Gillingham 1 Stockport County 1 ( Football League 2) Saturday 15 April 2023

 

 

( All words  by hedgegrower, all images by hedgegrower via his phone )

 

County came away from Kent with a point from a curate`s egg of a game against Gillingham today.

In the end there was a bizarre mix of disappointment and relief amongst the 500 + County supporters who made the long trip to back their team at the Priestfield Stadium- disappointment in that County had nailed their opponents to the floor in a first half that would have been called off had it been a boxing match so clearly were the yellow shirted blues on top.

The second half midst a welter of substitutions proved to be the reverse of that for much of the time with County`s command, so emphatic in the first half, absent as they were now mostly second to most of the balls that mattered.

It was thus not that much of a surprise when Lapslie put Gillingham ahead just before the hour- indeed it began to look like a losing battle for DC`s men at that point and for a while thereafter, but they summoned up the necessary from somewhere , hauled themselves up by their bootstraps to claim the equaliser through Will Collar  with a minute of normal time left that just might be crucial at the season`s end.

County went after a winner in added time- so did Gills and our hosts thought that they had nicked it late on only for Mr Martin Woods ( a very decent referee in my view) to deny them much as he had bravely and justifiably ignored home specs and players excesses as they strained to influence the official to award a penalty earlier.

I think over all I am relieved as results elsewhere could have been much worse for the blues who are, despite today`s travails, still in it with every chance.

……………………………

 

There was an early flurry of excitement to whet County supporters` appetites as a surging run by Knoyle saw Hippolyte just kept out by the home defence.

Gills replied twice pushing County back in the minutes that followed- Wright clearing Alexander`s looping right wing cross on 4 minutes, Croasdale confirming his credentials by keeping McKenzie out as he made it to the by-line a minute later.

Knoyle was clearly in good nick, another cross from him causing panic in the home ranks.

But when no end product emerged from that last action Gills attacked themselves Wright doing well to contain Nicholls on the break.

Then a real escape for County as the left side of their back line went to sleep allowing Mac Donald a second bite of an unwelcome cherry as he bore down on us. He took the opportunity with little bidding and his shot sped goal ward in no time. One nil then! Except no, as Hinchliffe stood firm beating the ball out to safety to cheers from 519 County fans some of whom were now beginning to get wet on the open terrace behind Ben`s goal.

This encouraged Neil Harris`s men to the extent that it took excellent work from the in-form Knoyle to tame a run by Jeffries who was shepherded to no man`s land by the County number 3.

But I was still of the opinion that County would put down this spirited response by the Gills and I was encouraged in this thinking when Wootton was upended on the edge of the box- Mr Woods annoying the locals for the first time by awarding us a free kick in a distinctly score able position. We had the man for the job in Rydel but his kick came out off the home wall and the chance was gone.

County kept the pressure on now Wright doing well with a couple of characteristically marauding runs, the second from Horsfall`s prompt causing Gills much angst, but it stayed 0-0.

Then with 20 minutes of the half remaining we got an even better chance as a foul on Hippolyte ushered in a free kick nicely central and again on the edge of the box.

Rydel`s kick was a belter but so was keeper Morris`s response as his dive saw him beat the ball out for a corner that Horsfall headed wide.

I found myself   writing `it`s all County now` as a glorious sweeping move almost put Hippolyte in.

But was it….as within a minute of me scribbling that legend Hinchliffe was again in urgent action diving to beat out a shot from Nicholls as the Gills hit us on the break.

And a foul by Horsfall on Jeffries put the pressure on County again from the free kick and Knoyle did well to turn defence into attack from this to ease County`s angst.

County went back onto the attack next Wright shooting over the bar from a free kick for a foul on Hippolyte, but this was becoming the pattern- good approach play/ minimal finish to moves and this was again emphasised when another good run and cross by Knoyle was wasted as Morris remained untested between the Gills sticks.

But County kept piling the pressure on none the less- Wootton losing out in a 1 on 1 with Morris with 5 minutes normal time left in the first half.

There was action at both ends in added time- Collar seeing a shot charged down for County…..Hinchliffe making a brave catch with Williams thundering into him like a wild bull on mescaline.

Collar won another corner that came to nothing, and Hinchliffe ended the half with an alert take with Gills sniffing for a late/ late half chance.

That was the first half sorted and I thought we would come out and do the biz when the teams change around for the second half.

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When the game re-started County had made personnel changes bringing Madden and Hussey on for Stretton and Byrne as the early minutes saw County under the cosh- MacDonald disappointing the locals by hitting a half chance wide.

But County’s reply was by no means under stated indeed Hippolyte was unlucky to see his shot tipped over the bar by Morris. Wright and Wootton conspired on the corner but when it was laid back to Hippolyte the disappointment was ours and his as he lifted a poor effort into the away terrace.

If Madden was showing up nicely as play continued it was proving just as crucial for Hinchliffe to be on his toes at the back – another crucial save keeping Alexander out on 53 minutes.

That was a relief, but the feeling did not last long, less than a minute in fact, as County stood about transfixed with blue shirts busying themselves in County`s last third. We needed someone…anyone to welly the ball clear, but it did not happen just long enough for Lapslie to increase our angst with a shot on the turn that gave Hinchliffe no chance at all- it was 1-0 to our hosts and County had an up-hill battle on their hands.

Unsurprisingly the attacking increased from Gillingham after this Ehmer heading over from a corner.

County struggled to reply – Madden making it to the by-line but the move fizzling out when the final ball went behind 3 yellow shirts charging through on goal.

But there was no doubt that County were having to defend more than somewhat now- Hussey blocking Alexander,and doing likewise in combo with Hinchliffe with Nicholls threatening.

County continued to press and Wootton thought he had a free kick but Mr W thought otherwise and I sided with the referee as Gills broke clear with Wootton still protesting. A long throw upped the angst for County but it dissipated when MacDonald failed to test Hinchliffe with his strike just beyond the hour.

A minute later a chance did emerge for County engineered by Rydel who picked out Wootton with a neat ball. Wootton had a site of goal and possibly more time at his disposal than he realised but instead a hurried side footed stab at the ball sent it flying into Morris`s grateful hands.

By now Camps was on for Wright as Hinchliffe pulled off his best save of the afternoon to deny Nicholls.

County kept working at it though….attacking…winning corners but still without that spark that marks out winners from losers.

         We went into the last 15 minutes of normal time with Olaofe and Ryan Johnson on for Croasdale and Rydel.

Rydel had taken a severe knock and we would miss him in the action that followed wouldn`t we?

Collar took up the Rydel role -Horsfall heading wide from one of his crosses with 10 minutes left.

Then, as with Rydel, Gills identified our danger man and Dieng crudely carted Collar as he darted clear down the left with 4 minutes remaining of normal time.

Another 2 minutes and we had what we wanted as again Collar ran at the home defence down the left unleashing a lofted effort that sailed inexorably towards the top corner- Morris looked shell shocked and beaten- Alexander tried his best to head it out from under the bar- he failed and County had their equaliser!

Into 6 minutes added time we went with the locals obviously on something making frenzied attempts to make the referee award them a penalty- twice someone in blue went down unaided in the box…twice Mr Woods ignored the impassioned pleas, and he was correct to do so!

On it went with Williams fluffing a half chance for Gills.

But deep into the 6 minutes Gills won a corner as Coleman`s shot was deflected behind. Then they claimed they had a goal- I couldn`t see other than that the ball was in the County net and the locals were going positively AS in response.

But the AS quotient increased exponentially as Mr W ruled the effort out- it was still 1-1.

It was County on the attack at the end- Morris doing wonders for Gills making a desperately brave save to deny Madden. Then Hussey won a corner only for the referee to see an infringement and so end County last effort of the game.

This was all I have previously said it was…disappointing……a relief, but there was pride in the mix too and County might just look back on their late efforts today and think them significant in the mad dash for promotion glory!

There is certainly still all to play for at Carlisle on Tuesday and part of me is already there now!

Get there if you can, give them your support it could prove crucial!

 

Gillingham line up:-

Morris , Alexander , Masterson , Ehmer , Mc Kenzie , Williams , Dieng , Lapslie , Jeffries ( Coleman 81) , Mac Donald ( Wright 81) , Nicholls ( Abrahams 85)   .

Subs not used: Turner , Page , Clarke.

 

Stockport County line up :-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle , Wright ( Camps 64) , Horsfall , Byrne ( Hussey 45) , Rydel ( Johnson 75), Croasdale ( Olaofe 75), Hippolyte , Collar, Wootton , Stretton ( Madden 45).

Subs not used : Jaros , Evans .

 

Attendance : 5810 ( 519)

 

hedgegrower 

 

Now some crowd images .......