

That pretty much set the scene for what followed as County thereafter imposed their pressing game, a form of same that would have been the envy of any refugees from the Greedy League who, with uncharacteristic good sense, might have found their way inside the stadium.

In essence the Robins were allowed neither space nor time.

Once again, I saw this as another stella showing from County`s midfield where Collar was absolutely brilliant, capping 90 odd minutes of excellence with the game`s best goal! 

 

 Collar caught by Andrew Machin but not Robins!

 

 

 

But Sarcevic and Croasdale scored too and good goals as well, the ex-Bolton captain playing a massive part in proceedings providing loads of `oomph` where required at either end of the park. Croasdale once again was just Croasdale -under the radar and impossible to ruffle or escape- his goal a belter!

And where do you slot Southam-Hales in all this? He was a constant menace, in Alty faces game long. In fact there was a whole lot that was good about the County performance across the park including another good showing which included a smart penalty goal from Madden – another archetypal team performance par excellence in which no one put in less than 100% - a recipe for success as we head up the National League table. 

 And Ryan Johnson`s appearance on the pitch late on earned him his SCAN number of 1426 , welcome Ryan !

 Ryan Johnson ( SCAN 1426) pre- match ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

The massive County following, including one of our Japanese supporters Riichi Fujiwara, were in early and in supportive mood -very loud and as good as a goal start in my view!

 

 Riishi Fujiwara enjoys another excellent County showing!

 

 Out they come ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

A superbly executed ceremony in honour of those no longer with us opened proceedings, the match starting with County pushing forward- Rydel provider down the left for Madden whose header cleared the bar.

 

 Provider Rydel ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

Quigley was in the mix early but finding Hannigan a tough customer at this stage- blocked decisively by the defender 5 minutes in as Southam- Hales gave us an opening overture or two for starters.

 

 County go close early!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not long after, thoughts of reaching for the BP pills surfaced as Ben found himself stranded way off his line towards the edge of the box. It was a real scarry moment made more so when Mooney picked out Hancock in a prime scoring position. But he hesitated, and when his shot came, Hogan was able to clear it off the line- chance gone!

Not only chance gone though, it got suddenly worse for the Robins as Madden`s break down the left saw his incisive ball to the back post headed back across goal by the excellent Collar to where the arriving Sarcevic found the back of the home net……..1-0 !

 

 1-0, not sure what the appeals are about !

 

 I recognise this gathering however!

 

 Delight from Sarcevic ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

Wow that was awesome …cruel too…but awesome, and the type of `cruelty` that will get us far in what will still be a difficult run in!

County continued to pressurise Alty with Quigley in the van testing Hannigan and Digie to the absolute limit with Collar and Southam-Hales. Ten minutes in Quiggers was clear…….great…but the flag was up to give him ( and us) his first grumble of the night!

 

 Quigley- offside....possibly !

 

 

 

 

Alty made a spirited reply after this but without ruffling County`s feathers at all in the process, and the blues, with Collar and Southam -Hales in the van, looked determined and well capable of punishing on the break, and Madden`s cool approach to this served them well-and almost brought a second goal 14 minutes in, Quigley just unable to force the ball home.

 

 Southam- Hales and company !

 

 

 

 

 

That was down to determined last ditch defending by our hosts and White weighed in with just that 3 minutes later robbing Quigley with a peach of a tackle when the forward looked through again.

On it went, the ball flowing from Collar to Southam-Hales, to Madden but his header was held confidently by Thompson in the Robins goal.

The County `press` was definitely on, and Hannigan was working overtime for Alty to stem the tide, blocking Collar one minute, then keeping Quigley from a Southam-Hales cross the next- it was lively stuff from DC`s men for sure, and it got livelier as Quigley went down in the box under pressure from Hannigan! He looked imploringly in the referees direction pointing to the liner wanting a penalty, and of course I would have given it, but unfortunately Mr Davies was in charge ( and I thought he had a decent game)and he did not.

 

 A view of that from Andrew Machin.

 

 

 

 

Between 30^th and 38^th minute the Robins gave their supporters some hope getting forward looking to profit on some good defending by Hancock which he was of a mind to turn to attacking options.

Red shirts swarmed around the blue box in numbers and the home specs were clamouring for a penalty on 33 minutes, but it wasn`t one and was not given by the Referee.

Hancock meanwhile took a tilt at goal 4 minutes later that was better not mentioned – heading off at a dizzying height over the away terrace!

Probably the best chance of this period fell to Mullarkey but he shot straight at Hinchliffe who was not remotely troubled.

It took just 5 minutes for this lack of fire power from the Robins to reap another bitter harvest and it came…magnificently…. via Collar who seized possession deep inside blue territory. Head down initially he set off up field at pace looking up as the box neared before leathering a fearsome effort  way beyond anything Thompson could offer by way of a response…….2-0 !

 Collar pulls the trigger !

 

 

 

Wow…..what a goal that was !

The minute (+ 2 added) just flew by after that glorious ending to the half`s action, County going in a healthy 2 goals up!

Now some crowd shots:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some from Andrew Machin :-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

County resumed their attacking posture upon the game`s re-start as they headed in the direction of their large travelling following with an eery mist making visibility an issue.

 

 Alty under pressure on the re-start !

 

 

 

Quigley watched as the ball flew wide early doors, but County looked purposeful none the less and their positivity bore splendid fruit set up initially by Digie who in a bit of a tiz played the ball to a blue shirt under pressure. In a flash County pounced only for Collar to be brought down by White in the box!

 The foul.......

 

 

 

 

The Referee pointed unhesitatingly to the spot, from where Madden made short work of finding the net through the descending mist….3-0!

 ...the pen as Madden pierces the mist & beats Thompson !

 

 ...and the celebration !

 and the foul as seen by Andrew Machin.

 

 First shot of pen by Andrew Machin.

 and another ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

Thompson did better next as Sarcevic surged clear being blocked by Digie on the edge of the box- a foul that gave County a free kick in a decent position which the keeper did well to save with his body.

 

 Sarcevic surges clear !!

 

 Free kick on the way.....

 

 Save delivered by Thompson.

 

 

 

Back came County through Sarcevic, and this time Digie`s tackle was a beauty, his timing perfection and despite Kitching and Rydel putting more pressure on the home back line it held firm, allowing their forwards to stretch their legs up the park where Sarcevic excelled again with some neat defending as Alty began to ring the personnel changes.

 County hunting in packs !

 

 County pressing ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

But the pressure from County continued- Sarcevic so close just after the hour mark, you just knew that this level of attacking intensity must pay off again, and it did  and from a familiar source as Southam-Hales lifted an inviting ball into the swirling overhead mists .

 Close again from Sarcevic !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Several in blue wanted it, but Croasdale got it delighting his teammates by beating the keeper with a brilliant header……4-0!

 

 Top quality shot of Croasdale goal from Andrew Machin !

 

 

 

 

The attacking continued from County……Madden heading over on 71 minutes, Quigley winning a corner 73 minutes in after narrowly missing out on a tasty Southam-Hales offering.

It was rousing stuff and time for Ryan Johnson `s introduction- Kitching going off to an ovation!

 

 Johnno on......

 

 

 

 

The tempo did not change- County kept at it none more so than Southam -Hales who saw his shot scream inches wide with Thompson beaten with 15 minutes left.

More fresh legs next as Cranshaw( so unlucky not to start) came on for Madden , but as the game entered the last 10 minutes Alty started to stir a touch -Pringle`s cross cleared by Palmer.

 

 Ollie on late on !

 

 

 

Substitute Pringle was looking good and his neat through ball next set Hancock up nicely only for the chance to go begging as the ball cleared the bar.

Alty were definitely trying - Moult`s effort held with confidence by Hinchliffe on 85 minutes.

Osborne was in the mix for the Robins too slipping a neat through ball into Leitch- Smith`s path only for County offside trap to snap into action, not for the first time in this late period!

CJ was now on for Quigley and was soon running and contributing well but still Alty fancied nicking a cheeky one. They were encouraged by a foul by Croasdale that put County under pressure, but angst ridden again with another waving of the liner`s flag for offside not long after!

I saw 3 minutes added time signalled and marvelled to see Collar still chasing everything…everywhere- copping for a naughty late one for his pains that Mr Davies missed.

Then, in the fourth minute of added time….ok I accept it’s a `minimum of`  Alty did nick one and though it was annoying to lose out on another clean sheet- it was equally hard not to feel Alty had earned it for perseverance alone, as Lietch- Smith thumped a decent drive beyond Hinchliffe into the net to give Robins supporters something to take from the game……it was 4-1!

 

That was a top showing from County that sees us back in the play off positions, and from what I see we have plenty of reasons to be cheerful heading off towards season`s end!

See you at Edgeley Park on Saturday for the visit of Larkhall Athletic in the FA Trophy!

IO County!

 

Altrincham line up:-

Thompson, Hannigan, Moult, Digie, White ( Donsmore 56), Mullarkey, Mooney ( Pringle 61), Colclough ( Lietch- Smith 68), Osborne, Hancock, Morgan.

Subs not used: Furman, Hulme.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Hogan, Palmer, Kitching ( Johnson 74), Southam-Hales, Rydel, Sarcevic, Croasdale, Collar, Madden ( Crankshaw 80) , Quigley ( C Jennings 87).

Subs not used: Rooney, Minihan.

 

Attendance 3900 ( 1470 ish)

hedgegrower