Aldershot Town 0 Stockport County 2 ( Vanarama National League) Saturday 5 March 2022

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

In the eighties the men in white coats ( it`s always them isn`t it !)sorted a new scale to determine how likely an event was to happen. Being notionally similar to the Richter Scale, and largely devoted to those events at the rare end of things, what they came up with converted probability into what they termed `log odds` .

As rare events go County wins against the Shots at the Recreation Ground, whilst we won here last season, have been right up there with the rarest of occurrences. Indeed, waiting in the queue for Needham Market tickets on Monday chatting with Jim Timms, he brought to mind the match that rather typified our lot on away trips to these parts, where having eviscerated Shots defensive cover, ace finisher Brett Angell being about to shoot home on the line, tripped over the ball which stayed in play whilst Brett fell into the goal!

So, despite County`s impressive form of late a certain amount of due caution was called for today was it? Very probably, but County made light of `scientific probability` and the like to come away with all the available points and their top spot in the National League intact via a thoroughly professional performance.


Southam - Hales- terrific again !

Quality goals in the first half an hour from Crankshaw and Collar( two mighty power houses on the wettest of Hampshire evenings) settling matters for Dave Challinor`s side which welcomed Antoni Sarcevic back to the starting line-up . Sarcevic`s inclusion had an immediate impact ,thus with Southam-Hales again in outstanding form down the right the wonder was that County did not clock further goals .


Sarcevic - welcome return !

The Shots did come into the game more in the second half, particularly after the departure of Sarcevic just after the hour mark, but their finishing lacked the quality of their approach play and County`s back line with Palmer and Johnson in total command of defensive matters, held onto their lead and another clean sheet without too much trouble.

…………………………………..

Back at ridiculous o`clock ( 5.20 pm) and having despatched a truly superb hot dog and onions, it was a great joy to see and hear County`s travelling fans again present in numbers and making the most impressive run through both County`s songbook and a clutch of new anthems , including one about Southam- Hales . They kept it going game long too- fantastic stuff guys and gals( see photos in Additional Gallery)!


Southam Hales in possession ( Andrew Machin )

It was raining of course but it would have taken a hurricane to stop Southam-Hales and Crankshaw as the duo tore into the left side of the Shots defence with a passion to match that of the 357 County fans who had eschewed the warmth of the fire side and the blandishments of BT to support their club!


Southam- Hales flying !

It was an impressive start and Madden was only just kept from one of many Southam-Hales crosses on 4 minutes.

Madden on the charge ( Andrew Machin )

Colin Daniel did well to block the County number seven`s path to goal 2 minutes later and that looked a vital intervention with the County man flying.

The early pressure continued unabated from County- CJ foiled by keeper Dillon Barnes` prompt action 8 minutes in, following good work by Johnson and Hippolyte.


Close by Collar !

The pressure was beginning to tell on the home defence and free kicks came County`s way as a result- Collar forcing a corner, on 11 minutes, from one. CJ was clear from this, and then he wasn`t as the home cover re-doubled rapidly.


CJ out of luck ( Andrew Machin )

But Shots could not convert their hard work under pressure into meaningful attacking options, indeed more defensive questions were being asked of them by County particularly Crankshaw who rounded a lovely exchange deep in home territory with a delightful chip over the keeper to give County the lead on 13 minutes.

It`s 1-0 courtesy Crankshaw !


More from that action


and they loved it too !

And 2 beauties from that action from Andrew Machin :-

The pressure was on the Shots now and they did well to keep it at 1-0 -it was 10 minutes before County looked like adding to their tally – CJ starting the action with a pacy run that saw the ball with Crankshaw , and he was inches from reaching Madden in front of goal!


Crankshaw - fully justified his start !


Madden & company ( Andrew Machin )

County kept the pressure on only for a run of compelling power and pace by Southam- Hales to be halted just outside the box by a foul by Jayden Harris who went into Referee Tom Parsons book for his pains ( or rather Southam -Hales`).

Down goes Southam- Hales ( Andrew Machin )

But the Shots pain did not end there- whilst Sarcevic`s free kick was kept out, the follow up involving the same player just decimated the home side`s cover- Crankshaw receiving the ball from Sarcevic before lifting a brute of a ball towards goal where Collar reacted first and best to head home to massive acclaim from County fans!

Three shots of that action from hedgegrower :-

And 2 from Andrew Machin :-

Aldershot did respond after the second goal, but despite a long throw offering a brief window of opportunity for them, County never really looked likely to leak a goal.


No goal...( Andrew Machin )

OK nitpickers…. Shots did have the ball in the net on 34 minutes but it stayed 2-0- I assume for offside but stand to be corrected.


Crankshaw- potent weapon for County !

County kept looking to add to their tally in what remained of the half, with Southam- Hales and Crankshaw still potent weapons down the right pushing Shots back, whilst on the left CJ just waited for anything that Johnno or Hippolyte could produce down the flank or Collar and Croasdale through the middle and his header on 42 minutes deserved a better outcome- the ball flying wide with the keeper a spectator.


Hippolyte at the sharp end ( Andrew Machin )

Collar went close with a header next, but the half ended with the Shots wall keeping Sarcevic`s free kick out after Daniel had stopped the latest cooperation twixt Southam- Hales and Crankshaw by upending the latter.

County went in at the break with the songs of their supporters ringing in their ears- 2-0 was a decent reward for 45 minutes quality work, could we add to it in the second half?

…………………………………………………………

Aldershot opened the second half brightly, pushing forward , but as in the first 45 minutes there was nothing too lethal about their work and it was not long before County hit back- Barnes pushing Sarcevic`s shot around a post from Madden`s pass on 49 minutes.

Another good save by Barnes ( Andrew Machin )

Unfortunately, the subsequent corner was poor prompting another brief flurry of activity in the County half as Shots tried to hit us on the break- halted by Collar stealing possession in typically authoritative style.

Collar was away…and then he wasn`t as he was chewing on damp Hampshire grit. I did not clock the perpetrator, but it mattered not as he would have thought his action worth it as the home side`s wall held firm from the free kick keeping it at 2-0.

County still looked the more lethal of the two teams if some of the first half’s zest was beginning to ebb a touch- that said …..Hippolyte went down in the box around the hour mark looking for a penalty. This was denied and I was not greatly surprised.

Both sides started to make personnel changes- County replacing Sarcevic with Minihan, and CJ with Quigley, and Shots making a double change too.


Decent 70 minutes from CJ !

County had work to do defensively speaking in the last 20 minutes- Madden excelling with the keenest of defensive headers with Shots looking for a way back into this game


Madden - busy game long !

Hippolyte saw a shot clear the bar on 74 minutes for County, but much of the play now was heading in Hinchliffe`s direction- the loosest of balls deep in their own half by County giving substitute Sam Mathews a chance for glory- he fluffed it lifting his shot over the bar!


Hippolyte on the ball.

That was a real chance for Shots, they might have regretted not taking it had Barnes not beaten Collar to a through ball by the narrowest of margins with 10 minutes left….but he did, and Hippolyte`s follow up as well!

County had a corner however and Jordan half cleared this- Crankshaw pinging it back but seeing Quigley foiled by the keeper.

Crankshaw- still firing `em in (Andrew Machin )

Barnes was earning his corn alright, and he did it again on 82 minutes saving Crankshaw`s shot with his legs after good work from Croasdale.

Credit to Shots…back they came after that last action- Phillips looking good with a tasty run from deep but spoiling it all by dragging the poorest of shots wide!

Whitfield was on for Hippolyte with 7 minutes left, and by this time County were putting their opponents under considerable pressure again- interrupted by another break by Vennings for Shots on 86 minutes, but again the moment was wasted as the ball flew wide of the target.

Whitfield - lurks at the back post

This seemed to encourage Aldershot and County had defending to do as the game went into 3 added minutes with them conceding free kicks- the first on the edge of the box flying for a corner off a white shirt- the second needing one…two…three clearances by County before the danger was eventually sorted.

It stayed 2-0 though, and that is a decent result by any yardstick- massively well-done County team and management- top job!

Top job to the 357 too – they were truly excellent today…again…and they hopefully will feel proud to know that each one of them who said no to the fireside and made it to Aldershot can go to bed tonight ( or tomorrow) knowing that they are the only County supporters who have ever seen County win at the Recreation Ground- last years win being behind closed doors!

Nice one, one and all- see you at Needham Market!

Aldershot Town line up:-

Barnes, Lyons- Foster ( Panayiotou 74) , Berkeley- Agyepong ( Matthews 57), Oxlaid- Chamberlain , Glover, Jordan, Sylla, Phillips, Harris ( Willard 57), Vennings, Daniel.

Subs not used : Walker , Edser.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Palmer, Johnson, Southam- Hales, Collar, Croasdale, Hippolyte ( Whitfield 83), Sarcevic ( Minihan 63), Madden, C Jennings ( Quigey 70), Crankshaw.

Subs not used : Keane, Ashby- Hammond.

Attendance : 1552 ( 357)

hedgegrower

Additional Gallery:-

Startng with some from hedgegrower-