Stockport County 1 Shrewsbury Town 0 ( EFL Trophy) Tuesday 18 October 2022

 

 

 

 

County ended their Papa John campaign on a high last night with a well merited 1-0 win against League 1 Shrewsbury Town.

A good-humoured crowd of over 1000 turned out at Edgeley Park forgetting about Saturday`s travails to cheer on their team and were rewarded by a hard working performance from a team of mostly under used fringe players.

County had a back 3 of Wright, Palmer and Ryan Johnson, and they were never seriously in danger of not coming away with a shut out.  Mc Donald and Brown provided width in front - Brown taking the sponsors M.O.M with a particularly energetic showing mostly in the opposition last third, and McDonald again looking on the money!

Croasdale was in charge of stability in front of the back 3 and even found time to test visiting keeper Harry Bergoyne with a decent strike at one point before giving way around the hour mark to the highly promising Cody Johnson.

I thought that Evans was the pick of those in County blue charged with getting up the park which he did with considerable verve if little luck at times.

So, a decent showing by County that sent the home section of the crowd home happy.

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A word with County Legend and star of yesteryear Freddie Goodwin pre match on the Grassy Knoll set my mood for the evening. Freddie is a regular attender at Edgeley Park and real inspiration particularly on ill considered occasions like this one was in many folks` eyes.

I had not expected much from the game with our previous excursions in this competition this season in mind, but the crowd, if sparce in the Danny Stand, was better than expected on the Cheadle End lower tiers and they were in supportive mood too throughout.

 

 

 

 

I could not hear the Town supporters, but they got close to filling the end block on the Pop Side- real supporters for sure!

 

 

 

 

 

County went on the attack early winning a corner which saw Ryan Johnson power an unchallenged header home to give the blues a surprise lead.

This served to spur County on and more so as they won a free kick for a foul on Crankshaw. This brought a second corner but no second goal as Shrewsbury`s cover held.

Brown was to produce a prodigious number of crosses over the 90 odd minutes of the game and the 6^th minute saw him whip a wicked delivery in that gave Evans his first glimpse of goal, but his angled header went just wide.

County pushed on, putting pressure on Town but without nicking a second goal- Evans unable to force the ball home at the back post from Crankshaw`s cross.

  The next real action came on 19 minutes via a free kick for a foul on Evans and the keeper had to work hard to keep Crankshaw` kick out, pushing the ball out for a corner under pressure. The corner was poor.

County came closest to scoring again 2 minutes later via Croasdale who ventured forward to sting the keeper`s hands with a zinger of a shot that Burgoyne managed to tip over the bar at the last moment.

If a good deal of County`s play had a good look about it there was nothing in the way of good fortune on offer at the sharp end where the next action saw a shot by CJ deflected for a corner after good work by Newby and Brown.

Again, nothing came of the corner or the next action although Evans went close after Brown had slipped his man brilliantly to set him up. The pressure was on from the blues but both CJ and Newby saw efforts blocked in the ensuing play.

The pressure continued from the men in blue and a second goal looked on as the mother of all scrambles took place in front of the empty Railway End- Evans seeing a shot come out off the line.

Mayhem followed CJ`s dash to the by line 33 minutes in, but somehow Town`s cover again held out.

It was another 4 minutes before there was even a semblance of a response from Shrewsbury and it came via a free kick as Brown upended Robert Street as he closed in on the County box. The kick offered a good site of goal, but it came to nothing going out off McDonald- the danger was averted!

Back came County in what remained of the half with Brown , Evans and CJ in the van of the action but without getting that second goal that they craved.

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 The second half`s early minutes were notable only for a `coming together` twixt McDonald and the lively Nana Owusu-Gyimah, and a notable increase in the energy in evidence from Town in County territory.

County were lively as well- CJ heading over the top from close in on the end of Brown`s latest delivery.

Then the first real alarm for County ……and it came 6 minutes into the half with Bloxham away and in on goal for the visitors. It was a real chance …factor in Hinchliffe however and the chance was gone via a terrific save!

Bearing in mind Ben`s inactivity up till this point that save was all the more praiseworthy and it preserved County`s lead.

Bloxham and Owusu- Gyimah kept probing County`s defences but McDonald did well in response to repel boarders.

Eventually the visitors` fire subsided and the blues put them under the cosh again- Hutchings doing well for Town to keep McDonald`s effort out from Evans` pass just before the hour.

It went on….Evans blocked by Owusu- Gyimah…..CJ narrowly wide with a first time effort.

Brown was provider on both those last attacks and again next combining with Crankshaw to send him clear only to see Ollie`s end product disappoint again as he lifted the ball over the bar.

Croasdale was replaced by Cody Johnson on 64 minutes – McDonald ( a dipping drive) and Wright (a close in header) going close shortly after.

Shrewsbury revved up their efforts to nick the equaliser next and Ryan Johnson did well to block Chas Caton`s run midst the pressure from the visitors.

Street went closest to squaring the circle for Steve Cotterill`s team and his drive was only just wide with Hinchliffe looking on anxiously.

We needed solidity at this point but with Town not going away Ryan Johnson gave the ball away forcing Hinchliffe to make his second significant save of the game to keep Ryan Bowman`s strike out as he bore down on goal on the break!

Both Brown and Crankshaw had chances to shine next without making their mark, which was particularly disappointing as Shrewsbury were still thinking of an equaliser- a shot by Bloxham thudding into the County cross bar before bouncing up and into the Railway End!

We needed to cut this reaction from Town off at source but into added time Evans was the proverbial whisker away from putting Crankshaw`s pass cum shot home.

CJ and Newby were just two in blue who went close late on without reward, as County claimed the win their general play largely merited.

For sure the crowd were pleased giving their heroes a good send off at game`s end.

Sadly, we were out of the competition.

Had we taken matters more seriously, in terms of team selection, particularly at Port Vale things might have been different, but we have other more important fish to fry now so let`s go to it starting with Salford on Saturday.

See you there then!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Wright, Palmer, R Johnson, Brown, Mc Donald, Croasdale ( C Johnson 64), Evans, Newby, C Jennings, Crankshaw.

Subs not used : Jones, Barugh, Mee, Kenny.

 

Shrewsbury Town line up:-

Burgoyne, Bowman, O`Brien, Street, Bloxham, Caton, Craig, Barlow Hearns 86), Owusu-Gyimah ( Watts 86), Bailey , Hutchings.

Subs not used : Bevan, Antal, Collins, Etienne, Peternster.

 

Attendance : 1054

 

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