Rochdale 1 Stockport County 2 ( Football League 2) Tuesday 21 February 2023

(All words by hedgegrower and images by hedgegrower with some late additions from Michael Shoard)

County came away from Spotland last night with the important win they came for, but they lived rather dangerously at times in doing so.

If the first half was low key and somewhat disappointing with County unable to find Saturday`s resolve and inspiration faced with a no more than extremely moderate Dale side, the second was entirely different.

First off County found an extra measure of resolve, absent in the first half, turning the game on its head with 2 goals from Will Collar before the hour mark.

The blues were in complete control and seemed to have sorted matters but after dominating proceedings for 25 minutes they then went off the boil allowing Rochdale back in the game that, with a modest amount of luck, they might have got a surprise point from.

That would have been unkind to County who did look the better of the 2 sides when it counted despite the malign influence of Referee Carl Boyeson on proceedings. Mr Boyeson was abysmal throughout the match his contrary decisions constantly infuriating the majority of the crowd ( County provided 3000 of a total crowd of 4604)and undermining County`s confidence in that problematic first 45 minutes.

All that said a win is a win is a win and this was one that takes us to fourth spot and within a point of third placed Carlisle- precisely where we needed to be in relation to the now no longer long shot third automatic promotion position.

So, we take the points learn from our mistakes and go again!

……………………………………………..

The game`s first 10 minutes opened with Rochdale on the front foot with former Hatter Danny Lloyd looking to pull the strings. If he looked neat and composed and maybe looked to have lost that yard of pace that made him special, he was still probably Dale`s best option on a night that they did rather better than they might have expected to do prior to kick-off.

Lloyd responded well to a header into the box by Ewbanks-Landell but his run was seen off by quick action by Hinchliffe on 3 minutes.

County replied via Hippolyte who found Taylor blocking his path down the left and there to find touch moments later when Hippolyte`s second break in as many minutes was halted.

Tanto fared no better shortly after darting through chasing a ball in the box only for keeper Eastwood beat him to it.

We then saw 3000 voices united in dismay as Mr Boyeson converted a County throw (for no apparent reason) into one for Dale. This was not a welcome start but far worse would follow this later.

Then the 12th minute ushered in some real excitement at last but no early County goal as a superb volley from Camps smacked into a post from Wright`s pass with keeper Eastwood beaten.

By this time I had surmised that Mr B`s justification for `reorganising` the earlier County throw in was `stealing ground`, but surely not as within 2 annoying minutes Taylor was allowed to gain several yards on throws for Dale twice!

No matter, we perhaps needed to ignore the referee, play our own game and see what comes of it, but Dale were looking to play their game too or a rather better version than they had been able to produce so far this season, the 15th minute seeing them win a corner which Hippolyte ran clear to cheers from the large County following.

County now had it through Knoyle who looked in decent nick cutting inside down the right his ball inside needing Taylor to usher the ball away hurriedly off the line.

Mellor headed the corner clear but annoyingly when Knoyle and one of the blue shirted Dale number ( I did not see which one) came together Mr Boyeson chose the moment to book the County man to jeers of derision from the 3000 populating the Willbutts Lane End-the Referee was only 100 % wrong- if the moment had a victim it was Knoyle!

Then as County defended the free kick rather well my anger went up a notch as a foul on Collar saw more of the same from the man with the whistle when Dale got the free kick. Again, County defended it well as I seethed on as I must admit I am increasingly prone to do these days!

Back to the football though and there was some being played Olaofe showing us good hold up play next setting Knoyle up for a cross that saw Taylor concede another corner which saw a hopeful effort from the hard-working Hussey cleared by Dale.

More forward play from County saw Croasdale`s shot seemingly strike the arm of one of a clutch of blue shirted Dale defenders in the box. I thought it so…..2999 did as well but not the man who counted and play carried on with a Collar shot blocked in the ensuing play.

Things got ridiculous next though as the Referee saw ` foot up` on Olaofe`s part as he shot on the turn . This was completely ludicrous firstly the attempted shot did not head in the direction of any player the nearest one being behind him, and the Olaofe boot was no more than about 3 foot off the ground during this action!

County kept trying to play football- Knoyle`s cross on the half hour only half cleared by the blue shirted defenders as County got a free kick as Collar was fouled in the follow up. Hippolyte `s shot from this was blocked and Collar`s saw the ball nestling comfortably in keeper Eastwood`s arms.

On it went with Hinchliffe going long to Olaofe who shot wide 33 minutes in, but another 3 minutes on saw Mullarkey haul Olaofe down and Mellor do similar to Hippolyte neither misdemeanours worthy of sanction in the Referee`s view!

I was beyond angry following what had just gone down, and things began to develop alarmingly with Rochdale profiting with possession from same, and it looked anything but good to see ex Hatters Lloyd and Rodney link up the former supplying ammunition to the latter whose shot thankfully came out off the bar!

County replied but both Camps and Collar saw efforts ushered away by Mullarkey, the half ending with Tanto winning a corner that County could not convert, and Rochdale coming back at us through Rodney who seemed to cause the odd flutter at the back as he got in amongst the County back line to good effect.

If we definitely needed to up our game a notch or 2 in the second half I found no one who did not think it would be so!

……………………………………

But Rochdale were first out of the blocks when play resumed -Mellor forcing Byrne to concede a corner that thankfully did not threaten County`s early second half equilibrium.

By the 49th minute I was doing my best to think kind things of our Referee, but seeing Olaofe unceremoniously hauled down with no free kick or booking ensuing did not help. Then the seemingly impossible happened as Hippolyte surged clear to the by-line to be taken out by Keohane, and with County supporters united in urging a penalty Mr Boyeson gave one!

I am guilty of massive understatement if I say the moment was tense- it was considerably so but County did the right thing….gave Collar the ball and he did what was required keeping his shot low and under the keeper`s dive into the net.

County had the lead and suddenly some of the night`s tension eased a wee bit and in just another 2 minutes matters eased further as County doubled their advantage.

Again Mr B was in there somewhere awarding County a free kick for a routine foul. The kick was only just beyond half way and was blocked by Dale the ball played back to Hinchliffe who sent it heading back for the box where Wootton`s flick on saw Collar in possession again. He was away and he again made no mistake firing off a fierce drive as he cut inside giving Eastwood no chance at all to stop it.

We had the game by the scruff of its neck now – Camps just inches away from adding a third goal on the hour.

I was somewhat alarmed when Rochdale went close on 67 minutes as Lloyd cut inside seeing his shot rattle a post but reassured to see Byrne in place to get a great block in to deny substitute Campbell 3 minutes later, and Lloyd miss out just a minute on from this.

Suddenly the hegemony County were threatening to impose on proceedings was being challenged by the league`s bottom outfit and we were beginning to look under the cosh at times as a result.

We needed clear heads and few fouls, but I looked up to see Hussey needlessly push Lloyd to add oxygen to Dale`s cause via the free kick Mr B awarded our hosts. Hinchliffe claimed the ball solidly from the kick….but ……………..

We were into the last 10 minutes now and County had been trying to play their way out of a potentially difficult period of pressure from the Lancastrian side and it was dismaying to see the lady liner on our side way behind play as Henderson received the ball in a blatantly offside position. He was allowed to run on…cut in along the by-line before crossing. Again Hinchliffe was in position to save any County blushes with a neat catch but it was the yellow vested officials who more appropriately needed to feel sheepish.

With 6 minutes left County went for a triple subbing bringing Davenport, Rydel and Stretton on for Camps, Hippolyte and Olaofe.

If the plan was a good one it backfired quickly although not immediately as Lloyd`s shot a minute later was kept out by an excellent save from Hinchliffe.

But Rochdale`s urgency had won them a corner and then a goal as a clutch of County defenders dithered as the kick came over and bounced in the box. Mullarkey dithered not bundling the ball into the net to make it 2-1 and the remaining minutes of the game unnecessarily tense.

The general mood on the Willbutts Lane End was not improved when Knoyle took a fearful whack from Lloyd. It looked a red card every day of every week but Mr Boyeson, who saw it clearly, waved the weakest of yellows in the ex-Hatter`s direction!

It was tense stuff on and off the park into added time with Rochdale seeking what had seemed an unlikely share of the points all evening. We again needed cool heads but with more than one County supporter urging them “ don’t foul, don’t foul him!”Rydel did just that to Henderson.

What followed was not pretty as County hung on defending the free kick and the follow up and a further late/late free kick that headed into the box from deep in Dale territory for Hinchliffe to gobble hungrily.

Eventually Mr B blew for time and the points were ours, but it was a close thing , closer than it needed to be at times.

That said a sense of perspective is called for – County did what they came to do- they won and further threatened that 3^rd automatic promotion spot, and do not relegation threatened outfits when faced by vastly superior teams oft times play out of their skins?

Yes they do and that`s what to a degree we saw from Dale on this occasion and we managed to emerge from the experience very much intact , if a tad bruised !

So well done County!

See you all at Holker Street on Saturday, but take the extra layers as it’s a bit nippy in them thar parts!

Rochdale line up:-

Eastwood, Taylor ( Henderson 65), Ewbanks- Landell, Kelly, Mellor ( Campbell 65) , Rodney , Odoh , Keohane , Dodgson , Lloyd , Mullarkey.

Subs not used: Craven, Seriki , Graham , John , Diagouraga.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle , Wright , Byrne , Hussey , Hippolyte ( Rydel 84) , Croasdale, Camps( Davenport 84) , Collar, Wootton, Olaofe ( Stretton 84).

Subs not used: Jaros, Horsfall, Evans , R Johnson.

Attendance 4604 ( 3000)

hedgegrower

Some crowd shots ( and one of last nights chicken curry pie)from hedgegrower`s phone....