Salford City 0 Stockport County 2 ( Football League 2) Saturday 22 October 2022

 

 

 

County stormed to victory at the home of high-flying Salford City today taking all the points in some style.

A goal in each half did the trick for the blues- Collar and Madden doing the honours, but in all honesty, despite pressure in the second half from the Ammies, County`s lead never really looked under threat- Madden`s coolly taken second a veritable dagger to Neil Wood`s side`s heart.

Salford were another side that in the flesh did not match up to their pre- publicity the difference today was that County did not self-immolate and allow them off the hook, we defended and attacked with commendable application doing so for 90 odd minutes instead of just the first 45!

There was plenty to be happy about County`s performance today- the fresh back 3 of Wright, Horsfall and Hussey did well as did Brown and McDonald, the providers of width. This duo got forward with regularity and to good effect particularly Brown who followed his M.O.M showing on Tuesday with another here on a far sterner test!

Croasdale was terrific too giving anything in red that moved the hardest of times and Collar( released from his roll as a defender)looked revitalised , Hippolyte and Madden shone as well but that said …..I defy anyone to point to anyone in blue who did less than 100%!

So, top marks to DC for a brave team selection, my only caveat on that being the decision to bring Ryan Johnson on for  McDonald which weakened our left flank and beckoned the Ammies forward- an unnecessary and risky change in my view.

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Back at 3 o`clock County were welcomed onto the pitch by a mighty roar from the packed away end.

It was Salford who were first to show but Hendry walloped his opener over the bar.

A minute later Brown and Hippolyte combined nicely only for Eastham to welly the ball clear at the vital moment.

Bolton, who I made City`s top performer darted clear next only to look to the heavens in mortification as the liner flagged him offside.

The Salford number 24 was back again 5 minutes later following an assault by Hendry on Wootton that was ignored by Referee Scott Oldham. Horsfall did enough to deny Bolton and when Jaros claimed the incoming corner the pressure was off County.

Another minute and County rallied as Brown and Madden turned Salford`s back line this way and that but having won a corner the blues failed to capitalise on it Horsfall heading wide beyond the back post.

Twice after this County again could not make anything of corners and we were now 15 minutes in, and it was still 0-0.

Another poor challenge by Simoes on Brown only got a verbal rebuke from Mr O as the temperature on the away terrace behind the goal climbed alarmingly in response. Thankfully the subsequent Salford corner was cleared by County.

This was a fairly scrappy half with neither team doing anything exceptional – Wootton and McDonald unable to force the ball home on 27 minutes following Collar`s cross.

That looked a chance, and County began working on creating more but again without success as Hippolyte shot wide after both Madden and Collar had had efforts blocked.

Beyond 30 minutes and the County trainer was in action patching Brown up after more of Simoes handywork had laid him low. The free kick from this ramped up the pressure on Salford but despite multiple efforts by McDonald to discomfort our hosts, they somehow held out and eventually cleared their lines.

Things then got even more tasty as Bolton and Jaros came together in alarming fashion, the ball running clear to where Hendry had a good sight of goal. It was an open goal with Jaros still down and in obvious pain, but before the forward could get his shot off Brown saved the day for County with a superb block – the blues more than happy to trade corner for potential goal!

But there was still the corner to sort and before that Jaros was replaced by Hinchliffe, so potentially brown trousers time! Well….no…. instead Brown excelled himself again with another marvellous intervention to keep Simoes from converting another chance when the kick pinged over.

If Salford were disappointed, they needed to man up as County quickly looked to hit them on the break but when they did through Hippolyte he was hauled down as he broke clear by Eastham!

I did not see a card shown, but I may have just missed it, and the free kick, whipped in at pace by McDonald was claimed confidently by home keeper Tom King.

That signalled 5 minutes added time and some wild celebrations on the away terrace as County snatched the opening goal they craved.

It started way back with Hinchliffe. I had watched the clip of County v Chorley when Hinchliffe went long and Danny Lloyd smacked in a belter this morning when Ben sent me recalling it again as he whacked a great ball up the park wide left where a neat flick on by Wootton sent Hippolyte heading goalward. The shot from Myles was not long coming and was the pre-curser to mayhem in front of the Ammies goal quickly ended by Collar who forced the ball home from close in!

The away end went AS, and why ever not- County had the lead at the death and it was high flying team in red who had the mountain to climb come the second half.

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The early action upon the re-start mirrored that of the first 45 minutes- both sides seeking a goal but missing out.

Simoes jinked clear for Ammies only to see no takers for his cross with 2 minutes gone.

Another minute and County replied via Brown whose run shredded the left side of the home defence. A pass from Brown to Madden looked just what we needed – it was chance, and then it wasn`t as quick thinking by King saw him snatch the ball off Madden`s toes at the last gasp!

Salford still fancied it a bit though, but they needed to tone down the revs a touch instead Galbraith leant back to lash his shot way over the bar.

He was disappointed clearly and this led him to clatter Horsfall to earn a booking , but our hosts were disappointed again and quickly as Watson looked aghast to see his shot ping the crossbar and fly out almost on the hour mark.

By this time Salford were ringing the personnel changes and County opted to bring Ryan Johnson on for McDonald who had had a good game for me- I just did not see the logic!

The next action was at the wrong end where Hinchliffe twice had to punch clear under pressure after Simoes had nicked a cheeky corner down County`s left.

Twice following that last action, County fashioned breaks from deep without making them count- would they pay the price?

Simoes was doing his level best at this point putting a fair bit of pressure on County`s McDonald-less left flank. We gave a free kick away under the cosh but thankfully defended with some assurance to nullify the threat eventually.

But Salford were not done, and Smith would have been disappointed to see his header fly wide from Bolton`s neat prompt with 20 minutes left to play.

For sure Salford still fancied this one, but they were making no headway despite a shed load of possession against a resolute County defence- supplemented on 72 minutes by Croasdale whose magnificent block on Simoes allowed Wootton to dash clear from halfway. In a trice Wootton spread the ball out to Collar and he was off towards goal. He was not entirely free of red shirted company thus he opted for an early shot and this disappointed flying up and over the goal.

Still…..there was definite encouragement mixed in with the disappointment and more followed ( of both commodities)-Hippolyte working small miracles to turn inside passed his marker into the box before thrashing a shot goalward. It had `goal` written all over it until Eastham threw himself into the path of the ball which flew out for a corner that County sadly could not take advantage of.

That was 77 minutes, another 2 and County had doubled their advantage again started via a break by County latched onto by Collar who quickly fed Wootton. This was all happening at lightning speed and  the box was a crowded place , one with more red shirts in it than blue one`s so it was needle in a haystack stuff first for Wootton  and then for Madden who had plenty of chance to fluff this one following Wootton`s spot on pass, instead he was ice cool and threaded a peach of a shot through a veritable forest of Lancastrian legs into the net to double County`s lead to 2-0!

Cue large scale celebrations on the away terrace, and again…why not!

County pushed on in the 10 minutes of normal time that remained, and into 4 additional minutes.

To nit pick we might have made more of our free kicks late on too many going long and high instead of on the deck to Brown or someone else in blue who could then run at Salford.

For Salford, Smith disappointed again heading wide deep into added time.

Even deeper County looked to have a late sniff of a third as Wootton chased after Madden`s tasty tempter of a pass. But Eastham had the legs on Wootton on this one to keep it at 2-0.

Soon enough the game was over, the points County`s and very welcome points they are too!

The team did well as did DC who deserves credit for today`s team selection!

We look for more of the same on Tuesday against Carlisle United.

I hope to be there, will you be?

 

Salford City line up:-

King, Touray, Eastham, Watt, Watson, Hendry ( Smith 59), Simoes, Galbraith ( Tolaj 59), Bolton, O`Brien (Leak 45), Vassell.

Subs not used: Chapman, Jenkins, Berkoe, Henderson.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Jaros ( Hinchliffe 37), Wright, Horsfall, Hussey, Brown, McDonald ( R Johnson 60), Croasdale, Collar, Hippolyte, Madden, Wootton.

Subs not used: Palmer, Sarcevic, Crankshaw, Newby, C Jennings.

 

Attendance : 3633 ( 1285)

 

hedgegrower

 

A few shots taken with my phone camera.....