Stockport County 1 AFC Wimbledon 0 ( Football League 2) Monday 1 April 2024

 

 

County extended their lead at the top of League 2 to 4 points with a hard earned 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon at a packed Edgeley Park today .

The score does not give the full story though as for long periods of the game the  blues were held at bay by a superbly well organised Dons side .

Although Wimbledon sought to use the pace of Neufville and Gordin , they did not threaten overly much, although a real chance did present itself invitingly to the visitors on 33 minutes when Omar Bugiel was tripped in the box by Horsfall and Referee Lewis Smith pointed to the spot.

As I say …a real chance, but it was one spurned outrageously as James Tilley drilled his kick wide- a pivotal moment in today`s match!

For the most part though County struggled to repeat Saturday`s power play constantly unable to penetrate the Dons cover.

But good to great teams find something from somewhere when it really matters , and in the 85 th minute that was just what County did!

The goal was an absolute belter- laid on by M.O.M Ibby Touray and put away with sheer brilliance by substitute Odin Bailey.

County supporters were ecstatic, their team had gone further ahead at the top of a table   that now sees them 6 points clear of the fourth placed team who have played 2 games more than us- a real result if one that had to be worked at today!

………………………..

 

I was confident before the game that County would win this one , but still slipped on my Wilko Johnson tee-shirt within the layers as extra `insurance`today.

And early doors we already knew we had a game on our hands as the visitors headed towards the Cheadle End where Touray( header) and Hinchliffe( catch) sorted a raid by Johnnie Jackson`s team.

County seemed slightly out of sorts and definitely somewhat under pressure which only increased as we conceded a free kick . Tilley took this lifting the ball into the box where it skidded wide off Joe Lewis`s head.

For a time, County redoubled their efforts to regain Saturday`s momentum……Powell`s pass just missing Wootton…….Horsfall having similar fortune with a pass to Touray and a link up twixt Touray and Richards missed out with hopes raised.

But , for the most part the blues were finding progress difficult to achieve ,instead settling down into a familiar pattern of slow build up and sideways passing that did nothing to dislodge an increasingly entrenched visitors team.

Indeed, Horsfall did well to block John-Kymani Gordin`s progress but any smiles from this were changed to frowns as Knoyle then fouled him upping County`s angst via a free kick.  

This was not great, but we escaped   as ex Hatter Joe Lewis clattered Powell as the kick came over earning himself a deserved booking.

The opening 10 minutes had hardly been exciting stuff to watch and the next 10 were no better.

But I was encouraged on 21 minutes to see Knoyle ping a free kick to the back of the box , however when Horsfall headed the ball back to Madden he lifted his effort high over the bar.

An early feature  of the game was the emergence of Kofi Balmer as County`s long throw tormentor – his first effort stretching them to the absolute limit.

They survived however eventually replying through Powell who saw his run across the box halted by a crude foul by someone in Wimbledon white. Touray`s kick headed for Horsfall`s head but was re-directed by ex-Hatter Ryan Johnson who sorted the danger for his team.

Then, 2 minutes later we looked maybe to be shaping up as Touray went close forcing a corner after good work from Evans and Powell. The kick went low to Madden and this time he hit the target only for keeper Alex Bass to get down to make his first save of the game.

Wootton went close not long after but just as we were thinking we might be about to see something special from County , instead we watched as Wimbledon pushed them back eventually forcing a corner.

There was no shortage of bodies in the box as the kick came over but, as Bugiel (and sundry others in white) looked to go for the ball he was  tripped by Horsfall . It was a clear penalty and Mr Smith pointed to the spot without delay.

It was 1-0 to the Dons then wasn`t it?

It probably should have been, but as Hinchliffe went to his right , James Tilley went left but missed the target in doing so!

Game changer? Very probably, we would see later!

County had escaped , but would they profit from it ,learn from any mistakes made?

Well. Hinchliffe did hint at breaking with the monotonous slow build up , sending it long for Evans to chase next. Connor is used to chasing scraps, ill-considered triffles  and making much of many of `em, but this time keeper Bass had his number getting to the ball before the County man.

I mentioned Gordin earlier, and he definitely had pace about him but there was a down side in that he looked to be prone to putting himself about a bit- Pye copping it within a couple of minutes of half time from him.

 The Referee saw the infringement, gave the free kick, but then neglected to go any further than having a word with the Dons number 38.

The half ended with Touray winning a corner that was whipped in nicely to the near post but then promptly ruined by a foul and a lifesaving Dons free kick.

Half time arrived not a moment too soon- we hoped for much better after the break!

 

.…………………..

In Half Time Entertainment some  more Talking Heads  ….

https://youtu.be/bBr0FJsDk1g?si=inhn67cIcKUDjlH_

…….and something on Tina Weymouth ….

https://youtu.be/rY_BfWwbCrw?si=63V8D6df96Lj-QrH

…………………………………………..

Sarcevic was on for Richards when play resumed after the break ,but the initial excitement involved the latest aerial missile from Balmer that put County under considerable pressure with the first strains of “O Tanto Olaofe” ringing out from the back of the Cheadle End.

The pressure on County subsided and I joined those around me on my feet as Sarcevic  was played clear. He was in behind the Dons cover which was excellent , but he had no support which wasn`t, and what looked to possibly be a real game changing moment, suddenly wasn`t either as the visitors back line recovered sufficiently quickly to block Sarvevic` progress.

This was encouraging though, and a link up twixt Powell and Touray increased the endorphin factor nicely as ,even though Joe Lewis cleared the danger for Dons, Powell was then promptly clattered  in the box , but if AFC`s warning beacons were lit by the thought that Mr Smith would award a County penalty they were quickly banished when the man in black( and orange) waved County`s appeals away.

For a time, County tried to push on, but progress was slow to non-existent at times -Wimbledon well able to cover anything that the blues could produce in the way of threat.

But the other side of that coin was that Balmer was still pinging in those aerial exocets- his latest , just before the hour, only kept at bay by the upraised flag of the Pop Side liner who had spotted offside.

That was a relief as County had defended that situation a man short with Powell being temporarily off the field having sustained a knock whilst doing some solid defensive work.

He came back on doing particularly well again with a terrific saving tackle under pressure.

But we needed something to relieve the pressure and put it on our opponents, and County opted to swap Tanto and Bailey for Wootton and Powell, but they came on the field with the blues defending another incoming missile from Balmer. We eased this out for a corner – a foul by a Don`s forward the undoing of their efforts.

And the pressure from Dons went on -Josh Neufville stopped by Knoyle but only by a foul, and the free kick brought with it more angst until Madden got his head to the ball heading the kick clear.

That did not end the angst though as Neufville then launched himself on a long run that took him seemingly effortlessly passed a clutch of blue shirted players- shredding the blue cover but inches away with his shot on the end of it!

That was an escape …a relief for sure and it surprised me to see Neufville and Gordin substituted within a couple of minutes being replaced by Aron Sasu and Josh Kelly.

Was I wrong? With the duo now absent  , was the pressure and some of the angst lifted off County?

Well , Touray gave a hint on this subject surging through down the left before turning inside to lift a peach of a cross for Tanto to finish off in the box. It was a beauty and although Tanto reached it , with the goal gaping , he planted his wayward header over the bar!

Not long after this, County brought Croasdale and Hippolyte on for Camps and Knoyle which saw Touray switch to right wing back.

Within a minute Touray saw a shot blocked.

County were at last putting some worthwhile pressure on the Dons- Bass doing well for Wimbledon to hold onto the ball as it flew at alarming speed off Lewis`s head with the blues attacking.

Gradually , County were looking more convincing – Hippolyte only kept out by Balmer`s foul as he slipped inside off the by-line. Evans` kick was headed out by Lewis, the move ending in disappointment with Croasdale`s shot drifting wide.

There was time for Hinchliffe to improvise and head clear with County`s back line notionally caught out, before the place erupted with relief and excitement as County got their goal.

They were pressing down the right and Touray was in the van picking Bailey out with a neat pass. There was a bit to do ,and Odin did it brilliantly beating Bass with an exquisite finish that gave the keeper zero chance to respond, the ball crashing into the net to tumultuous cheering from all sides of the stadium.

County looked for a second goal in what remained of the game- Tanto stretching the visitors defences……Evans so resilient ,so insistent down the right refusing to give any ball away cheaply.

Six minutes added time we could have done without, but there it was and Balmer rejoined his number 1 task for the day pinging those missiles over at the blues back line, and with 4 minutes added gone  - his latest briefly causing concern but not inducing the required panic or error.

We looked to break from this pressure through Tanto only to see the Danny Stand liner turn truth on its head and penalise him when the defender had clearly impeded his progress with the path to Bass`s goal plain to see had Tanto gone a pace or two further on.

Instead it was Dons free kick – but to no avail , it was cleared ..the referee then blew for time….game over!

County had won arguably their most important win so far, but all of them appear to be so don`t they?

Not pretty at all but achieved with a quality finish!

We head to Sutton for a game I rate as a really tough challenge.

Sutton United are playing well just now and making a big effort to hold onto their L2 status.

It`s always tough there and I expect the same again – a 1-0 win would do for me and would be a good result.

There was some crucial support given to the team by the County following today when it counted in the second half- we will need more of the same in South London on Saturday.

See you there hopefully.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Knoyle ( Hippolyte 75) , Horsfall , Pye , Touray , Camps ( Croasdale 75 ) , Evans , Powell ( Bailey 60 ), Wootton ( Olaofe 60 )Richards ( Sarcevic 46), Madden .

Subs not used : Smith , Byrne.

 

AFC Wimbledon line up :-

Bass , Balmer , Johnson , Lewis , Tilley , Neufville ( Sasu 70) , Ball , Bugiel , O`Toole , Currie ( Davison 86) , Gordin ( Kelly 70 ) .

Subs not used : Tzanev , Biler , Pearce , Ogundere.

 

Attendance : 9550

hedgegrower   

 

Additional Gallary from Andrew Machin.....