Stockport County 2 Chesterfield 2 ( Vanarama National League ) Tuesday 8 February 2022
( All words by hedgegrower, images by hedgegrower & Andrew Machin )
We just knew there was going to be something different about this game.
Between top and second in the National League it was set fair to be a gem …an amazing advertisement for the undoubtedly improving quality of that league.
After days ..weeks of anticipating an epic encounter , and with Edgeley Park packed to the rafters with over 10000 paying customers for the first time for yonks, it was game on….and what a game it turned out to be.
Both sets of fans were in position early, County`s, many of whom marched to the game through the streets of Stockport rallying the spirits of like-minded football fans en route to the game, were in fantastically supportive mood.
Then the match started and it was almost instant anti-climax – the tension unfortunately was still present on the park where Chesterfield opened the stronger, using the ball far better than County who were under pressure more than has been normal this season. Balls launched long from deep were County`s main recourse and Chesterfield took full advantage nicking 2 goals in a five minute spell midway into the first half.
County rallied of course but it took a while, and when they did they were not well served by the officials who ruled out what to most observers looked perfectly good goal by Ash Palmer , compounding the effect by having waved away two penalty appeals from County earlier.
Two down at half time, and aided by the sending-off of Jeff King, County rallied after the break securing a share of the points that may well be crucial at season`s end via top quality finishes from Will Collar and Ryan Croasdale. They might have nicked it with the very last kick of the game, but it was not to be- Crankshaw`s incisive ball into the box missing Quigley by centimetres smack in front of goal.
A mixture of pride and relief, was it? I am not sure but both sets of supporters stood to applaud their teams loudly at the end of what had been a bruising encounter.
Back at 7.45 or thereabouts, somehow the Club had shoehorned over 10000 in our magnificent home and County`s huge following were in vibrant form – how could we lose with this support?
There was one change in the blue`s starting line up Hippolyte for Crankshaw, but more crucially there was no sign of Sarcevic.
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| Hippolyte in for Crankshaw ( Andrew Machin ) | |
County opened attacking the Cheadle End with new man Hippolyte leading the charge but be it nerves or the excitement of the occasion County seemed unable to latch onto the ball and do the stuff they had found second nature for most of this season- Chesterfield , buoyed no doubt by forcing County to start with their backs to the Railway End, looked to have an early hex on them forcing DC `s men onto the back foot.
The first attack from the Spireites saw the ball fly wide off the head of Liam Mandeville, but there was some menace in the visitors work and not a little relief in County`s ranks as the 3rd minute saw King miss the target after Asante had weaved his way deep into the blue`s last third.
County responded through Quigley but he was upended by Grimes as he manoeuvred his way towards the box which was annoying, but more so was the reaction, or non-reaction of Referee Scott Tallis who wasn`t interested.
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| Down goes Quigley ( Andrew Machin ) |
I know Quiggers goes down easily some times, but he does rather have assistance from the opposition along the way too and more of the same was in evidence 7 minutes in as Grimes met the County centre- forward on the end of a neat diagonal ball from Liam Hogan- down went County`s number 22 in the box, and again the Referee`s reaction was thoroughly disappointing- no penalty!
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| Just a sliver of what Quiggers has to put up with ( Andrew Machin ) |
Another minute…another surging run from Quigley , but as he reaches the edge of the box , Grimes hauls him down under the Referee`s nose.
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| Down goes Quigley again ! |
It was just outside the box, and County had a free kick and Grimes a booking, but he would have seen it as taking one for the team, and it worked a treat as a tactic as Scott Loach the Spireites keeper snuffed out the follow up from Rydel`s free kick.
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| Keeper`s ( Andrew Machin ) |
There was an undeniably abrasive edge to the Derbyshire side`s work, epitomised by the `coming together` of King and Hogan in the box next. Less than 10 minutes had gone by, and I could see arguments for a penalty here as well, but Mr Tallis contented himself with a chat to both!
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| Good luck with that one Liam ! ( Andrew Machin ) |
Rydel missed out with a probing ball to the back post , but it was beginning to dawn that the visitors were better on the ball than County were at this stage, and Croasdale was lucky to escape sanction , on 15 minutes, for a tasty slider as Chesterfield prepared to break from deep.
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| Rydel puts Spireites under pressure ! |
That was where County`s luck ran out as just 4 minutes later they were behind as Oyeleke , filleted the County cover to pick Tshimanga ( who looked offside by some distance)out with a precision pass- the National League`s top marksman did what he does, and Chesterfield were 1-0 in front- BUT STILL THE CHEADLE END SANG!
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| 0-1...offside ? ( Andrew Machin ) |
There was wind in Chesterfield`s sails now and more so as ,in extremis, County conceded a free kick deep inside their half. It had to be re-taken for what I could not see, and was ultimately cleared up the park by Madden.
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| Hinchliffe reacts well under pressure ! |
Not for long though, and within a minute County were 2 down as Tshimanga muscled Hogan off the ball before picking Asante out nicely. Asante reacted well, his shot taking a fair old deflection off Palmer before beating Hinchliffe- AND STILL THE CHEADLE END SANG!
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| Chesterfield go 2 up ( Andrew Machin ) |
If both sides were inclined to go long, it was Chesterfield who were using the ball better when they got it, County had to find a way of combating this and getting back into the game,
It would be a start if we got the ball down, and Madden did just that on 24 minutes laying it off to Rydel. That was better, but the corner won by Rydel was headed clear by Grimes, who whilst being an annoyingly `forceful` entity was also looking to be a rock at the back for his team.
Back came County – Hippolyte felled unceremoniously en route to a County corner. Rydel went right to take this, and it was a belter met wonderfully well by Palmer whose header smashed into the bar to bounce down.
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| this shot doesn`t advance my argument.... |
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| ...neither does this, but maybe Andrew has a better angle ? |
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| ...more food for thought there ( Andrew Machin ) |
It looked to have crossed the line despite frantic attempts by Loach and umpteen colleagues to knee jerk the ball to safety, but if the Referee was undecided, the hapless Danny side liner wasn`t indicating `no goal` without a blush or a hint of shame!
That was massively disappointing, but it also showed what County could do if they could get their game together again- and….THE CHEADLE END WERE STILL SINGING!
County, having struggled for half an hour, were now beginning to piece bits of their game together….Hippolyte and Rydel were linking up now , and we were getting shots in on goal albeit without reward- the Hippolyte/ Rydel link up going close, Johnson also from a subsequent corner, and Madden -thwarted by the inevitable Grimes in the act of doing Spireites some damage.
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| Quigley thwarted ! |
Corners and free kicks were coming County`s way now, but Chesterfield were still looking the handier outfit on the ball mostly, forcing DC`s men to defend rather more than they might want to keep it at 2-0.
Then, with time running out in the first half Rydel forced another corner for County, and Loach could do zilch with it. Hogan thought he just might…but was brought down as he went to make his thoughts reality in the box. “ Penalty” says I to myself- a thought echoed by 9000 odd other I guess, but again it was a no no as far as the Referee was concerned .
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| Extensive treatment for Collar ! |
Collar had taken a hefty knock in that exchange too , and 4 minutes added time was stretched for a good bit whist Collar had treatment on the field for his head injury- he eventually returned to the fray with head swathed in bandages- the half ending wit Oyeleke hooking the ball clear for Chesterfield under pressure.
The second half opened with a free kick to County after Quigley had been felled by King, but Chesterfield defended this well and it stayed 2-0 in the visitors favour.
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| Pressure on Spireites ! |
Cue mayhem and another interminably long interruption in play, as King went straight through Rydel in front of the dug outs- an appalling `tackle`! King was red-carded for this, play eventually resuming with a County free kick . Hogan looked to get on the end of this losing out to Loach- a keeper not at all lacking in confidence!
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| Not great from King ( Andrew Machin ) |
Rydel was back and seemingly OK, and County now faced 10 men, could they make this numerical superiority count?
Short answer- Yes, as Rydel found Collar with a neat pass and he reduced the arrears with a smart finish that gave Loach no chance at all, and throughout this THE CHEADLE END CONTINUED TO SING!
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| Madden enjoys the moment as Collar makes it 1-2. |
And 2 excellent shots of that goal from Andrew Machin :-
It was all very frenetic now, and as the blues looked ever closer for that equaliser DC acted to bring Crankshaw on for Hogan.
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| County working hard at getting another goal! |
It was at this point that Ryan Johnson`s input became apparent, as teammates increasingly found him with passes, and he responded with some skill. On 66 minutes a sublime long ball from Johnno found Quigley whose power pushed Chesterfield back.
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| Defender feels Quigley`s power ! |
Only a throw came from that, or so I thought, but County would not go away and the efforts of Johnno and Quiggers were rewarded when Croasdale produced a superb strike from the edge of the box- it was 2-2…..AND HOW THE CHEADLE END SANG IN RESPONSE!
Cool heads were needed now, and County kept giving the ball to the coolest around and Johnson prompted another screamer from Collar that just cleared the bar with 20 minutes to go.
Back came Chesterfield, and it took an excellent blocking tackle by Croasdale to stop the potential rot for County.
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| Southam- Hales on the ball ! |
County wanted more however, but backed by their fans at last Chesterfield were in no mood to oblige- Southam -Hales seeing a cross fly across goal and out…Collar drilling another tasty one wide after another Johnno/ Rydel link up.
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| Johnno to the fore ! |
On…on it went in the same vein…..Southam- Hales` shot deflected for a corner which was resolutely cleared by the red shirted defenders as were 2 further flag kicks following good work by Rydel, Hippolyte and Quigley.
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| Good work on both flanks by Rydel ! |
As I say- it was frenetic stuff, and midst all the attacking from County there was a need to comprehend that the back door needed to be locked and it was great to see Southam- Hales cutting a lightning break by Spireites off with some brilliant defending on 77 minutes.
County continued to attack though- Collar again going close with 10 minutes of normal time left, but we got another example of poor refereeing next and it started with an attack by Chesterfield down our right flank. Southam- Hales did well with this and brought the ball a yard or so clear only to be assaulted…legs body…arms the lot. I did not note who the perp was, but the Referee did and seemed to indicate to same that he would be back to sort him after he had let play continue.
The raid looked a good one , and the Referee`s decision understandable, but with Southam-Hales still on the deck a vital element in same was missing and the raid fizzled out.
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| More late pressure from County. |
Cue ref then…..but no he made no attempt at all to admonish the offender , and that looked as bad if not worse an assault as had been that by King earlier, and play continued 10 against 11!
Into 10 minutes added time we went with immense pressure on Chesterfield and Newby now on for Hippolyte, and Johnson still driving County on with a plethora of silky passes.
It was so….. so tense now as Johnno picked Croasdale out and he won a corner. Rydel `s shot from this was charged down- Madden unlucky with his follow up effort that just missed out.
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| Madden unlucky ( Andrew Machin ) |
Virtually the whole 10 minutes of added time was spent deep in Spireites territory, but would we nick one at the death?
Well, we went close….really close…..
Crankshaw started it , his run taking him to the edge of the box where he fired a cross over to where Quigley lurked smack in front of goal.
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| The cross from Crankshaw ..... |
It looked a shoo-in had it gone to feet but with mere centimetres in it, and the away end reaching for the BP pills, the ball eluded the County centre- forward!
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| ....and the agony ! |
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| ...and Andrew Machin`s view of that action. |
That would have been a fitting end to the game for County, and their excellent supporters who SANG UNTIL AND BEYOND THE GAMES LAST GASP!
But it was not to be, and whilst a point was disappointing, it was against quality opposition, and keeps us at the top - we just need to now build on this experience- perhaps with Sarcevic back!
See you all on Saturday and then at Brommers on Tuesday!
Oh...and a bonus shot ( another from Andrew )...
Stockport County line up:-
Hinchliffe, Hogan ( Crankshaw 60), Palmer, Johnson, Southam-Hales, Rydel, Croasdale, Collar, Madden, Hippolyte ( Newby 93), Quigley.
Subs not used: Minihan, Kitching, C Jennings.
Chesterfield line up:-
Loach, Oyeleke ( Kellerman 70) ( Williams 54), Asante, Mandeville, Mc Court, Tshimanga, King, Croll ( Miller 87), Grimes, Whittle, Kerr.
Subs not used; Quigley, Khan.
Attendance : 10236 ( 1581)
hedgegrower
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