Stockport County 0 Huddersfield Town 4 ( Pre Season Friendly) Saturday 22 July 2023

 

 

 

 

County upped the quality of their pre-season preparation taking on Championship Huddersfield Town at Edgeley Park today.

Both teams took the match seriously and whilst Neil Warnock`s side will point to the 4-0 margin in their favour as confirmation that they bossed matters, County, and particularly their skipper Paddy Madden will feel compelled to mention the 2 `goals` that he had ruled out, the second at 0-2 looked a particularly iffy decision by the officials ,as telling a slightly different tail.

But in the end, there was no quarrel with the Yorkshire side claiming bragging rites from a game that both managements will have seen as a useful exercise- certainly more so than a 4 x30 minute jobby would have been!

For the blues Madden took the sponsors M.O.M award and that was about right- lively from the off and his 2 strikes deserving of better. I am probably in a minority in thinking it shouldn`t be regarded as a `shoo in` for Southam- Hales to be preferred to Knoyle on the right, but today he played in front of Kyle and once more brought a rack of fouls from the opposition- he looked as lively as I have seen him for a while! Touray looked tidy and passed the ball really well .

County were put under a fair bit of pressure at times particularly in the last 20 minutes when a raft of substitutions for County wrought havoc with their cohesion.

 

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Back at 3 o`clock despite the appalling weather over 900 had made the trip from Yorkshire for the game. The image shows them filling the end 2 blocks in the Pop Side but by kick off time they had spread over filling almost half of the centre block- a great effort excellent support!

 

 Terrific Support for Town !

 

 

 

 

County were under pressure almost immediately and 1 down within 4 minutes of the first blast of the referee`s whistle as Danny Ward created space for himself just inside the box to place a near perfect finish beyond Hinchliffe`s dive into the net.

A reply looked on the cards from the blues via a neat cooperation twixt Southam-Hales and Knoyle, but the former`s cross found nobody in blue on the end of it.

But it went on with Southam-Hales pressurising Town down the right, but Camps saw an effort charged down from this and Madden shot wide to keep it 0-1.

If we were disappointed with that, more followed as a tasty move from County ended with Madden slotting home in jubilant fashion.

One each!. But no, the liner ( stationed in front of the away end) had his flag up and Paddy`s effort was ruled out!

This brought a response from Town and a corner, but Powell did well to stop Matty Pearson from making mischief in the box seeing danger off.

After 15 minutes it was possible to say that County were holding their own against opposition 2 divisions higher than them, so, so far so good.

Then they looked to be on for more than just `holding their own` when Southam-Hales` progress was abruptly cut short by a poor challenge from Headley who laid him out. He eventually rejoined play, but it was worrying for a while.

But Town were not here to make up the numbers especially Josh Koroma whose curling effort from the edge of the box just cleared the bar, and the same was also true of the boys in blue but Madden`s latest effort, a glancing header, drifted wide at the other end.

There was action now at both ends- Rydel overhitting his corner after he and Southam -Hales had set it up. Then Rydel almost sent Camps in following a neatly taken quick free kick from Powell for the blues, Headley seeing his ball into the box following a run cleared by County without alarm.

It was all progressing nicely when suddenly it wasn`t as Koroma left Knoyle in a crumpled heap on the deck with some overly rough play that somehow passed muster as legitimate for Mr Kitchen the referee. So, Koroma ran on only to shoot wide with the goal gaping!

If we were gloating over that one, Koroma had his moment of karma almost immediately as, with County in disarray around him, he stole the ball and again headed for goal at speed. His finish was exemplary but his taunting of the Cheadle End thereafter anything but!

We were less than 10 minutes from half time now and it was good to see Horsfall prevent a repeat of Ward`s opening goal- his block right on the money!

County did good work at the other end too- Southam -Hales blocked from Madden`s pass to end a first half in which County had done well.

 

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The same 11 stepped out for County after the break and that looked a good decision by Challinor one borne out by County looking to take the game to their opponents -  Rydel`s corner 2 minutes in setting Horsfall up for a vicious volley that only just missed out, rising over the bar at the last moment!

Yes, County were giving it some now and they certainly didn`t look second best at times, indeed Southam-Hales was surging clear having just shaken off Headley`s initial challenge when a monster assault followed from the yellow shirted number 15 stopping Southam- Hales run and laying him out.

This all happened right under the nose of the Danny Stand liner whose flag never budged from his side throughout- a disgraceful flunking of responsibility which in a match of greater importance might have caused major crowd trouble, but in this match the upshot was only that County`s chance was gone and Southam- Hales had a few more bruises.

Huddersfield were still around though, particularly Koroma who forced a corner only for the blues to clear the ball without undue problems.

Back came County- Southam -Hales skinning Helik only for no one to get to his cross. Then Knoyle joined in being comprehensively mugged by Ward on heading for the visitors` box.

The pressure continued from County as Pearson just kept Horsfall from the free kick for Ward`s foul at the back post, but that post was the site of what we thought was a fitting climax to a period of County pressure as Madden dived to head home at the foot of same.

Eighteen hundred County supporters were ecstatic …it was 1-2, but only for the briefest of moments until it was ruled out and we were expected to believe that Madden was offside ( It was a deep cross from way back so the image is deceptive as Madden was onside when the cross was lifted over - thanks to Andrew Machin for the following image).

 

 

 

 

He must have been seething – I was but it was -0-2 and that was that!

We were still mulling that one over when up stepped Jack Rudoni to increase our angst as he stole clear cutting through County`s cover with alarming ease to drill Town`s third goal home under Hinchliffe`s dive.

We were just beyond the hour now and that signalled wholesale changes by both sides- only Hinchliffe, Touray, Croasdale ,Rydel & Camps still on the park from the starting 11.

Another raft of changes with 20 minutes left took the aforementioned 5 from the action also.

But as I indicated earlier County`s cohesion now went AWOL and maybe understandably so as Town went at us looking for more goals.

Scott High embarked on an enterprising run that got him nicely placed deep in blue territory only for him to ruin matters by sending a poor effort straight into Jordan Smith`s waiting arms.

Sorba Thomas, who was the only player on the park that played the full 90 minutes, excelled next cutting inside before unaccountably shooting wide.

Their radar was off and then it wasn`t as ex Solihull striker Kyle Hudlin hit County on the break with a fierce finish with just over 10 minutes left.

Sadly it became something of a procession after that as Town laid into the matter of adding a fifth, but this was easier thought about than acted upon as twice Diarra sent efforts wide when well set- Smith having two goes to keep a shot from High out but he did and it stayed 0-4- Tanto kept out by High and Spencer  as he sought a consolation goal for County.

It never came, the game ending with Huddersfield taking the honours 4-0 and County much credit particularly for the first 70 minutes or so.

On to Friday and Saturday and the 140^th year celebrations- see you there then!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe ( Smith 70) , Knoyle (Wright 62) , Horsfall ( Byrne 62), Touray ( Pye 70), Southam-Hales , ( Evans 62),Rydel ( Partington 70)  Croasdale ( Trialist A 70), Camps ( Mee 70), Sarcevic ( Crankshaw 62), Madden ( Olaofe 62), Powell ( Trialist A 62).

Huddersfield Town line up :-

Nicholls ( Maxwell 62)( Spencer 620 ( Ayina 62), Pearson ( Nakayama 62), Helik , Ruffels; Thomas,  Kasumu ( High 62), Edmonds-Green ( Austerfield 62), Rudoni ( Diarra 62), Headley( Hudlin 62) , Ward ( Harratt 62), Koroma ( Jones 62).

 

Attendance : 2723 ( 941)

hedgegrower

 

some images from Andrew Machin :-