Stockport County 8 Sutton United 0 ( Football League 2( Saturday 16 December 2023

County came back from Wednesday`s forgettable TV trauma in the most emphatic style today thoroughly trouncing the division`s basement side Sutton United 8-0 at Edgeley Park.

When a Manager gives his team a firm word or two after a debacle such as Wednesday`s was, and looks for a response, surely he would not be expecting one quite so spectacular as this one was?

Even bearing in mind the opposition ( and when doing so please acknowledge they were unbeaten in 5 before this game)this was an extraordinary performance by County , and a complete vindication of their manager Dave Challinor!

The good stuff from County was evenly spread about across the 90 odd minutes and their forward impetus was not even marginally affected by a late rash of personnel changes by DC-4 goals in each half giving ample acknowledgement of the blues superiority – enough to satiate even the team`s strongest critics.

I was delighted to see that 2 of the first 3 goals came from Ryan Croasdale who was transformed into an attacking dynamo simply oozing menace throughout. Paddy Madden played really well too and nicked himself a hat-trick and the M.O.M award but Croasdale must have run him very close indeed.

What matters though is the response – and it was spot on from the team! It needed to be, as no one around us at the top lost so we stay 6 points clear!

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I arrived late to find the old place oozing atmosphere – County already attacking in numbers as I took my seat- Wootton missing out narrowly with the game 2 minutes old.

DC had made a few changes – County switching to a back 3 ( back 5 when needed) and I was pleased to see we had 3 centre backs at the heart of the backline namely the returning Byrne, Horsfall and Pye, with Knoyle and Touray offering width in the absence of the injured Southam-Hales.

County just looked relaxed -showing no apparent sign of pressure, indeed Croasdale looked even livelier than normal launching swift runs up the left flank- one such 6 minutes in seeing him win a free kick as he was fouled on the edge of the box. The free kick offered a chance but no certainty of good fortune, but this element was provided in quantity by the irrepressible Croasdale who met Bailey`s incoming free kick to make it 1-0.

Sutton replied eventually but Josh Coley sent his free kick down Hinchliffe`s throat tamely.

From Sutton`s point of view they needed that kick to have counted, as within a minute County had punished them again!

It started with Madden whose neat pass sent Knoyle surging clear down the right- ending with Wootton sliding in with a near replica of his goal at Morecambe, applying the quality finish that Knoyle`s cross deserved- 2-0!

A bit of a lull followed, well the goals stopped coming, for 5 or 6 minutes anyway when up popped Croasdale again and he was mightily unlucky to be beaten to a through ball by keeper Dean Bouzanis on 19 minutes.

County kept the pressure on following the corner that followed, and they were rewarded with another goal as a run by Camps saw him pull the ball back from the by-line to Croasdale who made no mistake making it 3-0 with a well struck drive from the edge of the box.

The best Sutton could muster in the way of a response came from N`Guessan but under pressure from Harry Beautyman Hinchliffe made short work of getting to N`Guessan`s lofted cross and holding onto it.

Ben had still not had a shot to stop!

This was hardly a surprise as the play was largely taking place at the other end of the park where, by way of stark contrast, Bouzanis was probably at his wits end!

And so it was 4 minutes later as another County raid ended with Bailey`s pull back swiftly driven home by Madden.

This was one way traffic of course but so good after Wednesday- there was so much happiness about Row R that there was nobbut the merest murmur when Wootton`s pass to Madden, on 31 minutes, saw him flagged offside.

A minute on from this and the Sutton cadaver twitched as Sam Hart darted clear down the left. It might have been an iffy moment for the blues but Bailey had Hart`s number, tracked his run then won a goal kick at the last gasp near the by-line- excellent play and well deserving of the applause it drew from what was a decently large County crowd.

On it went with Bouzanis keeping a Madden strike out and Bailey not far away from glory with a shot from distance after receiving from Knoyle.

Meanwhile Croasdale was still poaching scraps…chasing this…challenging that…mostly down the left flank and always to good effect , and the 44th minute saw a particularly precocious bit of Croasdalery almost set a fifth goal up as he tracked back to win the ball from nothing , following that brilliance with more as a superb pass looked to have teed Wootton up nicely!

Sadly, it was not to be as Kyle lifted his shot over the bar to keep it at 4-0 at half time.

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For Half Time Entertainment this time a little Samantha Fish…..

https://youtu.be/YJrPnIa9Jtc?si=Oo6H54ZbkkzIYmhp

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Back to the second half and the first 5 minutes or so of this were spent in County`s half but with very little in the way of penetration in evidence from the visitors. They made it to the 51^st minute with the score still at 4-0 but this would not be for long as County looked hungry for that fifth goal- even Hinchliffe was involved sending the ball long to Wootton after the latest Sutton manoeuvre came to nought.

The visitors were caught on the hop and Bouzanis did well to push Bailey`s shot for a corner.

On Wednesday we had seen corners scorned aplenty by the blues, but this was another day…another team? The upshot was that Touray`s delivery was precise and Madden`s finish appropriately lethal -his downward header giving the keeper no chance whatsoever- 5-0!

The 56^th minute saw the tribute to Lisa Braithwaite in the form of a minute’s applause nicely observed!

Then it was time for DC to ring the changes and there were 4 of them- Cotterill for Bailey, CJ for Camps, Wright for Croasdale and Tanto for Wootton ,and for us to wonder if maybe the wheels would now come off?

Well, doubters of that persuasion might have been stirred a few minutes later to see Aiden O`Brien force his way to the by-line before teeing the arriving Josh Coley up with what looked to be a gilt-edged chance. But Coley fluffed it, and let the moment slip carelessly away as he screwed his effort wide with Hinchliffe exposed.

Then any doubt was removed entirely with just over 20 minutes left courtesy of an untimely aberration on the part of United keeper Dean Bouzanis.

Bouzanis, having rushed from his goal and stranded himself somewhere twixt his area and Redfearn`s on Castle Street, allowed substitute Joel Cotterill possession of the ball . Joel made commendably short work of executing his part in the drama- slotting the ball home with some style for the blues sixth goal.

Wow, just when will this happiness stop?

Answer- not yet, but for now we had the odd disappointment to deal with as when CJ sent Cotterill clear and he crossed to Tanto, the ex-United player`s first time effort smacked into the bar and stayed out.

It has to be said that Sutton did make a real effort after that let off, but they still could not seriously test Hinchliffe who kept Ryan Jackson`s shot out with some ease with 15 minutes left to play.

O`Brien did give Ben a tad more to do 2 minutes later but the County keeper made the save without undue stress.

It remained 6-0 until late on when with Richardson on for Byrne County set about adding to their tally, and Tanto did the biz coolly taking his time to stroke the ball home to increase the blues lead to 7 from Touray`s neat pass.

The game hit 90 minutes with Hinchliffe in action for County punching clear as a late Sutton free kick teased us with the thought that they might do for Ben`s latest clean sheet!

Well, they didn`t, indeed County added another goal deep in added time.

Tanto started it by sending Richardson clear with a splendid pass- Richardson must have been mortified to then see his shot rattle into the bar and fly away from goal. County weren`t done, they continued to press , none more so than Touray but as he made to pick out Tanto again the ball hit Ryan Jackson`s outstretched hand and County had a penalty !

Up stepped Paddy Madden to crash the ball home as straight as a dye as Bouzanis went right!

It was not long before Mr Herczeg blew to end the game and County supporters could salute what had been an excellent performance by their team.

Both manager and players deserve full credit for what was a fine win – one that does our goal difference no end of good!

We go again at home next Friday against Notts County- another performance of similar quality would be good.

Meanwhile I will just keep mulling over the copious details of possibly the best day I have experienced in rumpty tumpt years following County!

Here`s to more of the same!

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Knoyle , Byrne ( Richardson 84) , Horsfall , Pye , Touray , Camps ( C Johnson 63 ) , Croasdale (Wright 63) , Bailey ( Cotterill 63) , Wootton ( Olaofe 63) , Madden .

Subs not used : Smith , Powell.

Sutton United line up:-

Bouzanis , Sowunmi , Coley ( Patrick 78) , N`Guessan , Smith 9 Angol 78), Beautyman , Pereira , Kizzi , Jackson , O`Brien ( Milsom 46), Hart .

Subs not used ; Arnold , John , Clay , Fadahunsi.

Attendance : 8703 ( 94)

hedgegrower

this from hedgegrower , probably more appropriately offered on a Friday...