Stockport County 2 Preston North End 0 ( Pre- Season Friendly ) Saturday 29 July 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

County saved their best performance of the current pre-season until last coming  away from Edgeley Park today with a handsome and well deserved 2-0 win over Championship side Preston North End .

This was a top grade showing from County who were faced with a Preston side that played to win from the off, but who`s  radar was off -County`s wasn`t, and a resilient exhibition of `in your face football` saw them finish the 112 minutes of the game looking for a third goal with North End clinging on.

Actually, County thought they had got that third goal already but a fantastic finish by Louie Barry was ruled out late on by the officials.

It mattered not in the end; the blues had claimed a good win against strong opposition and in the process returned Will Collar to meaningful match day activity that saw him claim an opportunist goal and introduced us to Louie Barry who looks every bit as good as his advanced publicity.

In short, a cracking win, thoroughly well deserved!

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Much had gone before on a special County day but the 140 years celebrations were put to one side for now as the game kicked off with the red shirted North End putting County to the test straight off but Will Keane shot wide when seemingly on to score.

This resulted in an instant response from the black shirted blues and we thought we had a penalty when Louie Barry went crashing down under pressure in the box- Mr Kirk the referee thought otherwise.

There seemed a real menace about Preston`s attacking play, if they had a striker worth the name we would be shot if their early style of play continued, but for now I was thankful to see Hinchliffe resort to the unorthodox to clear his lines with County`s back line breached.

That was 3 minutes gone, the fourth saw Camps send Rydel clear, but his shot was pushed out for a corner by Woodman the North End keeper and the kick was cleared.

The next 5 or 6 minutes gave both teams the chance to probe for a weakness in the other but without either succeeding- Powell doing well, on 10 minutes, to usher a Preston corner to safety.

That was good, what followed wasn`t as a blooper by Rydel put Hinchliffe in jeopardy but again the County keeper was on the ball tipping Keane`s shot over the bar- catching the incoming corner midst much traffic as an encore!

Then County showed us what was in their locker, and it was worth seeing as young Josh Popoola started Preston`s angst with a neat ball to Barry that was transferred to Collar quickly. I didn`t clock which defender was involved but Collar thudded to earth rising to his feet to see the referee pointing to the spot.

Penalty…..1-0…..except Collar, who took it, saw his kick well saved by Woodman thoroughly delighting , I am sure, the 685 who had made the trip from Lancashire  - we were somewhat less pleased.

 

 

 

 

So was Collar by the look of it as from the resultant corner he was first to the ball slamming it home with relish….it was indeed 1-0 now!

We looked for Preston to hit back, and they did but after a neat 1…2 twixt Woodburn and Browne, on 20 minutes, the former`s shot was flagged offside by the Danny Stand liner- it was still 1-0!

But, Preston still looked decidedly dangerous going forward but, apart from Woodburn`s effort ,they were  sadly lacking in the last third a fact underlined with big brass knobs on when Brad Potts sprayed a lack lustre effort well wide.

Mads Frokjaer was next to try his luck for Ryan Lowe`s side but twice he missed out, Potts joining the gloom with a  glancing header that flew off into the Cheadle End.

Camps interrupted a period of Preston pressure with an optimistic run but that ended as he hit the Preston box and a phalanx of red shirts.

So, it was back to North End attacking was it? No, it was not, and a rather good County move followed as Collar was instrumental in seeing Woodman stranded way out of his goal. Somehow he made it back to his near post where he then made a terrific save to deny Powell whose shot was going in for sure!

Rydel and Richardson did well on separate occasions in what remained of the half to repel North End boarders – the teams going in at the break with County still 1-0 up.

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 Super Stars !

 

 

Couldn`t get a decent image from Row R but the introduction of some terrific County Heroes of bygone years , hosted brilliantly by Steve Bellis hit just the right spot- well done all responsible!

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So to the second half and both teams had made changes, County opting to replace Collar and Popoola with Mee and Trialist A.

It was soon apparent that Preston were smarting badly, and much in need of an equalising goal and how they buzzed in numbers around County`s last third- Hinchliffe still in superb form stopping the visitors gallop with a fine save to push Kian Best`s free kick round the post.

I was perturbed however to see the referee award Preston another free kick almost immediately some 10 yards nearer County`s goal and well in scoring range. I fumed…I needn’t have as this time Best planted his shot high and wide!

Another 5 minutes of Preston pressure followed including a rack of corners – Hinchliffe doing particularly well with his handling of the fourth of these, calming things down with the defence around him struggling to clear their lines- eventually the pressure eased via a free kick for a foul on Touray and it all ultimately ended in maximum frustration for North End.

More personnel changes by the visitors in the minutes that followed probably did not enhance Preston`s cohesion and County in response were positively bullish now with Woodman and Keane in desperate last ditch action keeping the visitors afloat.

Then, 66 minutes in, we thought we had a second goal in prospect as Barry launched into a surging run that took him through the last vestiges of the Preston cover, but the angle for him was not great and he had company so he fired it to the far post where Camps was charging in, but he put his shot wide from almost on the line- a desperately bad miss.

County came under pressure again after this, but they handled it well.

It was with 15 minutes left that the excitement was ratcheted up a notch or two as Preston hit us on the break but not that successfully as the blues in turn responded in kind- Barry on the charge and played into what looked like a scoring position only for Mr Kirk to stop play to award County a free kick- totally absurd from the officials!

 

The kick saw Camps charging across towards goal skirting the edge of the box where he was promptly and not very subtly mugged. The referee gave us the free kick in an instant and it was in a very good position indeed. It was in Rydel territory for sure and thankfully he won the debate with Barry as to who should take it and it was one of his best ever a truly superb strike that beat Woodman at his near post doubling County`s lead.

Cue even more Preston changes as we entered the games final 10 minutes ( or did we?).

Barry was looking excellent now, his runs with the ball a real tonic to see with just about every other footballer about unwilling to trust himself on the ball. He was now operating more centrally and looked mustard doing so.

With 5 minutes left Challinor brought McMahon and Omoruyi on for Powell and Richardson.

Multiple fouls on Omoruyi and Touray followed, the referee eventually awarding a free kick for the worst of these. Barry took it and Touray sought to get on the end of it but being centimetres away from getting a vital touch smack bang in front of goal.

A siege of Preston`s goal was still in progress as 8 minutes added time was announced, but there was no time to doze off as Barry  was away again running onto a through ball beating the keeper with a superb finish-we thought it was 3-0 but it wasn`t- offside the officials would have us believe- I find myself doubting their judgement whilst awaiting the highlights tomorrow before making any further comment.

Almost straight away we had more excitement and it looked like a reprise of last night`s action with young Dallas latching onto the ball heading for goal with a chance of glory, but his execution was miles off again his shot drifting well wide of the goal.

The last meaningful action involved Barry once more and the slickest of balls by Trialist A sent the County new boy darting through the dithering red back line where one of same hauled him down.

The free kick was in an identical position to the one that Rydel and Barry had debated previously before Rydel `s cracker sorted matters. So it was Rydel again surely , but no Barry won the argument then ballooned a lulu of a kick into the Cheadle End.

Ultimately that did not matter a jot today, County had won a fine victory against a very good side , and that last free kick notwithstanding ,Barry can be proud of his performance today as can the other battlers in black!

Well done all- see you Saturday next for more of the same!   

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle, Horsfall , Touray , Richardson ( McManus 84) , Rydel, Camps, Collar ( Trialist A 45), Popoola ( Mee 45) , Powell ( Omoruyi 84), Barry.

Sub not used : Jones.

 

Preston North End line up:-

Woodman , Keane ( Gentile 79) , Browne ( Holmes 45 ), Froklaer ( Mawene 79), Mc Cann ( Ledson 62 ) , Storey , Hughes  ( Cunningham 62), Woodburn ( Stewart 55), Diaby ( Bauer 47)  , Best ( Taylor 79)  , Potts ( Ramsey 62) .  

Sub not used : Cornell.

 

Attendance: 4200 ( 685)

 

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