Shrewsbury Town 0 Stockport County 2 ( Football League 1 ) Tuesday 1 October 2024

County came away from a bruising encounter against Shrewsbury Town at Croud Meadow last night with all the available points following a well-deserved 2-0 win.

A goal late in the first half from Ethan Pye and a second with 4 second half minutes left by Kyle Wootton did the trick for the blues, but it was no classic in fact at times the game left much to be desired!

The first half particularly was dire- County continually allowing their opponents possession they had not earned.

Paul Hurst`s side looked ordinary at best at this stage but by half time despite this I made them the better side – the County goal against the run of play!

The second half was no better than the first, a situation amplified by the worst refereeing display I have seen at any time from any official. Mr Middleton`s reffing was well below required standards- in the event County did magnificently well to pull themselves together and finish the game by extracting more than a small measure of karma from their evening`s work with Woots` goal!

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County camped in the opposition half for the first 5 minutes, but without giving Toby Savin in the Shrews` goal anything to do, which was disappointing ,but not as much as seeing County dawdle, passing the ball about at the back, allowing Shrewsbury to snaffle possession in the process. The right side of our back line was bullied off the ball , a situation which ended better than it might have done for County as Bloxham had to settle for a corner. Rossiter was in an excellent position for Town from the kick and might have scored had not Tanto done just enough to ensure the shot went over the bar!

Then eleven minutes in we had our first example of Mr Middleton`s `selective myopia` as Fiorini found Diamond with a pearl of a pass in the box whereupon he was upended with some force by a home defender. No argument surely- it was a penalty ,but the Referee thought otherwise -we were thwarted for the first time in the match!

But County would settle down and shut their opponents out wouldn`t they !?

Well, maybe but within 10 minutes Town might have nicked a goal again Bloxham setting Lloyd up with a smart cross only to see his dive send the ball flying wide.

It went on with County under pressure- Connolly doing well to keep Lloyd from another Bloxham ball in the box . A corner followed and Josh Feeney headed this wide with County supporters getting restless behind Addai`s goal.

We needed County to sharpen up but instead the `passing the ball about at the back bit` almost saw us pay a price as possession was surrendered putting us under severe pressure, Bloxham somehow wheedling his way to the by line with the left side of the blue back line thoroughly filleted. His cross was good – amazing in the circumstances and it reached Castledine stationed smack in front of goal.

A goal looked a certainty but Castledine`s shot was deflected over the bar- an escape for sure , and Addai added salt to the Shrewsbury wound with a confident catch as the corner came over.

This was not good at all, and there was no immediate sign of any improvement as County continued to squander possession – Connolly doing well to save the situation with a fine saving tackle on Lloyd as he broke clear.

And it went on…..Town gifted possession routinely by County teeing Hoole up for a run that saw him pick out Gilliead in the box with a neat pass. This was a real chance….another for Town but the recipient planted a poor header wide.

With half time approaching fast, Gilliead did his best to make amends for the home side surging dangerously into the box , stopped only by excellent work by Horsfall to keep the score at 0-0.

Then, to the sound of ironic cheering piercing the cool Salopian evening air, County won a free kick.

There was just 1 minute of normal time left as Fiorini stepped up to lift his kick into the crowded box.

A mighty fracas followed, much of it was unseeable from the away end but we know that Horsfall and Connolly were seeking to add a finishing touch to the kick- the ball finishing with Ethan Pye who did the biz in emphatic style striking the ball home from the edge of the box, giving County an improbable but very welcome 1-0 lead almost on half time

Town went close in added time- Tanto doing well to block a goal bound header and preserve the County lead.

That was one of the worst half`s of football I could remember for some time, the hope was for considerably better in the second half!

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Apart from a terrific run along the left touchline by Fevrier- the first 5 minutes of the second half were every bit as dire as the first half had been, and the 5 minutes that followed on from that buttered no parsnips either.

Then we got a hint of something better from County as Fiorini fed Diamond with a neat pass- a goal looked very much on as Diamond threatened the home goal , but instead of celebrating we were cursing our luck as Savin made an improbable save to keep the first shot out and one almost as good to deny Diamond`s second attempt as the ball ran clear to him.

That was close, really close, but Diamond redoubled his efforts sending a fierce drive heading for the top corner of the net where Savin`s dive saw him tip the ball over the angle of bar and post at the last gasp- a terrific save!

Diamond was the pick of the blue forwards at this point- winning a corner 5 minutes later – the ball staying out of the home goal despite all the blues attempts to change that dynamic.

County had come under much pressure around this period the home impetus helped no end by a bewildering run of totally inexplicable decisions ( entirely in Town`s favour) by Mr Middleton.

County meanwhile had rung the changes- Barry, Wootton, Touray and Norwood on in place of Fiorini , Adamorola, Fevrier and Tanto.

Wootton was quick to please, dazzling in fact beating 1…2…3 defenders on a glorious run , through the middle,that ended in disappointment with keeper Savin making another fine save to deny Woots final effort!

It was almost unbelievable- in a match containing so much poor play we were now seeing such quality!

Then a depressing raft of ludicrously one-sided reffing decisions skewed my view of proceedings, as County continued to seek a second goal that would make it all soon to be forgotten memories.

County players had to ensure at the same time they stood off their opponents to avoid joining the list of County bookings – a list entirely disproportionate to the reality of the game I was attempting to watch!

But County persevered – Barry pinging a cross over that Gilliead cleared after the County man had cut in along the by-line to almost sneak that second!

I have largely not listed the many individual reffing absurdities, but the next one irked a lot as Rossiter executed an elaborate dive to get Norwood booked .

Somehow we reached the last 5 minutes with 11 County players still on the park, and Wootton and Barry were on fire, the former`s brilliant pass sending Barry into the box having skinned 2 or 3 defenders on the way- his shot was deflected for a corner and there was a queue of pinkish white shirts wanting to put this away- Horsfall first to the fore his effort blocked in the crowded box, the ball running to Wootton who made no mistake in leathering County`s second and ultimate match decider home.

We were 2-0 up and despite our earlier inadequacies I saw no one around me on the North Stand who thought they deserved any less.

And it wasn`t finished, Barry wasn`t done, and Savin produced possibly his best save of the night to tip a searing shot from the County number 20 over the bar at the last gasp!

Four minutes added time were minutes for the blues to avoid Mr M`s wrath and keep everyone on the park and the lead intact and all those requirements were fully met by the County team who left to a prolonged ovation from a splendid Tuesday night turn out of well over 1000 !

I winced when starting to write this report- I have form on refs, so chances are that you would not believe it I thought ,thus much of Mr M `s worst excesses I have deliberately not listed- the negativity of my offerings would have ruined a report that I hope you have read and enjoyed.

The result was excellent if against a team who had previously struggled in the league, the manner of our victory a glorious curate’s egg of a performance.

Lots for DC to think about for Wigan on Saturday- the County supporters need to turn out in numbers and give them the support that they need – see you at EP at 3 on Saturday then !

Shrewsbury Town line up:-

Savin, Hoole (Marquis 83), Benning, Rossiter (Perry 83), M.Feeney, J.Feeney, Lloyd, Ojo, Gilliead, Bloxham (Sagoe Jr 72), Castledine (O'Reilly 72).

Subs not used: Pierre, Nurse, Shipley

Stockport County line up:-

Addai, Connolly ,Horsfall, Pye, Adaramola (Touray 64),

Camps, Diamond (Mingi 79), Olaofe (Wootton 64), Fevrier (Barry 64), Fiorini (Norwood 64), Adaramola (Touray 64)

Subs not used: Hinchliffe, Mellon.

Attendance: 5600 ( 1104)

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