Stockport County 5 Southend United 0 ( Vanarama National League ) Saturday 9 April 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

County maintained their relentless progress back to the FL with a comfortable 5-0 victory against Southend United at Edgeley Park today.

It was a thrilling and in many ways uplifting performance from County, that was entirely appropriate in the setting of the Danny Bergara Day that had captivated the large crowd`s imagination from well before kick-off time- Danny had brought us flair, oodles of attacking football and much more and DC `s men, with Scott Quigley in irresistible form at their head, did more than a passable job of giving us just that several decades later.

 Quigley a real threat ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

Quigley ultimately did not get the goal his performance merited- those came via Collar and Hippolyte before the break with Madden contributing a brace and substitute Cannon the fifth late on in the second half. He did look to have notched one close to half-time, but this was ruled out- collaring the M.O.M award however – thoroughly good call sponsors!

 Southend struggled to respond throughout and when they did County`s serial purveyors of clean sheets at the back did a brilliant job in denying them the oxygen of possession whilst keeping the County attack well supplied.

In short, it was a job well done!

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With Danny`s image beaming out from the big screen in the stadium and another bumper crowd of almost 8000 in fine voice the game got underway at ridiculous o`clock ( 5.20)  with County already intent on camping out at the Cheadle End , which Southend decided to defend first. One day visiting teams that win the toss will learn that it really makes no difference which way County attack in the first half- but hey ho…Southend were about to learn the hard way.

The first wave of County attacking had the Cheadle End roaring as Hippolyte forced an early corner that saw keeper Colin Ndi in action punching clear under pressure.

 

Ndi- firm under pressure !

 

 

 

Less than half a minute later and Ndi was called on again to push a shot by Quigley around the post. The corner was cleared but already it was clear that County just had to give the ball to Quigley to prosper!

 

 Just wide from Quigley !

 

 

But my early calm was interrupted as a rash tackle by Hogan got him booked as Southend shaped to work the ball clear down the left.

 

 Hogan - booked early ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 Hinchliffe, who reached another milestone today passing the excellent  Ken Hodder in County appearances table, gobbled the free kick with ease but Hogan now had to watch the discipline for 75 plus minutes.

 

 Shot on way from Quigley ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully Quigley was in masterful form further up the park- storming through 2 minutes later to force a corner. 

 

 Close from Quigley !

 

 

 

This was only half cleared by United allowing Hippolyte to put the pressure on once more- picking Quigley out nicely. Quigley turned his man immaculately slipping a neat ball inside to where Madden was approaching at full tilt, but before he could shoot the referee blew indicating a foul by Hippolyte in the build-up.

We were 20 minutes in now and for all intents and purposes we looked about to witness another Southend goal kick as a wayward pass from someone in blue sped towards the by-line. It was definitely odds on to go out …until Quigley decided differently keeping the most improbable ball in play brilliantly nicking another corner from absolutely nothing!

 

 1-0 courtesy of Collar....

 

 ....and he likes it a bit too !

 

 Johnson`s header ( Andrew Machin )

Collar scores ( Andrew Machin )

 

 

 

 Celebrations ahoy! ( Andrew Machin )

 

Quigley`s excellent play declared its first divi of the day as in the melee that resulted from the corner, Collar did the biz- latching onto Johnson`s neat headed pass making it 1-0 to County from close in.

Just 4 minutes later and County doubled their lead and it was again started via Quigley`s excellent willingness to go the extra mile- in this case this meant again keeping a seemingly dead ball in play, keeping the pressure very much on Kevin Maher`s team . Eventually the ball landed with Croasdale and fairly fizzed its way on to Hippolyte who buried the firmest of shots beyond Ndi`s best efforts into the net- County had a handy 2-0 lead now.

 

 Hippolyte buries it......

 

......celebrates it !

 

 and Andrew Machin`s shot of that goal.

 

 

 

This spurred Southend into action, but despite winning a free kick and corner in rapid order, neither came to anything- the free kick `s delivery was poor and flew out- and the corner won by Sam Dalby after some lively play from the visitors , foundered on the rock that is Palmer and company.

 

 Johnno- cool customer under pressure !

 

 

 

I do not want to single out one from County`s excellent back line, but I will- Johnson just oozes cool at the back under pressure and his cross field passing is something else- excellent!

All this good work at the back by the blues did not prevent Southend from getting possession but it did keep the visitors  at arm’s length mostly outside the box thus limiting their effectiveness.

 

 Man Down-Collar.

 

 

 

Mainly it was County doing the pressing though, and Collar thought he had won a penalty on 34 minutes taking a knock in the box, but Scott Simpson the referee was not inclined to indulge him ( Yes….Yes…..you know I would have given it !).

 Madden goes close...

 

 

 

It went on…Minihan`s run and cross teeing Madden up for a shot that flew wide 3 minutes later. Then a lovely move involving Johnson and Madden saw Collar clear, but his shot cleared the bar keeping it at 2-0.

 

 Sarcevic pressurising Southend.

 

 

 

First Quigley then Sarcevic took turns to terrorise the visitors- a Madden drive missing out with half time almost on us.

 

 Shot coming from Madden.....

 

 

 

 

Into added time we went ( 1 minute of it)with Minihan`s run winning his team a late corner. Again this was not dealt with well by Southend and Sarcevic took full advantage lifting a glorious lob into the box where Quigley and Ndi went for it- Quiggers won….netting….3-0 …........

 3-0...not apparently !

 

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

 

 

 

.........except it wasn`t apparently the goal disappointingly ruled out for……..I know not…….the teams going in at the break with the score still 2-0 to County.

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It was lovely to hear Kenny wax lyrical about Danny during the break and simply great to see the Bergara Family welcomed onto the pitch- a fitting moment to cherish from a monumental day in which Stockport County, the Supporters Cooperative and Help the Hatters have come together in the worthiest of causes  so well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Back to the game then which largely meant watching County pile into their opponents with some energetic attacking football.

 now Hippolyte should not have got this should he?

 

......but he did and Madden capitalises making it 3-0.

 

....yes he did !

 Madden makes it 3-0 ( Andrew Machin )

 and the celebrations ( Andrew Machin )

 

Midst a welter of attacking from County ,Hippolyte`s run saw him turn the unfortunate Noor Husin inside out down the right before slipping the ball low to Madden who wellied a belter home giving the blues a 3-0 lead now.

 

 Powerful run by Sarcevic down the right.

 

 

 

Sarcevic and Minihan were combining well and putting much pressure on Southend who were grateful to Ndi next as he kept Quigley`s header out.

 

 Collar charges clear....

 

 

The attacking continued from the blues- Collar`s run halted by a foul. But this only served to increase County`s lead as from the free kick, superbly weighted by Sarcevic, Madden headed home making it 4-0.

 Madden makes it 4-0 !

 and Andrew Machin`s shot of that goal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DC rang the changes after that action- Cannon coming on for Sarcevic and Crankshaw for Madden.

This did not alter the games pattern that much- Ndi was still a busy lad- doing well to push Crankshaw`s shot for a corner, and watching as Neal blocked a tasty header from Quigley.

 County press.......

 

 

 

 

Newby for Collar was DC`s last personnel change – Southend did claim possession a time or two after this but again without making it count- wasting a free kick and a corner, and when Neal did get it right and get his shot in , Palmer blocked it with some style.

We were into the last 10 minutes now and Quigley was still very much in United`s hair- seeing a shot deflected for a corner on 82 minutes, his run cut off by substitute Kensdale on 86 minutes.

Had we settled for 4-0?

I doubt that County had, in fact it was clear that they hadn`t- their urgent play forcing more discipline problems for the visitors who shipped another expensive free kick with 2 minutes left of normal time.

This brought Andy Cannon centre stage and he took his opportunity gloriously well, slotting his kick into the net with Ndi a bemused spectator.

 Free kick coming....

 .....end product...Cannon`s made it 5-0 !

 

 Andrew Machin captures Andy Cannon`s fierce free kick brilliantly!

 

 and Andrew Machin sees the ball hit the net too...

 

 

 

We had another late free kick in added time – nice and central….scoreable….but we didn`t.

I must say that I was impressed by the away following who driven on by a relentless drum beat continued to sing deep into added time- now that`s real support when your team is 5-0 down!

 

 Real supporters , when it matters!

 

 

 

Maybe the excellence of the away support inspired Southend a touch- they did win a very late corner but no more as Hinchliffe emerged with the ball- the game`s last action!

 

 Final action is Ben`s !

 

 

 

 

 

That was an excellent showing from County – a comfortable win that keeps our lead intact at the top and increases our goal difference.

On to Cleethorpes now then – it will be great to re-visit a favourite old County stomping ground again.

See you there hopefully!

 

Stockport County line up;-

Hinchliffe, Minihan, Hogan , Palmer, Johnson, Hippolyte, Collar ( Newby 77), Croasdale, Madden( Crankshaw 64), Sarcevic ( Cannon 64), Quigley.

Subs not used: Ashby-Hammond, Kitching.

 

Southend United line up:-

Ndi, Dalby, Clifford, Gubbins,Atkinson ( Wood 76), Neal, Clark, Demetriou, Dennis ( Powell 83), Husin, Cardwell ( Kensdale 58).

Subs not used : Bridge, Dunne.

 

Attendance : 7738( 371)

 

hedgegrower 

 

Additional Gallery:-

 

These are all from Andrew Machin ......