Stockport County 3 Maidenhead United 0 ( Vanarama National League) Tuesday 25 January 2022

 

 

 

 

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

 

County surged to the top of the National League table last night with an exhilarating second half performance that saw them take the points by virtue of a thrilling 3-0 win against a Maidenhead United  side who had shown great spirit and enterprise at Edgeley Park.

 But….hey up…..wasn`t this supposed to be a shoo in ……a Tuesday evening  stroll under Edgeley Park lights especially with County scoring for fun of late . It is perfectly clear that whatever plan DC is prioritising for his team, it`s a coherent one , and they are working to it with startling success!

 Terrific wins for the Magpies against Chesterfield and Halifax Town in the last week however, have served to confirm that that excellent manager Alan Devonshire has his side working to his plan too, thus before they  set a foot on Edgeley Park turf,  we perhaps knew that this Tuesday was going to be anything but easy  for County if they took their collective feet off the gas at any stage!

 DC & Alan Devonshire- 2 top managers ( Andrew Machin )

 !

 

 

 

 

 

“ But those wins were at home, they do not travel” was a stock reply to the above words of caution, but the Magpies paid scant attention to that bromide playing immaculately to Alan Devonshire`s play book enjoying much the better of a first half in which County were kept from registering a single shot on goal by the resolute visitors. They managed to get forward too, with disturbing regularity, and might have nicked at least one with better finishing.

That had been the best first half performance by a visiting team at Edgeley Park for some time, but County swept what had been a decent challenge away with a second half showing oozing power and threat that had a fine Tuesday night crowd of over 5000 heading home in high spirits in the knowledge that their heroes were now table toppers!

It was another fine team performance, and to withstand a fair amount of pressure from the Magpies as they did, hold their shape …..and re-invent themselves after the break, spoke volumes for what DC  has got going here in such a short time.

 

 Crankshaw  - always a danger ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

If I have to pick outstanding performers for County, I would go for Croasdale, Sarcevic, Rydel and Southam-Hales who had a real job on his hands with Beckwith and Smith on his case much of the time...........

 

 Rydel -playing a blinder game after game ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

....... and Crankshaw continues to look different class when on- just impossible to contain for long.

 

 

 Sarcevic in prime form !

 

 

 

I made Josh Kelly top man for the visitors with a special mention for 22 real supporters who made the trip from Berkshire on a bitterly cold Tuesday night ( see half time section for more away end pics)!

 Most of the 22 ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was a cagey encounter early on, both teams sizing the other up, and it was 6 minutes before the first tilt at goal came and it was by United but Shaun Donnellan`s snap shot cleared the bar by a foot or so.

County were working at a response, and it came via Sarcevic who latched onto a loose ball forcing a corner, but this came to nothing.

 Sarcevic on the charge.....

 

 

 

 

 

Soon enough we were 13 minutes into the match and the visitors had spent a fair amount of that time busying themselves in County territory if without disturbing Hinchliffe too much in the process.

 

 Kitching just misses out ( Andrew Machin )

 

  

 

 

 

But a foul on Southam- Hales offered County a way in via the subsequent free kick ( Cue Rydel/ Sarcevic conference) but Rydel`s delivery narrowly eluded the advancing Kitching in the box.

 Sarcevic pushing on ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

County were beginning to build some momentum now, but Sarcevic`s latest sortie was interrupted by Smith who then compounded the blue`s misery by sending Kelly clear with a neat ball. It was a potentially iffy moment for County, but one put to bed nicely by Hinchliffe who claimed the ball with some authority off the forward.

 Hogan brings it forward !

 

 

 

 

 

Maidenhead kept the pressure on County pegging them back deep in their own half, 5 minutes of this capped by a run down the wing by Smith   which saw his ball inside ushered on to Aquah  by Kelly. This looked a cracking chance, but Aquah made a wakes of it and the moment was Hinchliffe`s again.

It was noticeable that 20 minutes in and the only keeper having to make saves was ours, and soon enough 5 minutes Magpie pressure became 10 as another raid fizzled out through poor finishing.

They were not done however and one….two….three…four corners made life difficult for DC`s men who were seemingly trapped in their own last third. The last of the corners brought the closest thing to an opening goal so far from Kelly but his header slammed into the bar, and it stayed 0-0.

Another 2 minutes and another chance came the way of the visitors as Kelly surged clear down the right deep into the County half, but his finishing was off and his shot wide of what looked an invitingly exposed blue goal.

County responded through Croasdale but his incisive ball just failed to pick Collar out. A corner resulted though via Madden`s diagonal tester, but this saw De Havilland stop the rot, run it clear and ping a pass into Kelly`s path. He was very much in…..it was another chance …..but he shot into the side netting – the 22 to my left must have been beside themselves at this point!

And there was more as Southam-Hales headed out off the line on 33 minutes.

 

 Southam - Hales always in the mix !

 

 

 

Three minutes later and County`s number seven was at the other end his cross picking Collar out, but his header flashed across goal before being cleared.

 

 

 Collar turns beyond his marker.....

 

 

 

I was beginning to wonder if County`s propensity for nicking one late on would come into play and dish Alan Devonshire`s side – a thought fuelled by Smith`s foul on Southam- Hales with 5 minutes of the half left to play, but the cover from Magpies was good and the free kick again did not give keeper Dan Gyollai any work to do.

Normal time in the half ended with Hinchliffe in action on 44 minutes mopping up the final Magpie raid of the session, and Southam Hales late run stopped by a cracking tackle from Smith- the half ending with the visitors under pressure but clearing their lines after Massey had just stopped a late break by CJ.

 Late charge by CJ ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some crowd shots from hedgegrower:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

And these from Andrew Machin :-

 

 

 

It was a case of ` all change` when the game re-started for the second half, as County surged onto the attack urged on by the big Tuesday crowd.

Rydel was in the thick straight off his cross finding Madden whose drive cleared the bar but not by much.

 

 Early effort from Madden !

 Andrew Machin`s view of that.

 

 

 

 

Again, Rydel tortured United only to be brought down by Sheckleford on the edge of the box. Free kick then, but Palmer was just unable to apply a finish!

 Rydel v Sheckleford......hmmmm.....

and the same action as seen by Andrew Machin.

 

 

 

 

It has to be said that Alan Devonshire`s side were still very much in it – County`s cause not helped that much by the conceding of free kicks here and there and County had to work hard to keep their fresh momentum going- Hinchliffe doing his bit by seeing off an incursion from Kelly, after a defensive slip by County 6 minutes into the half.

 

 County under pressure....

 

 

 

If that was a chance, for sure the visitors will rue not having taken it, as County then hit them with ruthless efficiency. Southam- Hales started it, his run ending with a cross that Sarcevic put away with obvious relish- his header giving Gyollai no chance at all!

 

 1-0 courtesy of Sarcevic !

 

 he likes that !

 

 Andrew Machin`s view of the opening goal.

 

 and another just to rub it in ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

It was 1-0 and celebration time at last.

Sarcevic was on fire now and De Havilland did well to block his run a minute later.

 

 CJ unlucky ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

But County now had wind in their sails – CJ unlucky to see a header clear the bar following some routine Rydel/ Sarcevic/ Kitching magic.

 Kitching pushes Magpies back !

 

 

 

 

 

More from Sarcevic next but his surging run was cut short in perfunctory fashion by the crudest of interventions by De Havilland who earned a yellow for it. County had a free kick but Madden`s drive from this was held confidently by the keeper.

 

 Keeper`s !

 

 

 

This brought Crankshaw on for CJ as Maidenhead gave Hinchliffe some work to do on the hour Aquah missing out with a header thereabouts.

 

 Work for County to do at the back.

 

 

 

Back came County – Crankshaw keeping their raid alive brilliantly just long enough for Croasdale to make it 2-0 with a superb drive from outside the box!

 Crankshaw keeps the move going ( Andrew Machin )

 

 ...and it`s 2-0 courtesy of Croasdale ( Andrew Machin)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a belter, and EP went AS in response!

Credit to United they tried to reply but again Hinchliffe denied Kelly on the end of Sheckleford`s neat ball.

Pressure from Crankshaw and Rydel put County back in the driving seat but with no addition to the score- Collar inches from a Crankshaw cross at one point.

 Collar inches from it !

 a closr view of that from Andrew Machin.

 

 

 

 

Johnson was on for Rydel now as County continued to attack- Gyollai doing well to hold onto Sarcevic`s free kick with 15 minutes left.

 

 Johnno- on for Rydel.

 

 

 

 

 

Croasdale then got a yellow for his tackle on McCoulsky, which was annoying, but United did nothing with the free kick which was not.

With 12 minutes left Rooney came on for Sarcevic, but the visitors still fancied nicking one and making a game of it again , and a poor back pass by Hogan aided this by sending Mc Coulsky clear on goal. Now this really did look a chance…a clear one….but up stepped Southam- Hales with a fantastic tackle to save the day for County- simply brilliant!

Into the last minutes we went…..Hinchliffe saving De Havilland`s shot …..Gyollai following suit by keeping a header from Johnson out, and Hinchliffe saving again as United kept plugging away .

But it stayed 2-0 …until into added time  that is when late indiscipline from the visitors saw them first ship a free kick, and then a third goal as Rooney lashed a corker home from the edge of the box- celebrating fulsomely thereafter  in front of the Cheadle End.

 Something to celebrate for Rooney !

 

 

 the shot from Rooney ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

That was the last meaningful action of what had been, in the end, an exciting game and a fine result for County!

An excellent win was that, against a side that played their hearts out and wanted it.

County, as many a team  has found out lately, have got that undefinable something in reserve along with an ability to utilise it frequently!

Long may it be so!

See you at Barnet then!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Hogan, Palmer, Kitching, Southam- Hales, Rydel ( Johnson 74), Croasdale, Sarcevic ( Rooney 78), Collar, Madden, C Jennings ( Crankshaw 58).

Subs not used : Minihan, Newby.

 

Maidenhead United line up:-

Gyollai, De Havilland, Clerima, Donnellan, Beckwith, Sheckleford, Smith ( Wells 60), Aquah, Kelly ( Mc Coulsky 67), Massey, Adams( Smile 87).

Subs not used : Parry, Upward .

 

Attendance : 5352 ( 22)

 

hedgegrower