Stockport County 0 Doncaster Rovers 0 ( Football League 2) Saturday 4 March 2023

( All words by hedgegrower, images by hedgegrower & Andrew Machin )

County slumped to seventh in the league on the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw with Doncaster at Edgeley Park today.

As usual Doncaster were a difficult side to break down and apart from the opening 10 minutes or so County never really showed sufficient nous to unpick the Yorkshire side`s labyrinthian locks.

During that period there appeared to be a real fire in County bellies as Rydel and Knoyle got forward with purpose down the flanks with Sarcevic looking back to something akin to his best for a time promising much.

But whilst County kept attacking for much of what remained of the first half the zing steadily receded in their work and Rovers looked to have sussed us out well before the break.

Chances did fall our way most notably to Collar and Rydel but it stayed 0-0 – a state of affairs that was not to change in a second half light on excitement and clear cut chances.

Doncaster are simply awful to watch and as I have said difficult to break down- County didn`t and will have to do better on Tuesday against Gillingham.

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There were 4 changes in County`s starting line up as the team`s came out on a coolish afternoon in SK3.

Horsfall was in for Byrne, Sarcevic for Hippolyte with Rydel and Davenport taking the places of Camps and Croasdale.

Irritatingly Danny Schofield`s side elected to make County attack the Cheadle End first thing and straight off that’s exactly what they did with feeling- Sarcevic seeing the earliest of efforts blocked within 20 seconds of the game starting by Nelson. Another 30 seconds and County attacked again- Rydel was flagged offside, but this looked a decent start from the blues!

And it got better quickly as another blue wave cast the remnants of the Rovers back line asunder as Knoyle darted through down the right to ping a ball inside to where Wootton lurked. Sadly, although Wootton got his head to the cross, he could only direct the ball upwards and away from goal.

This really did look promising though, and more so as again Knoyle`s spring heeled athleticism had him at County`s opponents and to the by-line in a trice playing the ball back to Wright.

Wright`s cross from this was excellent and picked Rydel out just beyond the back post and he met the incoming ball with a firm header that was on its way into the net when keeper Jon Mitchell clawed the ball out at the last gasp. But he only sent it in an arc back to Rydel who again headed it goal ward where the keeper repeated the trick to keep it at 0-0.

Unbelievably we had played 6 minutes and it might have been 2-0 already!

Then we saw 5 minutes of atrocious reffing and myopic lining during which Davenport received a yellow card from Mr Lewis- he was unlucky in my view . The referee gradually got a handle on the visitors propensity for `falling down easily` but at this point he was not fully attuned to the situation.

But we emerged from this with the score still 0-0 ,and with County attacking and again with some purpose via Hussey whose cross seemed to hypnotise the Rovers back line as the ball bounced in the box. It landed with Collar and he was in oodles of space , but somehow he managed to side foot his shot wide with the goal gaping.

County attacked again from the goal kick with Rydel and Collar doing well to set Knoyle up forcing Tommy Rowe to concede a corner, but if we fancied getting something from the kick we were disappointed as Horsfall`s `hands on` moment on a defender was spotted by Mr Lewis.

The first real response by Rovers came on 20 minutes being started by Biggins` run from deep crowned with a neat pass out to ex Hatter Brown wide right. Brown was in masses of space and things looked iffy as his cross went to Lavery via Rydel- a chance? ….yes…. but the shot went wide to quieten the excitement of 1154 Yorkshire souls in the away end.

On it went and my irritation with Mr Lewis surfaced again 5 minutes later as, after studiously missing shed loads of fouls on Wootton by Rovers, the ref suddenly elected to stop play and award County a free kick for the latest anti-Wootton calumny. But what about the advantage rule as despite the foul Wootton had played Collar clear and he was away- but he wasn`t as Mr Lewis brought play back for a County free kick which of course not only did County not capitalise on but the taker Hussey had to look sharp to block a break by Molyneax who looked a dangerous potential fly in the County ointment.

Hussey did that well, as Rovers began to stir noticeably getting forward but thankfully with little in the way of an affective strike force to turn their possession into goals.

County eventually replied but Sarcevic just failed to reach Wootton with a tasty through ball on the half hour.

This ushered in more attacking from County via Wright and Davenport ( who was looking very comfortable on the ball indeed)that brought Knoyle to the fore again forcing Lakin to head out from under the bar – Rydel`s follow up being gobbled with ease by the keeper.

The attacking continued from the blues – Brown doing well for Rovers to concede a corner under pressure from Olaofe. Again, though Knoyle`s kick was not his best and Horsfall could only head wide.

We were heading for half time now but whilst the volume of the attacking play from County was large much of it was predictable in its build up allowing Rovers time to adjust.

We did get 2 free kicks in the last 5 minutes of the half but made nothing of both- Rovers managing to force a save from Hinchliffe on 44 minutes from a free kick won by them in somewhat dubious circumstances.

Into 2 minutes added time we went with Olaofe and Rydel winning a corner – we did make an effort from this but keeper Mitchell was able to punch out under pressure to end the first half with it still 0-0.

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The first 5 minutes of the second half were a pretty humdrum affair -Wootton going close on 49 minutes for County while Rowe threw a rare Rovers chance away by dragging his shot wide after County had gone into doze mode at the back alarmingly!

This encouraged the visitors but the Cheadle End rose en masse to applaud Hussey for a fantastic block that kept Biggins` shot out amidst more uncertainty from County`s back line.

Lavery meanwhile had spent more time on the deck than upright, but Mr Lewis ignored his latest theatricals aimed at scuppering a County break waving play on, but County did not take advantage of this allowing Doncaster to clear their lines.

Cue another sleepy moment or two from County`s back line ending in possession and a shot by Hurst that Hinchliffe happily covered and kept out confidently.

County saw the hour mark off with good work by Hussey and Hinchliffe that kept Molyneaux at bay.

Then Davenport sent Rydel clear with a superb diagonal pass. He was in on goal but could not beat Mitchell. We had a corner then another as Davenport shot was deflected over the bar. Nothing came of the second corner that ended up being passed back to Hinchliffe depressingly.

At this point County rang the changes bringing Hippolyte and Byrne on for Sarcevic and Wright.

Hippolyte opened his account by shooting narrowly over the top with 20 minutes left to play. He then stole possession teeing Tanto up to win a corner that saw Anderson head the ball out off the line to keep his team afloat.

A corner followed this, and then a shot from Davenport but this went well wide.

The next action saw Tanto and Davenport replaced by Madden and Croasdale- an imminently good move with Rovers well aware that a second yellow would dish Davenport and County. I think Mr Lewis had tipped Horsfall the wink if wink was needed that maybe the change should be made before the worst happened.

County were busy after this with Croasdale looking suitably refreshed and on the ball.

A free kick came and went for County without reward, and a Hippolyte header but this disappointed as well clearing the bar after good work from Collar and Wootton.

Hippolyte was certainly trying, but sadly inches away from getting to Knoyle`s cross with 5 minutes left.

Collar meanwhile did get to a Knoyle cross but headed the ball straight into the keeper’s, waiting arms, 2 minutes later.

County won a free kick in added time…. then a corner but made nothing of either.

This was a depressing affair now as Rovers could not clear their lines in response being seemingly forced to foul to ease their plight except it didn`t as County had a free kick that notionally put the pressure on again.

But Hurst ran this free kick clear from deep totally ruining what looked like a fair old run into County territory by a not greatly executed fall to earth as he neared the box. By this time Mr Lewis was fully savvy and probably laughed like a drain to himself as he ignored the agonised cries of the stricken number 21.

Any notional chance was obviously gone and it as not long before any further chance to alter the score line was gone also as Mr Lewis blew for time.

On to Tuesday then and Gillingham at Edgeley Park….we do not panic……we allow the manager to manage and get behind our team!

See you Tuesday hopefully!

Stockport County line up :-

Hinchliffe, Knoyle, Wright ( Byrne 64), Horsfall , Hussey , Sarcevic ( Hippolyte 64) , Davenport ( Croasdale 75) , Collar , Rydel, Olaofe ( Madden 75), Wootton.

Subs not used : Jaros , Camps , Stretton.

Doncaster Rovers line up :-

Mitchell , Brown , Anderson , Olowu, Molyneaux ( Close 83) , Rowe , Biggins, Nelson , Hurst , Lavery ( G.Miller 71) .

Subs not used : Long , Barlow , Seaman , Oram , T Miller.

Attendance : 9942 ( 1154)

hedgegrower

Fist off a few images from hedgegrower`s phone..............