Stockport County 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 2 (EFL Trophy) Tuesday 20 September 2022

 

 

 

 

 

County came unstuck losing 1-2 to Wolves Under 21 side in their second group match in the EFL Trophy at Edgeley Park last night.

DC put out an interesting team to take on an impressive Wolves side, but having argued in my last report for us to field our strongest side ( against a team riding high in the U21 competition currently leading Liverpool, Man U etc in same) it was more than interesting to see 11 changes from Saturday`s line up ( and still no start for Croasdale).

Wolves had skills to burn married to excellent technique under pressure and withering pace throughout a side that was obviously well drilled.

Against that it must be acknowledged that County probably shaded possession, for the most part defending soundly under some pressure at times. Whilst they did that well enough ,2 defensive lapses did for any good work , whilst up front the amount of possession we enjoyed and decent positions we worked for ourselves were negated by lack of a finish at the sharp end.

The visitors took the lead on 20 minutes as the centre of County`s defence experienced their `Red Sea` moment faced with a blizzard of lethal passing from the visitors. Credit to the blues though- it was not until the 70^th minute that they managed to increase that lead, a goal that Ash Palmer will want to forget quickly.

Bravely County kept at it, and I must commend Cody Johnson for another impressive showing in County blue.  I liked Newby too; he got through masses of work trying to plat fog down the right against defenders who looked on top of their game.

That County kept them under pressure, particularly late on, is a credit to them, and after CJ pulled one back in fine style deep in added time we were by no means deluding ourselves thinking that we might just nick another.

It was not to be, but it might have been with a stronger team out. We did the same at Port Vale our team selection seemingly mirroring a lack of desire to progress in a competition we have previous in.

That`s sad but I will end this intro clinging to the slender raft of hope offered by the determination of Newby…..the obvious promise of Cody Johnson ……and that County goal- a really class finish by CJ that perhaps hinted at what might have been had those responsible for team selection  approached this competition in a more serious frame of mind.

 

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   Over  1000 were inside the stadium to greet the teams as the game got underway at 7.30 including almost 100 from the midlands.

The game opened with County attacking and Newby and Evans leading the charge down the right.

As early as the 3^rd minute County worked themselves an opening but sadly Madden could not apply the required finish to Lewis`s probing cross.

Kitching joined the attacking but despite all the hustle and bustle from the blues we again failed to add something on the end of it as Madden screwed his effort wide when well set.

Six minutes in……..two chances…no goals- a familiar scenario perhaps?

It was another 3 minutes before Wolves ventured up the park and it was Roberts who stretched his legs down the right before pinging a tasty ball towards Harkin who hovered with menace in a central position. Lewis did the biz thankfully keeping Harkin from the ball. The chance was gone but the seriously lethal looking approach play from the visitors flagged up a warning for DC`s men.

Another minute and County responded as Madden sent Newby clear, and Wolves were indebted to keeper Smith whose dive saw him push the ball around the post.

That deserved better but we had no time to ponder on that prognosis as  Tipton`s searing run had Hinchliffe in the firing line, and he did well to save the forward`s shot and his clean sheet- Palmer stepping up to head the resultant corner clear.

On it went with County enjoying a fair bit of possession and Wolves gradually beginning to get our measure.

A goal now just might have tipped the balance our way, but Hippolyte shot wide from Madden`s pass on 15 minutes.

Then came that `Red Sea ` moment.

Twenty minutes had gone and it was still 0-0 and there was no danger apparent for County, and then there was as a bewildering   blizzard of lighting quick passes and deft movement by Wolves saw County`s central cover melt away as Harkin tapped in from about a foot out!

Brown replaced Lewis at this point due to injury which confused and worried me with Horsfall on the bench. Palmer was now ploughing a lone furrow at the centre of County`s defence.

Still……you never know….and County did come back bravely enough, Madden setting CJ up nicely for a header that sadly cleared the bar.

County were back enjoying possession again but without producing the goods where it mattered- Hippolyte frustrated by Smith`s prompt action smothering Madden`s through ball.

But it was alarming to note how few passes were wasted by Wolves despite playing at times at break-neck speed, and Hinchliffe did well to hold onto Roberts` header after Campbell had set him up.

We were into the last 10 minutes of the half now and Wolves were beginning to get bolder and Hinchliffe was beaten next by a fizzing dipper of some quality from Roberts that just missed out following good work by Hodnett.

Madden had an effort comfortably held by Smith, but it was Wolves who were now doing the asking at the sharp end where more magic in the box from Roberts almost did for County. Palmer was able to welly the ball clear from this only for the pressure to come back again as the blues gave away a free kick.

County`s wall held firm for this, Cody Johnson doing well to ease the pressure eventually from the resultant corner.

County were attacking with a minute left of the half, and then they weren`t as a superb dummy by Bueno sent him bursting clear down the left. Palmer headed the shot out only for Evans to complicate matters again by upending Bueno just outside the box! Mr Backhouse missed this not and County faced another tasty free kick from decidedly scoreable position.

Up stepped Campbell to curl a fantastic kick goalward that crashed into the angle of post and bar with a sickening thud- County had survived.

County kept trying during 3 minutes added time but the half ended depressingly with no one in blue mounting a challenge on Smith as he faced a late ball in from Hitching wide left.

Still, it was only 0-1, perhaps we could salvage the game after the break!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I was encouraged as Newby forced a corner early doors when play resumed after the break and encouraged further as Newby`s corner saw Hippolyte`s header tipped over the bar by Smith.

Newby was prominent again from the corner but hopeful cries of “ handball” from the Cheadle End were not met with a positive response from Mr Backhouse- CJ seeing a shot blocked and the move ending with a dubious `offside` decision that served Wolves well.

Then we saw possibly the best chance come County`s way as Hippolyte sent CJ darting through the middle of the Wolves back line. He was in on goal and might have equalised had not Mabete chosen this moment to produce a spectacularly good tackle to stop the rot and save the day for his side.

CJ headed over a minute later after good work by Madden , and some of the play was not at all discouraging from the blues as Brown won the ball next picking Madden out , and it was 1-1 wasn`t it as the County captain turned the ball into the Wolves net? Well, no….as Mr B had seen `something` en-route giving the visitors the oxygen of a game saving free kick!

Beyond the hour and DC made changes bringing Wootton and Croasdale on for Rydel and Cody Johnson, but I had no sooner scribbled that ` Palmer has done well` when he suddenly plumbed the depths by passing the ball to Roberts who promptly set off goal ward before planting Wolves` second goal beyond Hinchliffe into the net!

Roberts had speed to spare, and County did well to survive a couple of raids that followed the goal – Hinchliffe doing particularly well to keep a couple of efforts by Campbell out.

By contrast County were still trying…maybe suffering from some iffy flagging from the Danny side liner, and Wootton was unlucky with an overhead kick from Newby`s cross with 3 minutes remaining of normal time.

An identical move 2 minutes later involving the same duo saw Wootton`s header go straight to Smith`s welcoming arms.

We were into added time …deep into same actually when another County attack saw Wootton boss his way into the box before slipping the ball on to CJ. It was miss able, but CJ did not panic …did not snatch at it as he had done moments before as a chance opened up unexpectedly for him. No he waited, kept his cool before planting a neat finish into the net!

Suddenly the Cheadle End was awake and sensing a late upset and County looked up for it as Newby pinged a corner to the back post where Smith made a spectacular meal of making the catch under pressure.

Wolves were belatedly wobbling but with Hinchliffe up for yet another corner the Referee blew for time to end County`s hopes of sending the game to penalties.

I do not want to labour the point as I thought those on duty for County did a decent job of putting on a show, but the competition deserved more respect from us than fielding a side with 11 `reserves` in it.

Over 1300 turned out for this, how many of those will return for Shrewsbury?

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Newby, Palmer, Lewis ( Brown 22), Kitching,  Rydel ( Wootton 66), C Johnson ( Croasdale 66), Evans, Hippolyte,  Madden, C Jennings.

Subs not used: Jaros, Horsfall, Sarcevic, Baruch.

 

Wolves Under 21 line up:-

Smith, Lembikisa, Mabete, Kandola, Tipton, Bueno, Griffiths, Hodnett ( Matheson 59), Roberts, Harkin, Campbell.

 

Subs not used: Storer, Chiwome, Keto-Diyawa, Kateta, Ojinoka, Farmer.

 

Attendance : 1398 ( 95)

 

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