Stockport County 1 Solihull Moors 0 ( Vanarama National League ) Monday 18 April 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

( Words by hedgegrower, images by hedgegrower & Andrew Machin )

 

As the man said “ Sometimes you have just got to win ugly!”

County did just that at Edgeley Park coming away with all the points against a Solihull Moors side that was on a 16 game unbeaten run thus keeping their title push on track!

The winner came via Paddy Madden, and it was a well merited win, one served up with a tasty side dish of karma.

 The goal came in the 3^rd minute of added time which was pay back  for a Moors side that wasted time prodigiously in the second half, when they weren`t knocking six   bells out of sundry County players.

This was sad because in the first half the visitors defended well. It`s true that they only really showed up at the sharp end twice. Both times leading scorer Andy Dallas was involved but on each occasion County had the man to match the moment – Palmer and Hinchliffe.

 Moors discipline simply fell apart under pressure from County and they were extremely fortunate to come across a Referee in Martin Woods seemingly unable to take the firm action necessary to quell the violence!

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The place was bulging with over 9000 inside EP as the sides took  the field circa 3 o`clock.

There were a couple of County changes on view- Cannon was in for Hippolyte and Rydel for Sarcevic.

 Cannon in for Hippolyte.

 

 

 

 

It was particularly good to see Rydel back and he did not disappoint  putting in 90 odd minutes in which his energy levels seemed not to flag at all!

 

 Rydel- really good to see him back !

 

 

 

Indeed, straight from the off Rydel was taking the game to Moors his run and cross seeing Collar vie with keeper Ryan Boot , and almost nick one.

 

 Rydel in cracking nick !

 Collar v Boot ( and one or two others )

 

 

 

There were no takers for a second cross by Rydel less than a minute later, but already we knew it was good to have him back!

 

 Johnno on the ball.

 

 

 

Andy Dallas came here with a growing reputation for scoring goals, and it was excellent to see Johnson in position to cut his dash off , 5 minutes in, as he made to break up the park.

 

 Madden foiled 

 

 ...and foiled again with Palmer ( Andrew Machin )

 

This saw County push Moors back again but Madden was just unable to capitalise on a decent ball from Minihan .

 

 Minihan ( M.O.M)- Andrew Machin`s shot .

 

 

 

This was not at all bad- there was little sign of a negative reaction to Friday`s adverse outcome, in fact some of the play on view from the blues was top notch already as the ball flew silkily from Johnson to Croasdale and onwards to Rydel. It looked really good but Moors cover was sound and they were able to clear their lines.

 

 Just wide by Quigley !

 

Not for long though and Alex Gudger did well to block Madden following a run by Collar, and the Cheadle End gasped in unison as Quigley`s header missed out by the narrowest of margins in the very next County raid.

 

 

 Great balance from Quigley ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

That was 10 minutes gone…then 11…12….on it went with County still attacking  without reward and I told myself that was down to Moors` working well to whatever plan Neil Ardley had formulated for them.

Absolutely 100% this plan would involve Dallas rattling County cage and on 15 minutes he looked to do just that his run teeing Newton up for a tilt at goal- enter Ash Palmer with a superbly timed last ditcher and Newton was toast….chance gone!

It was a chance though, so we had been warned!

It was nearly 5 minutes later before the next action of consequence occurred and it was at the Cheadle End where Collar had burst clear. He made it to the by-line and could only push the ball across the face of goal , and there were no immediate takers- Rydel running onto it eventually but sending his shot wide.

 Collar competes ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

Again we had to wait a while for anything really tasty and it came at the wrong end where Newton returned the favour to Dallas ending a run with a pass that saw the striker in on goal. It did look another chance and the Moors fans on the Railway End must have thought that their journey would reap a reward  as Dallas continued his run into the 6 yard box where his shot was kept out bravely by the advancing Hinchliffe – a terrific match saving save well worth the short ovation it received!

 

 Cannon pushes Moors back ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

County responded – Cannon shining with a neat run down the left- Madden and Quigley linking up nicely to tee Rydel up for a shot that was deflected for a corner, which Boot did well to punch clear under pressure.

 

 

 Close from Collar.

 

 

County were  working hard for that opening goal, but it was tantalisingly just out of reach -Collar close on the end of some neat play from Croasdale on the half hour.

 

 Croasdale blocked this time ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

Hinchliffe had some work to do on 37 minutes just beating Howe to a long throw , after a couple of Moors free kicks had pushed County back.

Again the 100 or so behind the goals at the Railway End must have hoped that the Moors` moment had arrived   with a somewhat disputed corner, but this vanished as soon as it arrived as Osborne sent his flag kick over all available heads out of play- moment gone!

 

 Madden a handfull for Moors ( Andrew  Machin )

 

 

 

The 40^th minute saw Madden go into Mr Woods book – I did not see the action but I saw the aftermath involving Gudger who made a five course meal of it -reviving with astonishing rapidity once the booking had been actioned.

No matter, we needed to ignore the dramas and play our own game which would surely be good enough to win us this one, but Rydel`s next run was halted for handball with the break on.

 Howe does just enough !

 

 

That was disappointing , but more followed in added time where more blue pressure saw us win a corner . Palmer wanted it for sure but so did Howe for Moors and he did just enough to keep Palmer out- winning a free kick to boot !

 

 

 

 

 

That was the first half sorted , we needed to re-group and go again .

 

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Just one photo at half time from hedgegrower as SCAN certificates were presented by Darren & Stuart Nightingale to the Family of Alec and David Herd  - father and son who played in the same team for County- an amazing piece of unique County history.

                                     Oh and Andrew Machin clocked Ashley Williams doing the biz :-

 

 

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County went on the attack straight away in the second half- Madden and Collar unable to apply a finish to a move started by Minihan and Hogan.

 

 Shot from Collar .

 

 

The pressure from County continued and looked to have sorted that vital opening mentioned earlier, but when Clarke`s misdirected header sent Quigley clear, more disappointment came the blues way as Boot was able to keep the shot out!

 Quigley blocked.

 

 

 

Disappointment turned to anger next as Madden was brought down in the box only for Mr Woods to perhaps remember Paddy`s show of disgust at his booking earlier and wave play on! And play did carry on and at a pace with County at it like a croc at a wildebeest….enter the unfortunate Clarke again and his trip on Rydel was seen clearly by Mr Woods who pointed to the spot with but a short delay!

Moors protested, awaiting the inevitable from Paddy, but no…..it was not to be and Boot`s dive left saw him clutch the ball gratefully to his chest before wellying it clear to cheers from behind him on the Railway End.

 Boot saves the spot kick !

 

 ...and Andrew Machin`s view of the penalty save !

 

 

 

 

 

The thought did now occur that perhaps this was not going to be County`s day ……we would see….

 

 Hogan down for first time ! ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

It was more or less at this point that the Moors discipline went walk about- Hogan hauled down unceremoniously by Howe ( yellow card) .Boyes was able to block Quigley from the resultant free kick so it stayed 0-0 which again was disappointing.

 

 Quigley pushes Moors back....

 

 

 

More good work from Boot to foil Quigley again followed, and then more violence from Moors as a fearsome   challenge from Dallas laid Hogan out for quite a while, but despite the ferocity of the challenge it merited a yellow card according to Mr Woods!

When play resumed Collar latched onto the ball from the free kick unleashing a shot on goal that I think went wide. I say `I think` because my attention had immediately swung back to Collar who had been taken out by Boyes way after the ball had left. 

 

 Collar felled ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

That was just about as bad a tackle as could be imagined but again Mr Woods waved a yellow card at the miscreant!

The free kick flew wide so Moors will have thought their actions well worthwhile!

Moors did try to take advantage of County`s disappointment ( and accumulated injuries)but Barrett`s shot went wide  just on the hour.

There was a period of attacking from Moors next- Boyes seeing a shot blocked- Palmer heading clear a couple of times as crosses pinged over from wide right. 

 

 Cannon presses on....

 

 

 

Eventually County recovered their poise enough to take the game to their opponents again- Cannon doing well to keep a move alive – Madden`s shot being pushed for a corner by Boot.

 

 Good effort by Madden.

 

A shot from Johnson followed, then a veritable blizzard of shots from the men in blue, not one counting as Moors luck held.

 

 Moors under pressure.

 

 Andrew Machin sees the pressure too !

 

 

Collar`s luck was out though as the 71 st minute saw him take a hefty whack from Osborne- ritual yellow duly waved thereafter we could now only await the next action and hope that County were not to pay for the referee’s approach to discipline.

Hippolyte was now on for Cannon and did well on the end of good work by Minihan and Quigley, but despite Hogan adding a useful contribution Moors survived.

 

 Hippolyte on ....( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

Moors were keeping themselves afloat despite the pressure from County, doing just enough to thwart their every move. Both teams rang the changes next Quigley and Hogan replaced by CJ and Crankshaw for County, Hudlin and Reilly coming on in place of Dallas and Barnett for Moors.

Crankshaw was first to show for County – just wide from a Rydel corner with 4 minutes of normal time left.

County continued to press, and press but nothing was squaring that circle- Collar watching his shot saved by Boot from Hippolyte`s pass.

 

 CJ puts Moors under pressure.

 

 

 

 

CJ was to the fore as well sending Croasdale clear, but Boot kept his header out confidently.

Into added time we went then fearing the worst perhaps, and angered to see Moors subbing Storer for Sbarra one minute in.

The substitution delayed a County throw ( cue more anger) but a distinct sense of karma came next as Hippolyte shepherded the ball inside to where Madden and Crankshaw queued awaiting its arrival- Madden was best placed to react and did so scoring from inside the box sending 9100 of the 9200 AS with excitement!

 

 The shot by Madden.....

 

 ...and Crankshaw follows it in to make sure !

 

 Goal coming from Madden ( Andrew Machin )

 

 ......and Andrew Machin`s view of that !

 

 

That was 3 minutes into added time, and post visitation to the Cheadle End by just about all 11 County players, we set about seeing time out.

There was surely not that much of it to see out, but anyway Moors still fancied raining on the blues parade and via a throw then a corner that brought a flurry of activity in front of the County goal, the best of which from a Moors view point being a header by Hudlin- on target and forceful but so was Hinchliffe and he plucked the ball out of the air clutching to his person to the accompaniment of relieved cheers from 3 of the four stands.

 

 Last word to Hinchliffe! ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

There was still time for CJ to push Moors back…..for Clarke to clatter Rydel   - I cared not about yellow ..red…whatever…just the whistle, and Mr Woods eventually blew that and County could celebrate a very hard earned , well merited win!

News came in that Wrexham had won of course, but if we keep on winning that will not matter.

Well done County….on …on to Yeovil then !

Catch you there hopefully!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Hogan ( Crankshaw 82), Palmer, Johnson, Minihan, Croasdale, Collar, Cannon( Hippolyte 72), Madden, Quigley ( C Jennings 82) , Rydel.

Subs not used : Ashby-Hammond, Francis- Angol.

 

Solihull Moors line up:-

Boot, Clarke, Howe, Gudger, Sbarra ( Storer 91), Maycock, Osborne, Barnett ( Reilly 82), Boyes, Dallas ( Hudlin 82), Newton.

Subs not used : Cranston, Ellis.

Attendance :9211

 

hedgegrower

 

And a few more from Andrew Machin :-