Stockport County 2 Northampton Town 0 ( Football League 2) Saturday 14 January 2023

Let me say from the outset that I thought that this was County`s best win of the season so far- 3 vital points gained at a crucial point in the campaign through hard graft allied to almost unremitting concentration against a Northampton team that was knife sharp and bristling with ideas and energy- in fact every inch an outfit nicely situated third in the division!

There were good skills on show from County who gave a debut start to Neill Byrne who did well in the centre of the defence, where along side him Akil Wright shone as bright as ever and on the other side the largely unsung Ryan Johnson nicked a goal and made the game almost safe for County in the second half.

But of the outfield players in blue I thought Hippolyte was the pick again, immense his talents showing clearly on the gloomiest of January days, and Sarcevic looked better than of late scoring County`s opener.

All that said I rated Hinchliffe our M.O.M- 3 superb first half saves keeping County afloat, and a couple after the break soundly underpinning a most satisfactory and much desired win!

………………………….

County showed up first, Hippolyte and Rydel giving an early glimpse of what they can and do do together, but 2 sorties deep into the visitors back yard only provided debutant keeper Tom King with catching practise, and there was more of the same shortly after as Sarcevic sent Collar clear down the right.

But, the 4^th minute saw County`s attacking stop abruptly as Northampton hit on the break, and with Fox and Apere offering lively support the ball went to Hoskins who looked odds on the score until Hinchliffe`s dive kept a certain goal out.

That was a warning -if Town did not look world beaters at the back, they were certainly no mugs going forward so we had a game on our hands.

Wootton then switched play with a pass out wide to Rydel on 6 minutes but when his first time cross reached Madden he headed wide under pressure.

County kept trying but without showing that extra spark that separates good teams, and King again made short work of Hippolyte`s cross a couple of minutes later.

After that last action the Cobblers began to show us more of what they could do- Fox seeing his shot charged down by Croasdale who was there again with a crucial intervention a minute later when Fox and Apere worked their way deep into County`s last third. The corner from this saw Pinnock reach Sherring with some precision only for him to send a disappointing header flying over the bar.

By now I found myself scribbling the legend` Northampton look handy going forward` but Pinnock ruined some dangerously nippy play twixt him and Apere with a gratuitous foul on Collar that saw the County man again end up with his head swathed in bandages- it also stopped Town`s progress at least for now.

It was another 5 minutes before County`s cage was rattled again by the men in pink, and it was Pinnock who started it nicking possession from deep sending Hoskins skipping clear heading for goal. It was an iffy moment for the blues and Hoskins must have thought he would open the scoring, instead County supporters were the one`s celebrating as the forward`s shot was kept out by a sharp save from the excellent Hinchliffe!

County replied of course- Wright`s surging run into the box somehow denied by the massed ranks of pink shirts in front of King`s goal and Wootton fared no better almost immediately his shot climbing high and wide following good work by Byrne and Hippolyte.

Then things got a bit tasty as a foul by Collar saw him in Referee Rebecca Welch`s book.

This ushered in an unwelcome Town free kick in a decent position but Hoskins hit the wall with this, the ball running on to Mc Gowan who picked Hoskins out with an immaculate return pass.

One nil to Town then………except no…….enter Hinchliffe again with his best save yet to deny Hoskins from close in!

Thanks to Ben we were still locked together at 0-0.

And then we weren`t……. as Hippolyte treated us to some fantastic trickery deep in County`s half surrounded by a confused posse of men in pink shirts, suddenly emerging from a blur of pink with the ball which he sent up the park to Madden whose flick on saw Collar inside the box. A neat cross from him, an even neater lay off by Wootton and it was 1-0 as Sarcevic finished with some style!

It went off the boil for a bit after this, the next real action flattering to deceive as County won a free kick for a foul on Wright by Pinnock, and then sent it down King`s throat- Sarcevic having convinced Rydel that he should take it!

Then another 5 minutes before anything more of note came back from Cobblers. It started well as Hoskins` unselfish good work set a decent chance up for Apere who promptly lifted his shot over the bar.

Back came County through Collar but his snappy drive was met by the deftest of saves by King and it stayed 1-0.

Madden went close deep in added time but, it was still 1-0 when the teams went in at half time, and I thought that was a good half`s effort from County – impressive in fact, underpinned superbly by a clutch of vital saves by Hinchliffe!

…………………………

Cobblers went onto the attack from the onset of the second half pinning County back in their last third seemingly unable to turn defence into coherent attack, but they were still not shipping goals and never looked rattled at all throughout much pressure.

The best chance to emerge from all this pressure came 4 minutes in when a quality ball over the blue back line by Pinnock filleted them nicely. Top scorer Hoskins was free again with only Hinchliffe twixt him and glory. `Only`…`Only`did I say? I apologise….it should probably have been the equaliser. Hoskins shot was on target and his heart must have sank to his boots as Hinchliffe pulled off a wonderful save with his legs to keep it at 1-0!

Wow, that was close, and the attacking continued from Town with County struggling to get a kick with shots and crosses pinging in to order from birthday boy Jon Brady`s side.

We needed a goal but from what?

Hippolyte raised the siege and lifted the County angst- his volley fizzing menacingly just over the bar on 57 minutes!

But that was but a brief welcome interruption of the attacking from Town and we got another reminder from Fox and Apere a minute later- the duo denied by a fine save by Hinchliffe at his near post!

On the hour County started to break the stranglehold the visitors had imposed on them.

Wootton`s close control had him clear of two challengers in pink. Inside he drifted picking out Hippolyte with casual ease. Myles` shot was good but went out off a defender ushering in a corner which saw Madden twice have shots charged down – it remained 1-0.

Madden was then replaced by Knoyle, another County new boy.

Knoyle`s presence would probably substantially assist in continuing to frustrate Town.

Knoyle seemed to slot seamlessly into the County game plan and with Byrne continuing to show up well some of our perceived problems of late may be on the way to resolution!

We had short term issues to sort also namely getting 3 vital points today!

Byrne started us off with a fine block with Northampton threatening, and then we had our `short term` solution ushered in by a probing run to the by-line by Sarcevic that earned County a corner.

The kick from Rydel was a belter as was Ryan Johnson`s response his powerful header going in off a defender.

It was 2-0 and whilst County supporters celebrated, although it had gone a long way to doing it the game had not wholly been killed off as far as Town ambitions were concerned- they still had a notional chance!

But then County just might add a third, especially if Hippolyte had his way and his blinding speed and good eye for a chance teed Rydel up nicely only for him to blast a hasty effort wide on 72 minutes.

Five minutes later and more brilliance by Hippolyte saw him a fag paper`s distance from reaching Rydel`s return pass smack in front of goal!

On it went in the same vein with County easing our fears with nerveless football- Wootton doing well but unlucky to see King save his deflected shot with 10 minutes normal time left.

Olaofe was now on for Sarcevic , whilst Wootton remained on the park and a potent operator his persistence keeping Cobblers under pressure , allowing Hippolyte to have another crack at goal his shot inches wide right on 90 minutes.

Into 6 minutes added time we went Olaofe and Wootton tantalisingly close at one point to giving us a moment to remember.

Northampton continued to want something from the game…some pride ….a consolation perhaps…. but there was none of that last commodity on offer from the blues and Hinchliffe underlined this point with some emphasis wellying the ball from the danger zone thus keeping yet another clean sheet intact!

Well done County, that was a fantastically gritty performance- for me their best this season although I anticipate many will wish to differ on that one.

I thought the Referee Rebecca Welch had another good game!

And after my words in the last match report on the subject of Cheadle End turnstiles and the Supporters Cooperative approach to the Club on the subject, it was good to see that the Club had opened 2 of the 3 turnstiles ( enough in the circumstances) pretty early- very good news indeed!