Stockport County 1 Rochdale 0 ( Football League 2 ) Saturday 22 April 2023

( All words by hedgegrower, images via hedgegrower`s phone and Andrew Machin`s camera )

County came away from today`s important game at Edgeley Park against Rochdale with pretty much exactly what they set out to, clinching the first 3 of nine required points to keep us in the race for automatic promotion with a 1-0 win.

The victory, clinched by a goal of stunning power by Tanto Alaofe close to half time, keeps us fourth just one point behind Stevenage who lost today.

The score is not much of a clue as to how it went if not by any stretch of the wildest of imaginations, an accurate reflection of the respective merits of the teams involved.

I have not seen the stats but County dominated possession for the most part without ever looking likely to get a second goal, indeed true to form County kept their supporters on the edge of their seats for 90 odd minutes, willing…..hoping for a second goal that would make the win certain.

But it never came, so County supporters were still angst ridden right up to the final whistle- it wasn`t that Dale ever really threatened at all it was just that you could never 100% discount the possibility that they might, be it via a fluke or whatever, nick that cherished equaliser.

Thankfully County defended well enough to see that happenstance off, and I must say Challinor`s use of substitutes was as good as I have seen it today, and in the end the job was done sending most of the 10000 plus crowd home happy.

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Back at 3 o`clock County had 3 changes when they took to the field of play as Byrne, Davenport and Olaofe replaced Wright, Camps and Stretton all of whom were on the bench.

The start saw us attacking the Cheadle End and very quickly on the front foot as great work from Hippolyte sent Madden clear but his onward pass intended for Olaofe was intercepted by Ebanks-Landell at the last gasp for Dale.

The second minute saw Tanto on the charge again making it to the by-line winning County a corner, but Taylor headed this out and when the ball fell to Hippolyte, he sent his shot flying over the bar.

A neat one /two twixt Tanto and Madden came next and promised much until the ex-Sutton man ran out of grass.

On it went in the same vein with County attacking as Hippolyte fed Olaofe nicely and he destroyed Taylor with a tasty bit of work before passing to Madden. He had a decent sight of goal but sent a disappointing shot wide to keep it 0-0.

The attacking continued from County, Knoyle doing the spade work in winning another corner 8 minutes in. This went short from Hussey to Davenport then on to Hippolyte who again disappointed by shooting wide.

Davidson came centre stage next enabling Hippolyte to look for Collar, but a good idea came to nought as Dodgson`s intervention stopped the rot for Dale allowing Ebanks- Landell to hook the ball clear,

A foul on Croasdale then put the pressure back on the Lancastrian side via the free kick. Dodgson emerged again for Dale as the kick ended up with Knoyle, a firm block by the defender seeing Knoyle`s drilled cross out of the danger zone.

Back came County within a minute, Croasdale picking Hippolyte out nicely only for him to drag his effort wide of the target.

Ebanks- Landell cleared up next for Jim Mc Nulty`s side with Hussey, Hippolyte and Knoyle keeping Dale firmly on the back foot.

Five minutes elapsed before the next real action, and it was started by Croasdale and looked to have possibilities until Keohane conceded a corner off Byrne`s cross. Ebanks- Landell headed this out but only to Hippolyte but when his cross picked out Horsfall his header flew over the bar.

Lloyd made a run down the right for Dale next, but his cross did not trouble Hinchliffe at all.

We were beyond halfway in the first half now and that was the first sign of any attacking intent from the visitors.

Cue another Madden/ Tanto one/two but it just missed out.

But a measure of confusion surfaced at the back for Dale next as keeper O`Donnell remonstrated with his team mates loudly after slicing the ball for another County corner. Hussey sent this to the back post where Byrne met it firmly enough but sent it flying across goal and out.

Then with just over 15 minutes left of the half County went long and Croasdale chased it bearing down on goal with intent before firing a decent shot off. It was on target for sure but so were a couple of yellow shirted defenders ( I didn`t clock who -apologies!) and one or other got his body in the way of the ball and prevented a certain goal- the corner was run clear by a relieved Dale back line.

It was another 6 minutes before play perked up again but more disappointment came County`s way as Byrne s cross was meekly headed wide at the back post by Hippolyte- I put that down as a definite chance!

The 39^th minute saw Collar head over the bar from a Knoyle cross, but we soon forgot that moment as the County number 14 was carried off on a stretcher after prolonged treatment from the medical staff following what looked to be an innocuous collision.

Evans came on for Collar when play eventually resumed, the substitute engineering the latest County corner in concert with the excellent Knoyle. The keeper got a hand to this pushing it out wide and notionally out of danger via Mellor and then Ebanks- Landell until the ball came Tanto`s way and some magic ensued as the briefest of runs saw him thrash the fiercest of drives home almost taking the keeper`s hand with it as it went!

Two shots of that terrific goal from Andrew Machin :-

A truly excellent finish, and just the way to end the half!

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During the break it was good and not a little surprising to see Collar emerge from the medical unit and walk slowly across the pitch to the dressing room area- a surprise and an enormous relief too!

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Back to the action, and the second half opened with Rochdale looking to spend time on the ball. They did for sure for a while if without threatening, although 3 minutes in, it took a terrific tackle from Croasdale to halt a run by Odoh before it got remotely close to Hinchliffe.

Then they did get close, and it was Lloyd on the ball ending an interminable bout of sideways / sideways passing from Dale by lifting his shot way over the bar on 53 minutes.

A minute later and the action switched ends where Croasdale`s shot flew over the bar from Hussey`s prompt.

The goal kick from that action tempted Dale to stretch their legs in County territory and Horsfall did well to limit their action to outside the box.

Then it was County doing the `overdoing the passing` bit as Davenport passed loosely to a man in yellow – it was not a good moment at all for Davers` but thankfully County were saved by the Danny Stand liner`s upraised flag confirming offside!

There was no real sign of County adding a second goal, and then there was as Hippolyte`s ball sent Tanto darting clear through the middle. He was clear and then he wasn`t as Ebanks- Landell took his legs from under him sending him crashing down. Looked a goal scoring op` to me albeit just outside the box but Scott Oldham the Referee contented himself with a yellow card and over all I thought the ref was ok today.

I couldn`t even find myself disputing his booking of Byrne that followed 6 minutes later – it seemed a poor and unnecessary foul and it put us under pressure and with just 1 goal cushion!

The pressure abated when Hippolyte cleared the danger from the kick, and for a moment it looked like a break was on for the blues until Davenport planted the ball midst the specs in the Danny Stand much to our consternation!

It was no surprise at all when Davenport and Madden were exchanged for Wright and Stretton on 67 minutes as both had had disappointing games. Byrne was also replaced (by Lewis) and I looked on that as precautionary with the booking in mind.

Over all I liked the personnel changes, but I liked less the sight of Mr Oldham looking the other way as Evans` effort looked to strike a hand in the box with 20 minutes left.

Another minute and at last the away specs had something to cheer as Kelly sent Mellor on a run to the by-line spoilt only by him then hitting the side netting with his shot.

On…on it went…..and it was still 1-0….we needed that second goal to put the game to bed and spare the nerve ends!

Then the 77^th minute saw substitute Tyrese Sinclair almost square the circle for Rochdale making it to the by-line before cutting inside to fire a shot cum cross over that Hinchliffe did exceptionally well to get a hand to pushing out of dangers way!

Did I say we needed a second goal?

We did…..we did….meanwhile Rochdale kept trying but stumbling over obstacles like Knoyle who was still in master-class mode with 12 minutes left!

Then Stretton raised hopes by surging into the box down the right, but his dangerous cross was just kept from Olaofe by one quite desperate but on the ball defender.

Camps was now on for Hippolyte as Rochdale continued to look for that equaliser- Wright helping them along a tad by conceding a free kick with 10 minutes left. This promised much for the visitors only for the moment to pass when Lloyd found touch under pressure.

On it went- Croasdale and Stretton combining nicely but with no luck at all on 82 minutes- Wright seeing a shot blocked and Tanto flagged offside in a period of blue pressure.

Camps joined in; his run cut short by a foul – Horsfall heading wide from Hussey`s subsequent free kick with 2 minutes left.

We reached 90 minutes with Stretton having twice probed the Dale back line down the right but neither he nor Evans whose header narrowly missed out enjoyed even a modicum of good fortune.

It was still 1-0 as 4 minutes added time was announced – Sinclair the closest to achieving anything for Dale in this period but thwarted by Hussey`s attentions just when he didn`t need them!

Tanto earned applause and his side a corner with a tasty run on 93 minutes.

This was eventually cleared sending Rochdale on another speculative sortie up the park that ended ignominiously with Sinclair fouling up a throw in allowing Mr Oldham to blow for time!

That was what we came for – 3 points and that leaves us in fourth spot one point behind Stevenage who play Swindon ( who won 5-1 away to Wimbledon today) away on Tuesday.

OK Carlisle are breathing down our necks in fifth but we have a superior goal difference, and is it too much to perhaps wish for a win for Orient away to Mansfield that would relax them a touch ahead of next Saturday wouldn`t it?

Anyway- well done today County- you did the job!

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle, Byrne ( Lewis 67), Horsfall , Hussey , Hippolyte ( Camps 79) , Croasdale, Davenport ( Wright 67) Collar ( Evans 45) ,Madden ( Stretton 67) , Olaofe.

Subs not used : Jaros , R Johnson.

Rochdale line up :-

O`Donnell , Taylor , Ebanks-Landell , Kelly , Mellor , Odoh ( Sinclair 70), Keohane ( Rodney 62 ) , Brierley , Dodgson , Lloyd , Henderson.

Subs not used : Seriki , Ball , Graham , Eastwood , John .

Attendance : 10313

hedgegrower

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