Charlton Athletic 2 Stockport County 2 ( FA Cup Round 2 ) Saturday 26 November 2022

He`s on the left, he`s on the right…..he wasn`t even on the park for over an hour of tonight`s fire cracker of a game at the Valley, but the redoubtable Myles Hippolyte was when it mattered and his glorious finish gave County a deserved 2-2 draw that takes Ben Garner`s Charlton Athletic side back to Edgeley Park for an FA Cup replay they very definitely didn`t expect.

They thought they had won the game and were in the next round when Morgan lobbed Hinchliffe to give the Addicks a 2-1 lead . They so clearly thought this was enough to see County off.

But they figured without County`s desire and will to hit back and get something from the game, and they certainly couldn`t handle Hippolyte and with the skilful Charlton side visibly wilting late on faced with the onslaught from the blues, the dye was cast!

Cue more County attacking into 7 minutes added time boosted exponentially by a stupendous Hinchliffe save as our hosts broke clear, and rounded off superbly by Hippolyte`s brilliant glancing header, that had 925 County supporters on Cloud 9 on the away end.

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Back at 3 o`clock all the above was still a world away as County took the field with a much-changed side that had Lewis, Crankshaw , Camps and Rydel in for Horsfall, Hippolyte, Sarcevic and Madden .

Straight away County got their support excited as Rydel latched onto a neat diagonal ball from Hussey. The cross to the back post had possibilities but neither Wootton of Collar could make it count.

Enter Ollie Crankshaw and his run saw him force an early County corner on the right. If anyone was at all tempted to think matters had just gone off the boil as the ball drifted out of the box from Rydel`s kick, they were massively mistaken as the ball was picked up by Hussey and in the back of the net in a flash as another Exocet from the ex-Port Vale man made light of distance and angle.

It was 1-0 to County and 925 voices loudly told the world it was so!

County were doing well so far, and I can only think that Charlton were rattled as they made a series of crude fouls in the first 3 or 4 minutes that were not well received by County supporters, and rightly so.

The tenth minute gave us another example of this unfortunate tactic. County had just won their second corner but failed to take advantage of same, allowing Kirk to break clear. He was chasing a long ball from the back and lost the race as Hinchliffe had the break covered. The move was over as Hinchliffe had the ball in his hands only for Kirk to run yards before following through taking him out. It enraged the County following and Referee Lee Swarbey waved a limp yellow in Kirk`s direction- he was a lucky lad!

It went on in the same vein, Hussey getting clattered by Rak-Sakyi. Hussey was not to appear for the second half, so I feel this moment had a bearing on that!

Morgan meanwhile was showing up well for Addicks seeing his shot blocked and put out for a corner by Rydel who was already doing well on his return to action.

From the corner Morgan had a further chance only to watch as his curling drive from outside the box drifted wide.

Charlton were beginning to get time on the ball and were looking capable of doing something with that time if they were allowed.

A good move followed from Charlton – Kirk picking out Rak- Sakyi at the back post- it was a chance and Kirk`s header was on target but so was Hinchliffe and he made the save to keep it out!

Then it all threatened to go a bit flat as somehow Charlton nicked the equaliser. Quite how Sessignon managed the feat will possibly remain one of life`s more impenetrable mysteries. He certainly looked good surging to the by-line but no one, including Charlton, seemed to realise they had scored but they had, Sessignon had somehow squeezed it home (off Hinchliffe we were told later).

However, it was 1-1 and we had to deal with that obvious fact!

County replied of course but it stayed 1-1 as we went beyond 30 minutes with corners and free kick`s abounding for the blues for whom both Camps and Rydel went close.

It was inevitable that there would be another response from our hosts, Wright doing well for County to block another run by Sessignon- Hussey doing similar good work to deny Clare, while Morgan`s follow up effort was headed out by Lewis.

Lewis did less well shortly after, his miss cue sending Rak-Sakyi through on goal. It looked a shoo-in, but the forward scuffed his shot and somehow Hinchliffe kept his face straight when making the save!

For sure, Charlton were looking more confident with every minute that passed- Aneke`s run on 36 minutes seeing Clare`s shot blocked and Morgan`s follow up drift wide.

We just needed to see this out until we could re-group at half time, but would Addicks let us? Well, no and Wright and Collar had to do good work to keep Fraser out on the break. That was good, but there was no one about next as Morgan was played through by Dobson. He had Hinchliffe to beat, and he did it well his lob entering the County net to the accompaniment of little in the way of noise from the away end.

Was this the end for County?

It is possible that Addicks felt it was so, but they kept plugging away for now Kirk making it to the by-line but watching forlornly as County cleared the danger.

Six minutes of added time saw County give us a glimpse of another possible ending for the match as they set about trying for that equaliser- Croasdale seeing his shot saved by Maynard- Brewer the home keeper after Collar had turned Sessignon inside out in the build-up.

There was time for a tantrum by Aneke . I am not quite sure the origin of his distress, but it was not entirely unrelated methinks to the County free kick Mr Swarbey had just given.

Rydel pinged the kick smartly to the back post where Wootton lurked, but the required finish did not materialise and County had to be content being one goal in three down at the break.

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Horsfall was on for Hussey when the game re-started for the second half.

There was an early raid by Charlton for County to deal with as Lavelle sent the moody Aneke clear , but Southam -Hales intervened to block the move successfully.

This was the signal for County to respond and Crankshaw was only just wide with his shot on the turn from Hinchliffe`s long ball.

Ollie was on the ball again within a minute doing terrifically well to carve a shooting chance for himself. He must have been truly mortified to see a brilliant diving save by Maynard- Brewer dish him , and Rydel`s instant follow up!

County were piling it on now Croasdale seeing two shots blocked amongst a welter of blue attacking- somehow the home side survived with their lead intact.

Inevitably it was not all County, indeed Charlton came back at us with some intent next feeding upon a free kick after Southam-Hales was booked for a poor challenge on Kirk. Hinchliffe punched the kick clear under pressure only for the ball to come back with a vengeance and Inniss really should have done better on the end of this one when well set- he didn`t …missed the target and County could breathe easily again!

Breathe easily…nah…back came Charlton – Hinchliffe saving from Rak-Sakyi on 52 minutes, and again after this County fed Charlton with unnecessary free kicks, and the same forward had the same ill fortune on the end of this spoiling a neat move by lumping his shot wide.

Slack work at the back almost undid County next but they held out under pressure just long enough to allow Crankshaw to dart clear.

Ollies surging run ended with the keeper denying him with a decent save.

Back came County though and Wootton`s pass set Rydel up nicely only for Clare to throw himself Kamikazi fashion at the ball to keep the shot out in remarkable style.

At this point DC rang the personnel changes Hippolyte and Madden coming on for Camps and Lewis

The action was re-joined with Hippolyte and Madden both going close within minutes of coming on.

Rydel was next to be subbed, MacDonald coming on for him. Rydel left to a colossal reception as he walked around the pitch perimeter in front of the away end.

County pressed and pressed, and Crankshaw did well to stop Morgan on the break- that was his last act before being replaced by Evans with 14 minutes left.

Into the last 10 minutes of normal time we went with Hippolyte blazing over having been set up nicely by Wootton and Madden.

Another 3 minutes and more drama as Madden darted clear before drilling the ball low and hard across the box for Evans to apply a finish- he couldn`t force the ball home and Charlton were able to clear the danger.

County just would not go away now as Charlton defenders found touch with regularity in dire distress- relieved greatly by a terrific double save by Maynard- Brewer to deny first Hippolyte then MacDonald.

On it went- County attacking still but Evans shot blocked in the box.

It was time for personnel changes for Charlton who seemed to draw some energy from this one of the subs Jaiyesimi shooting wide, smack on 90 minutes.

Meanwhile there was a general panic filtering through the home defence with Hippolyte tearing into them with a will.

Then midst the welter of County attacking Morgan received the ball wide right and having spotted Hinchliffe way off his line hoisted a colossal lob that headed for the top corner of the un-guarded net. Three -one?

Nah…..Hinchliffe legged it back at a rate of knots to tip the ball over the bar at the last moment- simply excellent!

Seven minutes added time was announced and underway now as Charlton broke again through Campbell , only for Morgan to fluff his lines and shoot wide at the vital moment.

The wave of County attacking quickly resumed and grew in intensity only ramped up as County win a late corner in the 97^th of 97. But we had no Rydel to deliver the goods! Enter Southam- Hales and his kick found its way to Hippolyte whose brilliant glancing header smacked into the back of the net to signal wild celebrations from the away end!

It was not long before the game was over, and we had secured a well-deserved replay at our place.

Fantastic!

We must have a decent chance in that one!

Meanwhile see you at EP for the big one on Wednesday, and then Hartlepool next Saturday.

Must remember to take my BP tablets for both those just in case!

Charlton Athletic line up:-

Maynard- Brewer, Clare, Inniss, Lavelle, Sessegnon( Chin 64), Dobson, Morgan, Fraser, Rak-Sakyi ( Jaiyesimi 86), Aneke ( Blackett-Taylor 67), Kirk ( Campbell 86).

Subs not used : Harness, Mitchell, Payne, Blackett-Taylor, Henry.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Southam-Hales, Wright, Lewis ( Madden 63), Hussey ( Horsfall 45), Croasdale, Camps ( Hippolyte 63), Rydel ( MacDonald 81),Collar, Crankshaw ( Evans 76), Wootton.

Subs not used: Jones, Okwute, C Johnson, Partinson.

Attendance: 3889 ( 925)

hedgegrower

First off a clutch of images from hedgegrower`s phone camera:-