Stockport County 3 Charlton Athletic 1 ( FA Cup 2nd Round Replay) Wednesday 7 December 2022

 

 

 

County stormed into the 3^rd round of the FA Cup at a wintry Edgeley Park last night, making light of going behind early on to a freak goal brushing Charlton Athletic`s challenge aside impressively in a flurry of goals all scored by hat-trick hero Will Collar!

This was a win that was thoroughly deserved and must have had the stay-at-home TV audience wondering why they had wasted so much of their time recently watching an inferior product from somewhere in the desert when stuff of this quality was available in SK3!

Collar was excellent and the only answer to his power and skill that the Addicks could come up with, was to foul him, and others most notably Hippolyte and Southam -Hales but by no means exclusively.it must be said that faced with a monstrous multiplicity of rank bad fouls from Athletic Referee Scott Oldham was way short of being up to the job!

Thankfully County knew what the occasion needed, and quite frankly whilst Anthony Hayes` side had bags of skill and passed the ball about a bit at times, when push came to pull, like at their place in the first game, they were way off coping when put under real pressure and at times, throughout the game, that’s just what County did, and very well too!

Collar scored 3….an excellent and well-earned hat-trick but others shone too Hippolyte and Rydel probably the pick, but I will say with some feeling, that this was another top team performance in which no one in County blue came away with less than very high marks!

It was terrific!

 

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From the start County laid their plan out and it was to attack their alleged betters at every opportunity , and within 50 seconds the blues had a corner. It turned out to not be one of Rydel`s best, and was cleared easily enough by the visitors, but he more than made up for this throughout the game.

A cross from County`s number seventeen put the skids under Addicks as early as the 4<sup>th</sup> minute- the ball cleared the bar from Horsfall`s header thereafter but as a show of intent it was immense!

Chuks Aneke, the temperamental would-be centre piece of the first game was soon back in our faces with a speedy run just a minute later. However, his decision to clatter Horsfall en-route did for what looked a dangerous move.

Then danger turned to calamity as Campbell won a corner off Wright. This should not have caused the blues any issues but in the event a confusion of errors as the ball reached in front of goal and neither forwards nor defenders seemed to know just where it was and County`s collective inability to clear their lines told. The result was that the ball somehow rolled into the net to give Charlton the lead. As with Sessegnon`s goal at their place the visitors hadn`t a clue as to how they had managed it, but it was in and eventually they celebrated.

The ball apparently had gone in off Wright, we were one nil down to an own goal – not the greatest of starts to an FA Cup replay against a team from a higher division, but I was not alone in remembering we had `been here before` as memories of Bolton came flooding back, and we all know how that ended!

We needed some of that spirit to inspire DC`s men this time around and County took their time about sorting that, giving keeper Craig MacGillivray time to recover 10 minutes in when stranded far from his goal with cries of “ shoot” abounding from the EP faithful.

County were slowly beginning to  put Charlton to the test though, and a tasty run by Southam- Hales just a minute later deserved better than it got.

Payne took up the cudgels next for Addicks spearheading an attack by the visitors, but Ryan Johnson headed this clear to end any angst for the blues.

 But County were gradually making Charlton feel the pain – good work by Wootton not finished off by others in blue though.

Things improved next as Madden sent Southam- Hales on a run that had the visitors in a fair old tizz having to clear the ball off the line from the Welshman`s cross cum shot.

Then the 15^th minute had me in a lather as the Danny Stand liner stood apparently comatose as Chin ran onto a pass by Payne deep in blue territory. The problem was that he was at least a yard offside but still the liner slumbered on as Chin unleashed his shot. It flew inches over the bar, but I and many around me were not pacified!

On it went with the Addicks keeper saving from Southam-Hales after Rydel had set the action rolling.

It was definitely building nicely for County as Hippolyte and Madden joined in stretching the red shirted back line to the limit but without reward. The appropriate finish was missing and it might have told heavily against us as the irritating Aneke charged clear from deep. It looked another decent shout for the lanky striker, but he fluffed his lines dragging a poor effort wide when arguably well set!

Not unduly alarmed County set about attacking their opponents again through Southam- Hales and Madden and I still cannot say just how the latter`s header stayed out from the former’s cross!

That was 23 minutes in, another 2 minutes and County had lift off and it was payback for the latest in a series of annoying fouls by Charlton. County`s free kick was taken by Southam-Hales and headed down by Horsfall to Rydel whose shot fizzed into the back post  for Collar to follow up and bury his finish past MacGillivray into the net.

County were level!

But they were not yet home and dry and Hinchliffe did fantastically well to dive at the advancing Payne as he slalomed through County`s back line, claiming the ball with majestic authority!

Payne popped up again not long after but faired no better shooting wide after Campbell`s run had set him up!

 

If Charlton looked good on the ball, there was definitely something missing where it counted at the sharp end and any new manager has some real coaching work to do converting that raw talent into something bankable- starting with their predilection for show boating. County looked about to punish Charlton for this on 30 minutes but when Hippolyte prepared to get a shot off, he was clattered from behind- a clear penalty but Mr Oldham thought not his only response being to eventually stop play for Hippolyte to receive needed attention to a head injury!

Meanwhile it was looking more and more to be County`s night and another Addicks `indiscretion `gave the blues another scoreable chance from a free kick with 10 minutes of the half left to play. It was a good effort from County most notably Collar but the Addicks keeper kept his shot out.

There was no let up from County now and MacGillivray did well to go full length to keep a shot by Madden out on 36 minutes.

Then Wootton turned the Charlton right flank before teeing Collar up but his shot somehow came back out off a defender on the line with 5 minutes of the half left.

With the break nearing and County wanting that second goal, Charlton still seemed unable not to foul their man when in difficulties and they were with 2 minutes remaining to play as a shot was blocked from County`s latest free kick - a cry of “ handball” was ignored by Mr Oldham.

The lead continued to elude County through 2 added minutes, the teams heading in with applause ringing out from the frozen spectators.

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When play resumed after the break Aneke was not amongst the Addicks number having been replaced by George Dobson who was to feature prominently for the visitors if not for the right reasons!

I began to wonder if Mr Oldham now thought that he owed us one as the umpteenth foul on Hippolyte was actually rewarded with a County free kick. It was way out near the Pop Side but Rydel whipped the ball over lethally the moment sadly ending when Collar`s header flew narrowly wide.

Then the thought recurred as Collar was viewed to have been fouled by Campbell when I saw nothing of the kind for once. Still, we will take it will we not and Rydel certainly did his best to sending a superb free kick thudding into the near post with the keeper beaten!

The ball stayed out and it stayed 1-1 at least for now.

Then an unsavoury moment added an unpleasant flavour to the evenings entertainment as following a really sharp move by County, Southam -Hales ran after but just failed to keep Maddens slightly overhit pass in play. End of…..except that Dobson then pushed County`s number two headlong into the hoardings.

It was an explosive moment as County players reacted indignantly and not without cause to Dodson`s needless assault on Southam- Hales who received treatment for quite some time before being sent to the main stand to await being allowed back onto the park by the referee who never remotely looked likely to issue even a yellow card!

That was disgraceful!

Temperatures under the Cheadle End roof I swear rose by 15 degrees  during that unedifying fracas , but they rose again another 10 as Dobson got involved in further nonsense a couple of minutes later.

Free kicks did come County`s way after this for fouls on Wright and Collar but , Southam- Hales lofted kicks did not give MacGillivray any problems keeping it at 1-1.

Crankshaw replaced Southam- Hales who had put in a good shift on 66 minutes pushing Rydel notionally into a more defensive role , and he was to do well defensively within minutes of the switch.

A spiteful late foul on Collar saw Forster- Caskey get a yellow card as County prepared to get their supporters singing again.

An excellent move did the trick nicely on 73 minutes as Hippolyte`s cross was laid off brilliantly  by Wootton to Collar who smashed a belter home. MacGillivray did get a hand to it but the shot had altogether too much power for him to prevail- it was 2-1 to County and definitely `game on`.

Charlton tried to reply via a free kick, but County defended this well settling down again into a decent rhythm.

Another 3 minutes…another tasty move by County!

Collar started it off winning excellent possession deep in blue territory passing to Madden. End of ?..nah…. Collar was there for the return and heading in MacGillivray`s direction. Enter Zach Mitchell who then scythed Collar down crudely from behind. I didn`t see a card flashed but then was it likely?  

Crankshaw took the kick, and it was a good one inches away from giving the blues their much wanted third goal.

With 10 minutes left we saw Crankshaw hacked down by Dobson as he headed for goal. Penalty ? Possibly but County only got a throw from Mr Oldham.

Only did I say? Well from the throw came another mugging Dobson on Crankshaw, and a County penalty.

Expecting Madden to step up it was slightly surprising to see Collar prepare to do the honours and he did them well thumping a rasper beyond the keeper`s dive into the net increasing the blues lead to a handy 3-1!

Brown came on for Madden after the goal and was involved in a magic County move not long after involving himself, Crankshaw and Wootton which was only foiled by the liners generosity that enabled Charlton to clear.

Crankshaw meanwhile was giving Addicks much to think about, unlucky again with 2 minutes left on the end of good work from Wright.

A rash of substitutions saw County ring the changes bringing Cody Johnson, Camps and MacDonald on for Croasdale, Hippolyte and Collar bang on 90 minutes.

Nine minutes added time was called in which County kept plugging away still looking for another goal none more so than Crankshaw whose run and cross earned the blues a late/ late corner. Dobson cleared this but only to the lurking Camps whose volley was a hairs breadth from making it 4-1.

Charlton made a late attempt to salvage something from the wreckage of tonight`s game for them winning corners…getting forward but always finding County unfazed facing them, and Hinchliffe did some of his best work in this period but without ever looking likely to err.

Eventually Mr Oldham blew for time and we headed home for a warm but not before saluting a fine County performance that now  sees us take on Walsall in the Third Round.

Before that though we have Rochdale to account for on Saturday at Spotland, see you there then.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Southam-Hales ( Crankshaw 66), Wright, Horsfall, R Johnson, Rydel, Croasdale (C Johnson ), Hippolyte ( Camps 90), Collar ( MacDonald 90), Madden ( Brown 80), Wootton.

 

Subs not used: Jones, Evans, Okwute, Barugh.

 

Charlton Athletic line up:-

MacGillivray, Lavelle, Forster- Caskey ( Fraser 80), Morgan (Rak-Sakyi 63), Kirk ( Jaiyesimi 63), Payne, Aneke ( Dobson 45), Clare, Chin, Campbell ( Blackett-Taylor 72), Mitchell.

Subs not used: Sessegnon, Maynard-Brewster, Henry, Toure.

Attendance : 6242

hedgegrower

 

Now some crowd shots from hedgegrower firstly....

 

 

 

 

and a clutch from Andrew Machin .......