Stockport County 3 Notts County 0 ( Vanarama National League) Tuesday 15 March 2022

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

County powered their way to an excellent 3-0 win under floodlights at Edgeley Park last night, where a usually first class Notts County side were made to look distinctly ordinary.

Ian Burchnall`s side are definitely anything but ordinary, but they just could not handle County`s pressing play bought into comprehensively by all 11 in blue and the subs too!

The goals came via a belter from Ollie Crankshaw and a fine brace from Paddy Madden who continues to go from strength to strength under DC`s wing, but it was yet another top rank team showing – one that had a Tuesday evening crowd of almost 8000 in celebration mode.

 

 Upper Tiers in Excellent voice( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

But this celebration mode was evident before kick-off when the upper tiers of the Cheadle End got into the right supportive groove on the pre-match march which they carried forward into the stadium. 

 

 

 

 

 

The team were warming up for the most part while the County fans ran through their repertoire – the team must have lapped it up and maybe this played its part in what was a superb win!

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The old place was buzzing come 7.45, but the whole stadium cooled it instantly to honour the people of Ukraine with a beautifully observed minutes applause!

 

 Nicely observed by the whole stadium !

 

 

 And there was good support for the people of Ukaine on the Pop Side here captured nicely by Andrew Machin:-

 

 

When the game got underway County wasted no time at all in staking their claim to the games bragging rights– Collar unlucky after an early link up with Sarcevic.

 Early save by Jaros.

 

 

 

 

County`s attacking ambitions did not die there though – Madden`s first contribution, a speculative shot, came back off a defender. Notts County looked shell shocked as the blues swarmed all over them again- Southam-Hales just unable to pull the ball back having surged to the by-line at speed.

 

 Southam- Hales in the action early as usual !

 

 

The game was being played out at breakneck speed by County and the Magpies were indebted to keeper Vitezslav Jaros who somehow managed to push a fierce drive by Croasdale around a post! No sooner had we digested that one when Jaros `treated` us to another of his specials saving a Crankshaw shot with his legs and Sarcevic`s follow up as well!

 

 Shot.....from Sarcevic.....

 

 ....but Jaros has it !

 

 

 

It went on……Jaros keeping Collar`s header out at point blank range –only 15 minutes had gone but already it was abundantly clear that another opposing keeper was having a blinder against us- a fact confirmed with clanging great brass knobs on when Croasdale and Madden looked on to open the scoring- Jaros had other ideas!

 Jaros keeps Collar`s header out !

and Andew Machin`s view of that action......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So far it had been one way traffic- heading in Jaros`s direction, but the eighteenth minute offered the visitors a chance to change that as Palmer`s loose pass played Richardson in. It did look like Richardson was about to spoil our evening with the opening goal, especially as he drew Hinchliffe and took the ball around him, but having done the hard bit he then made a bugger of it by lifting the ball into the Cheadle End which of course was now a seething sea of chortling County fans!

 

 Richardson messes up ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

That was one heck of a let off- against the run of play of course, but still a let off!

 

 County press......

 

 

 Another tilt by Sarcevic.

 

 

 Sarcevic at the double ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

County`s reply was to win a corner but twice Sarcevic went close without reward, prompting a response from the Magpies , but the initial promise of Rodrigues`s run faded quickly with County`s cover re-grouping fast.

 

 

 

Sarcevic broke clear from that action only to be brought down before reaching the danger zone, and the free kick was cleared.

This brought another response from Notts County and again thoughts of us going behind were awash in my brain and I guess many others as Richardson made it deep into County territory. Fortunately he had Kitching for company and he forced him wider and wider and soon enough the chance had gone as the eventual shot went out off someone in blue , probably Kitching but I did not catch this aspect.The corner was cleared without too much trouble – the relief was almost tangible and we needed to get tighter for sure if we were going to prevail today!

 

 Crankshaw- well worth his starting place again !

 

 

 

County attacked in reply but Crankshaw was hauled down by Taylor on the edge of the box, and Hippolyte`s free kick saw Jaros pull off another belter to keep it at 0-0- possibly his best yet!

 

 Save coming from Jaros !

 

 

 

 

If that was a disappointment ,the feeling did not last long as the 28^th minute saw County take the lead their general play deserved.

The blues were attacking in numbers with Sarcevic , Crankshaw and Southam- Hales causing big problems for the visitors left flank. Southam-Hales teeing Crankshaw up for a shot that came back off a defender- chance gone….except it hadn`t as Southam -Hales turned provider again lifting a deliciously weighted ball in Madden`s direction in the crowded box.

 

 Madden heads County`s first goal home ( Andrew Machin )

 

 .....and enjoys the aftermath ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 The Irishman did the rest his smart header flying beyond Jaros into the net to give DC`s men the lead!

The attacks continued from County upon the re-start and Jaros had to excel himself yet again , this time due to some rank bad defending by Taylor who gifted possession to County under the lightest of pressure- the keeper holding onto Collar`s shot with impressive confidence.

 Collar and Croasdale involved again !

 

 

 

 

 

If anyone was wondering why Collar and Croasdale had been chosen ( along with Palmer) for England C duty, the evidence was before us in abundance tonight as both were up and down the pitch putting out fires before they started and starting a few themselves- Collar doing some excellent fire `putting out` on 38 minutes as Notts County looked to hit the blues on the break.

Just one minute later and 2-0 looked a certainty as Hinchliffe pinged one of his occasional long specials in immaculate style straight in Hippolyte`s path and he was beyond the last defender in a trice. `Two none then` but no……. Myles dragged a poor effort wide to keep it at 1-0.

 Shot from Madden ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

County`s pressure continued and started to get a negative response from their opponents – a foul by Roberts on Madden increasing the visitors angst, Matty Palmer dong similar and earning a yellow card for carting Crankshaw crudely. Despite the afore mentioned, free kicks and corners were County`s only reward despite continued attacking play right up to the break!

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Half Time saw Chris Marples receive his SCAN Certificate on the pitch from Aidan Casey- a fitting tribute for a fine County keeper!

 

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The Magpies replaced Taylor with Nemane , but if they were looking for increased defensive solidity it proved to be a chimera starting on 47 minutes with some excellent work by Kitching down the left where his persistence almost saw him nick one with defenders switching off to order. 

 Johnno in there! ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

We had to settle for a corner and Johnson and others fancied getting on the end of this, but Referee Paul Marsden `saw something` to ease Notts pain via a free kick.

 Andrew Machin sees Crankshaw slam the second home!

 

 Celebrations on.... ( Andrew Machin )

 ...and off the park ! ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their ease did not last long however despite them winning a rare corner for the ball landed with Hinchliffe and he whacked another long one up the park where Madden`s lay off saw Crankshaw powering his way clear down the right before looking up and crashing a real belter into the net with Jaros a helpless spectator- it was 2-0!

 

 

With the hour mark approaching I began to wonder whether the game might descend into a `foul fest` with Mr Marsden waving cards about with increasing vigour- Lacey getting one for clattering Croasdale, Mr M evening things up with one for Sarcevic almost immediately-but it stayed just the right side of tipping over into what was unacceptable.

Collar on the ball ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

For their part, County kept plugging away, looking for a third goal- Collar clear but kept from  Crankshaw`s cross by Jaros.

There was not much coming back at County from Notts and under pressure   from Sarcevic Rawlinson`s foul gave County another chance to shine   only for Hippolyte`s free kick to clear the bar.   

The hour mark saw Crankshaw able to tend his multiple bruises being replaced by Quigley- leaving the action to massive applause.

The 64th minute saw a twitch from the Notts corpse as Roberts made it to the by-line only to see Hinchliffe smother his attempt at goal with impressive ease.

 

 Question- did the 4 of `em stop Southam-Hales? ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was but a brief interruption of County`s relentless search for that third goal and Southam-Hales was unlucky to see the excellent Jaros keep his shot out with his legs.

 

 

 Hippolyte v Richardson !

 

 

 

The last 20 minutes beckoned now and Notts twitched again a couple of times and it was good to see Ash Palmer and Hippolyte in good nick earning applause under pressure at the back for County.

 

 A rare `oops` moment for Jaros !

 

 

 

 

They wanted that third though did they not, and the 71^st minute gave us a tantalising moment that promised much then snatched it away as Jaros almost spilled the ball into the net with Kitching on goal alert and on his case. County`s corner from that was cleared frustratingly.

But the frustration did not last long as Hippolyte took the game to Magpies his cross just missing Collar but running loose to Madden who made no mistake -slotting the ball home from the edge of the box!

 It`s 3-0 ( Andrew Machin )

 

 Deep Joy ! (Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

It was 3-0, and deservedly so….and almost 4-0 but again Jaros excelled himself with a fine save to keep a pile driver from Hippolyte out!

 

 

 Frustration for Hippolyte!

 

 

 

 

With Newby on for Collar late on County kept up the pressure - Hippolyte again thwarted by Jaros – Madden similarly frustrated as the keeper kept him from a hat-trick as a shot from Quigley ricocheted his way across goal.

Minihan for Southam-Hales was County`s last personnel change of the night, both party`s getting rousing acclaim from County fans who had supported their team well all evening ( all 3 stands!).

Quigley saw a shot deflected for a corner but this, and one won by Newby at the death, were both cleared by Magpies.

County continued to press but without further addition to the score- and anyway 3-0 was a fine result against a side pushing for promotion themselves.

Well done all, lets see more of the same on Saturday against Wealdstone!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Southam-Hales ( Minihan 84), Palmer, Johnson, Kitching, Croasdale, Collar ( Newby 77) , Sarcevic, Madden, Hippolyte, Crankshaw ( Quigley 61).

Subs not used: Ashby- Hammond, Hogan.

 

Notts County line up:-

Jaros, Taylor ( Nemane 45), Rawlinson, Roberts ( Mitchell 69), Francis, Palmer, Wooton, Rodrigues, Chicksen, Lacey, Richardson ( Kelly- Evans 82).

Subs not used: Vincent, Brunt.

Attendance 7951 (492)

hedgegrower.