Stockport County 5 Wrexham 0 ( Football League 2) Saturday 23 September 2023

 

 

County delighted another large home crowd with a resounding win against in form visitors Wrexham today at Edgeley Park.

It was a bravura performance by Dave Challinor`s men who brought their very best game to the party disposing of the Welsh team`s challenge with a flurry of superbly executed goals in a thoroughly well deserved 5-0 victory that takes them up to 8^th position.

“ Who were the match winners then ?” I hear you ask and first off I point to Tanto Olaofe who gave a superb performance claiming a fine hattrick with 3 brilliantly secured and executed goals . Louie Barry played another blinder nicking his `sixth in six` whilst joining Tanto in constantly mesmerising the visitor`s back line. Madden scored the fifth having replaced Tanto late on.

It was all knitted together nicely in midfield by Antoni Sarcevic and Will Collar, with the likes of Croasdale and Pye making sure the back gate was locked ( in Pye`s case it was no surprise to see Mullin substituted just after the hour mark- he hadn`t had a sniff all afternoon -Ethan had seen to that!)

Those were the top performers for me, but no one fouled the nest at all indeed I also liked young Odin Bailey who again gave a very mature and interesting contribution never wasting a ball!

All good stuff!

Yes, at 3-0 up after the break the conventional wisdom told us to expect the mother of all comebacks from the Welsh team in the second half . For sure I thought we needed to look to our discipline and seek to do the basics well whilst avoiding being drawn into a `foul fest` but none of that came about at all- Wrexham attacked a fair bit and definitely wanted something out of the game, but County doggedly refused to oblige them instead nicking 2 more goals themselves to secure a rather special win.

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One footballing shibboleth is `face Wrexham, prepare to defend an inordinate number of long throws hurled at you by Ben Tozer`.

It took Wrexham just a minute to prove the truth of that one as Tozer`s first offering came at County out of the far yonder. So far so good for the visitors but upon reaching Elliott Lee he sent the ball heading for Row R to howls of laughter from most of the 9000+ crowd.

A foul on Tanto changed the game`s focus and sent Wrexham scurrying back to where they should have been, but Tanto was in that space now and in keeper Mark Howard`s face big time. They were out wide, and Howard was pretty much stranded and then he wasn`t as he flattened Tanto. That was a clear foul every day of every week, but Referee Carl Brook thought otherwise. Wrexham survived the hairiest of hairy moments having not conceded an early goal and that was down to Mr B.

Perhaps the ref would even out the poor decisions over the game, we would see, meanwhile Tozer was still hurling those airborne missiles our way at the other end and County were defending them reasonably well.

We had reached the fifth minute when the games next chance came and went. It fell to Lee who engineered a decent shooting position deep in County`s territory only to again disappoint the large away following by shooting straight at Hinchliffe.

The third Tozer throw fizzed its way into the box next where Sam Daldy`s ardour was quickly dampened by a firm intervention by Ethan Pye.

Play drifted from one end to the other- it was pretty even, but a certain imprecision in County`s passing at this point was not serving them well and Wrexham were looking lively as a result.

That said the 15^th minute saw Sarcevic send Barry clear – he could not apply the required finish but the ease with which the pair made headway midst the Welsh defenders augured well for what might be to follow.

And follow it certainly did!

I was just mentally bemoaning our habit of playing the ball around ever so slowly at the back, when it reached Hinchliffe who promptly set the game alight with a superbly struck long ball that Collar controlled in an instant. Off he went cutting inside before sending a beautifully weighted cross that hugged the grass tantalisingly before arriving with Tanto who made no mistake from close in!

It was 1-0 to County and the EP faithful let the world know it, but no sooner had they stopped singing Tanto`s praises than he was in Mr Brook`s book – very harshly in my opinion especially in view of many of his later decisions!

No matter, it was what it was and ……bugger here comes another Exocet from Tozer, this time Aaron Hayden won the aerial battle but then headed over the top much to Row R`s merriment!

County wasted no time at all in replying to that action and they should have been 2-0 up – Tanto heading a sitter wide from Barry`s near perfect cross- and the follow up effort was cleared off the line to add to the blue`s disappointment and keep it at 1-0.

But County were gradually getting on top, and it took them just a few minutes longer to get the second goal they craved, and the match needed, and it again fell to Tanto who snatched something out of nothing with some top-grade play. County were attacking for sure but there seemed to be no great threat to Wrexham`s wellbeing with Howard and the annoying Tozer about to deal with an incoming ball.

But they didn`t…deal I mean….but Tanto did, thoroughly bamboozling the dozing Tozer before stealing possession  giving the keeper no chance with a terrific finish!

It was 2-0, but before this could be announced to the world by Kenny it was 3-0 and it was another superb strike this time by Barry- his sixth goal in six consecutive games!

Tanto`s praises were still being sung when the ball reached Barry who promptly set off on a devastating run that took him passed a small army of white and off green shirts deep into Wrexham`s last third where  again Howard was cruelly exposed- Barry made no mistake, it was 3-0!

Five or six minutes of concerted pressure on Wrexham from County followed with Tanto denied by Howard, and a Bailey/ Barry cooperation failed to test the keeper with just over 5 minutes to half time.

It was in the ensuing period before the break when Wrexham`s negativity came annoyingly to the fore- McClean taking Southam -Hales out crudely to no redress from Mr Brook other than a free kick- Mullin choosing this time to begin his quest for free kicks and more- adopting a corpse like appearance on the deck – but Mr B was not buying it , was this not to be his day?

We would see in the second half but for now County held a handsome 3-0 lead and their supporters loved the thought.

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Some half time entertainment- a nice contrast I think ….

Amy Winehouse

https://youtu.be/GuanbnnzXQ4?si=WlaBcGx8UM8pgQCI

 

 

Graham Parker

https://youtu.be/0wHCrpOqesE?si=UwDr-9Zj922zUCdf

https://youtu.be/v9xGnzY0td0?si=f-6bCBDc0G6PTYB4

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With many expecting the seemingly inevitable Wrexham fight back ,it was good to see County attacking when the second half opened – the best of it coming via Barry, Bailey and Sarcevic whose delightful football deserved better.

But, it was just 5 minutes in when County added a fourth goal and it was another belter set up first by a neat one/ two involving Bailey and  Barry  who could be seen scurrying busily to the by-line where he lifted the ball towards the back of the box. Again it was a nicely weighted cross and it hung in the air , low down, just long enough for Tanto to launch himself forward to head the ball brilliantly home!

It was 4-0 and Tanto had a fantastic hattrick!

We were on long throw 7 within 3 minutes of that last brilliant goal and it was one of Tozer`s better one`s forcing Hinchliffe to concede a corner which Boyle did his utmost to capitalise on – foiled by excellent defensive work by Sarcevic.

Whilst Barry felt badly served by the Referee when his shot appeared possibly to have struck Hayden`s hand to no redress, much of the bulk of the attacking as play neared the hour mark, was being done by Wrexham. With Pye and company keeping things ship shape however it stayed 4-0, as a Wrexham corner, won by the largely ineffective Mullin , came and went with Hinchliffe untroubled.

Ben had more to do next though and he did it well beating a shot from McClean behind for a corner, which brought even more disappointment for Wrexham with a shot from this being headed off the line by Southam- Hales who was again shaping up well in his new defensive role.

For a short time, Wrexham may have fancied that their luck was about to turn- but despite a rare blooper from Croasdale they could not make anything of it. They looked likely to make more of the next action however as Mr Brooks fashioned them a scoreable free kick on the edge of the box and handily central. Surely this was their moment…..but no it was a chimera …..another disappointment as the kick hit the wall and Southam- Hales cleared the follow up to make it worse.

Cue the eighth long throw and a neat clearance by Horsfall to see it off!

With Wright on for Bailey County soaked up quite a bit of pressure in the ensuing minutes, pressure which saw Pye off injured and County defending a corner with 10 men. They did the job well and it was still 4-0 when Tanto was replaced by Madden and  Pond came on for the injured Pye.

Madden was quickly to the fore sending Barry clear with a neat pass to relieve the pressure at last.

But Wrexham still fancied getting something from the game….via one of their trade mark late /late bursts of Hollywood glitter- but with 4 minutes left they were again thwarted by Hinchliffe who pulled off a top save to deny the visitors who were queueing for a shot at goal.

Wrexham were attacking 2 minutes later when Madden burst clear with only Howard to beat. It looked a good chance until the Danny Stand liner, who had slumbered 10 yards or so behind play, suddenly caught up immediately raising his flag – we must assume `offside` but the chance was gone so that`s all that really mattered!

I was still muttering into my beard when, with 90 minutes up, Madden ended the day`s action with a typical poacher`s goal. Barry started it with a run down the right and cross that dipped nicely towards Madden as he lurked with Howard and one other defender in front of goal. It was arguably defenders` ball but Madden brooked no argument rifling the ball home in majestic fashion.

Six minutes added time came and went without so much as a sniff of the much-vaunted Wrexham late /late show.

In the end they had been well beaten by the better side.

 It was County`s day and no mistake and good to see the team and supporters enjoy the moment before all departed the scene after the game.

Here`s to more of the same next Saturday at Accrington, but before that there`s an important game on Tuesday night at Edgeley Park when County return to Cheshire Senior Cup action against Tranmere Rovers.

We now have an opportunity to build some bridges in this fine old competition , it would be good to see a decent crowd in to cheer them on.

See you Tuesday!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Southam- Hales , Horsfall , Pye ( Pond 79 ) , Touray , Croasdale , Collar , Sarcevic ( Richardson 94) , Bailey ( Wright 70 ) , Olaofe ( Madden 79) , Barry ( Cotterill 94) .

Subs not used : Smith , C Johnson.

 

Wrexham line up :-

Howard , Tozer , Hayden , Young , Mullin( Palmer 64) , Dalby ( Fletcher 64 ), O`Connor , Mc Clean , Boyle  ( Evans 64 ), Barnett ( Forde 88), Lee ( Davies 88).

Subs not used: Okonkwo , Mendy.

Attendance : 9548

hedgegrower

Some photos from Andrew Machin :-