Harrogate Town 0 Stockport County 1 ( League Cup- First Round) Tuesday 9 August 2022

 

 

 

Wetherby Road was the scene of a welcome turn around in County`s early season fortunes as the blues rewarded a decent Tuesday night away following with a thoroughly well-deserved win in the First Round of the League Cup against Harrogate Town tonight.

 

 

 

 

The Yorkshire side were widely expected to win this one not least due to County`s indifferent form previously in the league, but DC`s men had other ideas and the much-changed side rewarded the manager`s confidence with a nicely judged victory.

The blues were much changed from Saturday and if no one let the side down some shone like beacons on a muggy but rapidly darkening night.

You can look no further than Lewis for County`s star man – he was simply tremendous throughout and quite definitely in his best position smack in the middle of the back line. Johnno stood out as well to Lewis`s left. Brown did well too and I must say that Jaros looked the part as well between the sticks.

In the end though excellent teamwork won the day for County so massive kudos all round!

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There was a big County following inside Wetherby Road for kick off, but I was already in one clearing anyone who knew me from the immediate vicinity ( apologies). The issue was that nonsense that allows football clubs to force supporters not to take their cold drinks onto the terraces without the lids being removed- one day maybe some clubs will learn to treat supporters as human beings- but I doubt being around to see it.

In this instance it was Harrogate who deserved flak …oh and whilst the food was good it was ridiculously overpriced- it was not great to be back in North Yorkshire at 7.30 or thereabouts!

But to lighten things up a touch here`s a link to some excellent pre match images from Simon George:-

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10225967644791229&set=pcb.10225967651991409 

Thankfully the match started, and County went straight onto the attack. Something of a mini siege followed for a couple of minutes illuminated nicely by the neatest of diagonal passes from Hippolyte, who  of course had already been serenaded loudly by the County fans on the Myrings Terrace behind the goal the blues were defending. Newby took the pass , worked a shooting position before firing a shot in that fizzed its way inches wide.

A good start was again highlighted by a firm header by Johnson but Jameson, the Town keeper, clung onto it!

It went on with Brown making it to the by-line without reward, and some neat play by CJ almost paid off only to be thwarted by more prompt work from Jameson.

It was at this point that Lewis began to demand everyone`s complete attention. He had already acted swiftly a couple of times to nip attempted breaks off, and the 11th minute saw his best work yet as he  produced a terrific tackle to block Ilesanmi. The ball came back almost immediately and Jaros got the away end cheering with a spectacular dive to tip a goal bound shot over the bar. Newby and Evans sorted the corner – danger ended!

County were looking good on the ball and were doing a fair amount of attacking- Camps shooting wide after good work from Brown on 16 minutes.

But we needed to keep that back door locked, and it was comforting to see Johnno in commanding form stopping Muldoon after he had slipped by Hippolyte 10 minutes later.

This point was emphasised again not long after that as Daly eluded a challenge from Croasdale to get his shot it. It cleared the bar, but it was a timely warning!

The referee had done OK thus far but I was annoyed to see him ignore a poor challenge on Brown( who he was to book for much less later), and County kept a positive outlook pushing on when they could and doing it in a nicely measured fashion- Crankshaw and CJ combining nicely before the former`s shot brought another save from Jameson for Town.

Croasdale then `took one for the team` with half time nearing- Harrogate`s free kick morphing into a corner that CJ headed out – Hippolyte adding a distinct gloss to proceedings with a spectacular block cum clearance that got the Myrings Terrace excited again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

On it went with Lewis turning defence into attack without reward at one end whilst Jaros did well to cut out a cross aimed at Ilesanmi by Thompson under pressure at the other.

County kept Jameson busy in what time remained before added time but the half ended with Lewis earning loud applause for another tremendous tackle to rob Illesanmi as he bore down on goal.

 

It was half time, and still 0-0, and that was very satisfactory!

 

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The second half opened with Town on the attack- their best chance coming on 48 minutes via a corner, but Hippolyte promptly converted  this into a chance for County, his neat pass sending Crankshaw on his way nicely. He was looking on for at least a shot at goal until Austerfield`s intervention stopped the rot for the home side.

That was a chance for sure, but County pushed on forgetting the disappointment perhaps- many hands making light work of pushing Harrogate onto the back foot.

There was a good 5 minutes of this …..County looking for that vital opening and it came on 54 minutes and the blues pressure told as handball in the box by one of a clutch of harassed men in yellow and black saw the referee point to the spot!

After a delay CJ stepped up to coolly slam the penalty home. Keeper Jameson bravely got a hand to it but CJ`s power was too much for him- County had that much sought-after lead!

It was nip and tuck for a while after the goal, and 5 minutes before County could muster another quality raid and it took excellent defensive work from Richards and Headley for Town to deny Newby after Crankshaw had terrorised the home back line.

This was about the hour mark and Harrogate began to ring the personnel changes – significantly after having been shut out completely by Lewis, the first to be subbed was Ilesanmi.

There looked to be no immediate change to the respective fortunes of the two competing teams however- County were looking really confident and I was dismayed to see the referee and liner ignore the crudest of challenges by Headley on Newby.

That said, some increasingly `curious` decisions by the officials had potential to change the games trajectory.

I looked on in anguish to see Town get a free kick in a decent position. This flew out  as did a corner not long after but we needed to defend in their half and take the pressure off .

In that regards Crankshaw was as eager as ever, only for the liner`s flag to thwart him, and Brown looked to have won a good corner on 68 minutes only for the same beflagged official to give a goal kick!

I could find no one under the Myrings Terrace roof who was at all amused with that one, and they were even less so not long after as Jaros was forced into taking emergency action to deny Town after more poor decision making by the officials gifted possession to Town. Jaros`s action prevailed but Town were trying a bit now egged on by the home specs who were  suddenly awake!

 Quigley was  now on for Evans but County were having to defend and look to take the `weight off` with raids up the park- this they did first through Crankshaw and then via Quigley but both were thwarted by good work from Headley for Town- either of these put away and the win would have been sealed nicely, as it was we were heading for added time with just one goal to the good.

It would probably be enough, but we really wanted another to be sure, but again Quigley missed out not long after, his shot blocked by a defender.

Both teams pushed on in added time, both having their moments neither making any one moment count.

Jaros had to make a late save but really and truly County did not ever look like losing this one-the win being well deserved and I trust the subject of modest celebrations afterwards.

We can now look forward to a Second Round tie with a degree of confidence- do I get a whiff of 96/97 at all? Maybe not, but if we work at it the 2022-23 vintage could be just as good!

See you at Edgeley Park on Saturday then.   

 

Harrogate Town line up:-

Jameson, Welch-Hayes ( Durrell 63), Thomson, Richards, Headley, Austerfield, Muldoon, Dooley, Ferguson, Ilesanmi ( Armstrong 63), Daly.

Subs not used : Oxley, Mattock, Horbury.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Jaros, Brown, Lewis, Johnson, Evans ( Quigley 73), Hippolyte, Newby, Crankshaw, Camps, Croasdale,  C Jennings.

 

Subs not used: Hinchliffe, Southam- Hales, Kitching, Sarcevic, Rydel, Wootton, C Johnson.

Attendance: 1534

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