Stockport County 0 Wigan Athletic 0 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 5 October 2024

 

 

 

 

County and a very combative and competitive Wigan Athletic side battled relentlessly throughout a nerve tingling encounter today at a packed Edgeley Park.

It`s yonks since last we played Wigan in a league fixture and the fizz, buzz and general edge experienced both at E P & Springfield Park  in competitive games twixt the two sides , way back when ,was all there with brass plated knobs on again today.

County probably shaded possession and certainly did more attacking than their Lancastrian opponents in  a pulsating second half, but ultimately a share of the points was probably about right.

No goals for either side then, but a few chances came County`s way – denied mostly by a very resilient and distinctly savvy Wigan defence.

Sam Tickle did well for the visitors making a couple of vital saves and Callum Camps claimed M.O.M for County from a game that leaves the blues nicely placed in L1  having lost just one game- quite a start!

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I was slightly late in , but in time to see Wootton chase a long punt , I think from Addai- it was visiting keeper`s ball!

Wigan looked on for a quick reply, but their efforts were undone by a careless foul on Camps and the resultant free kick.

But Wigan were not done ,and there was a slightly unnervingly dangerous look about their play as the ball was slipped into the box for the diminutive wide man Dion Rankine to run onto. They were  quid’s in …we were toast until a glorious saving tackle was expertly executed by Ibby Touray saving County`s bacon.

It went on in the same vein for a while- Horsfall doing well to hook a cross from Luke Chambers clear under pressure for County.

Eventually  County responded – Barry seeing a shot charged down after good work from Mingi in the build up down the other flank.

Then we received a warning, and it came via Dale Taylor who slid smoothly through the blue cover to clock Corey Addai- the only impediment now to him opening the game`s scoring. He hit his shot well ,but Addai was up to the challenge beating the ball away from goal and out of danger with strong hands!

Addai had done well for sure but just one minute later I cringed as he tamely fed an intended clearance to Matt Smith on the edge of the box. Smith knew the script and pinged the ball into the box where Taylor lurked- thankfully the Danny Stand liner was on hand with upraised flag to signal `offside`.

We had escaped again, for the second time in as many minutes, we had to tighten up!

The 20^th minute saw County reply , via an unlikely source as Fraser  Horsfall launched into a fabulous 15/ 20 yards dribble taking him into the box- it was terrific to see and got the home specs roaring- his shot was blocked , but Fraser had hinted at what was required to see us through this latest challenge.

It was 4 minutes before County came back at Wigan again, but when they did it looked a top-notch effort particularly by Wootton who sent Barry scuttling away with a neat pass.

A goal looked on but not after Steven Sessegnon took Barry out. The referee saw the action but declined to give the blues a free kick or punish the defender.

Meanwhile Jay Mingi was impressing at the back with a couple of decent responses to threat, but on the other flank James Carragher bullied the otherwise excellent Ethan Pye out of possession in the box. We again looked toast but not for long as the cross by Carragher was as wild as they come ending any threat to County`s wellbeing.

Lewis Fiorini had been fairly busy earlier, and it was disappointing to see his latest work end with his shot ricocheting into keeper Tickle`s arms.

We went into the last 5 minutes of normal time in the first half with County defending- caught out by Chambers` nippy run down the left. He looked offside but we just had to live with that and hope as the Danny Stand liner was still several yards behind play , thus Chambers was `onside `by default!

“Buggeration” thought I, but altogether kinder thoughts took me over as a superb saving tackle by Mingi saved the day for County.

Mingi was having a decent game but was injured in the process of making that tackle. He eventually returned to the action after treatment , but was not to re-appear for the second half.

Three minutes added time saw Wigan pushing ,on putting County under some pressure- amplified by a foul by Camps and the free kick that followed. Touray made a vital tackle to stop Taylor when the kick pinged over, but this ushered in a corner and a bit of a shock as we looked to be 1 down when Thield Aasgaard  walloped the ball into the  County net!

But the Wigan Fans joy was short lived as  Mr Brooks the Referee had spotted a hand to ball moment in Aasgaard`s execution of the shot!

 

We had escaped again, it was still 0-0 , and happily half time!

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County had made a raft of changes when they returned to the action after the break- Connelly, Powell and Bailey on for Mingi, Fiorini and Diamond.

It was not immediately obvious who was to provide width on our right . It turned out being Odin Bailey but as Lewis Bate won the ball and headed up the park there was no one wide to pass to, and the moment passed tamely and slightly annoyingly.

County looked to be more inclined to attack though – Touray stretching the visitors with a run down the left-Barry getting a shot in, but it stayed 0-0.

But 3 minutes into the half and we looked cooked again as the busy Taylor was played clear by a delightful pass by Matt Smith. We were filleted , and then we weren`t as Ethan Pye produced a wonderful tackle to stop the rot for County!

That was brilliant work by Pye !

County worked their way back on the offensive after that last action but despite good work from both Bailey and Barry ,Tickle`s goal was still intact.

Then Lewis Bate won possession splendidly, picking Nick Powell out with a precision pass. In a flash the ball went from Powell to Barry and Louie`s shot had the Cheadle End cheering until somehow Tickle`s outstretched leg kept the ball out!

That was quite a save really, but a massive disappointment too!

County continued to up the revs- Powell , Wootton and Touray all testing the resolve of the visiting back line- but a corner came and went with  the score still 0-0.

We were beyond the hour now and Wigan had used a fair number of their subs , and I wondered when or if we would see Tanto and Fevrier?

No matter , there was no sign of any movement in that direction from the County bench , but I quickly re-focused on the action as Tickle brought off another fine save, this time to deny Bailey after Powell and Barry had set him up.

Then we had another warning as substitute Michael Olakigse darted clear before cutting inside picking Jonny Smith out with a decent pass. A shot was on, and it duly came but not as Smith wanted – his shot sending the ball flying wide of the far post.

County continued to press with Powell and Bailey in the van of the action, but still Tickle looked relatively untroubled!

Powell was requiring a foul to stop him by this juncture and , under pressure, Will Aimson obliged sending him to the deck. The free kick offered much but Tickle dashed the blues hopes keeping Connelly from the ball after a deft back header by Horsfall.

County kept on the front foot despite the disappointments – Tickle doing extremely well to make the save and push Barry`s shot out of danger – regaining his composure to then hold onto a shot from Powell albeit at the second go.

We went into the last 10 minutes with County still attacking and Mr Brook surprising us with a couple of decisions- Powell being pulled up when clear for a `phantom foul` and Barry flagged `offside `moments later, although that would be down to the Danny Stand , I guess.

With 5 minutes left there was activity on the County bench as Tanto came on for Bate, but still no sign of Fevrier!

County pushed on regardless looking for that elusive goal- Camps doing well to keep our latest attack alive- setting Touray up for a throw that he would hurl impressively into the box where Horsfall and Taylor `came together`-the ref opting for a game saving free kick to Wigan rather than  my preferred option- a County penalty!

A free kick to County only served to up their revs again but when Tanto was played clear he opted to cross rather than shoot and despite all and sundry piling in to make something happen , the visitors goal stayed intact.

Three minutes added time saw County make a good fist of taking the game to Wigan- Aimson trying to locate the Cosy Café on Castle Street with Bailey marking his card .

Touray again hurled the throw into the box where Horsfall `s back header added to Wigan`s late discomfort- which was by no means light , Aimson in position to clear off the line  almost smack on time.

 

As per the response after Shrewsbury, the County faithful stayed on at the end to applaud the team off, and rightly so !

It had been a titanic struggle twixt 2 teams on a par talent-wise in what is a hard league to negotiate , particularly when we have been navigating  away from the darkest of places in recent years.

So, I take this result as a point won , as I am guessing so will Wigan, but we stay well placed to at least stay in contention for promotion- not the play offs please not that hell, but it`s early days, and this division commands respect!

See you back at EP next Saturday for Wycombe Wanderers.

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai, Mingi (Connolly 45'), Horsfall, Pye, Touray, Camps, Bate (Olaofe 85'), Diamond (Powell 45'), Fiorini (Bailey 45'), Barry, Wootton

Subs not used: Hinchliffe, Fevrier, Norwood .

Wigan Athletic line up :-

Tickle, Carragher (Sibbick 78'), Kerr, Aimson, Chambers, Matt Smith, Rankine (Jonny Smith 60'), Weir (Adeeko 68'), Aasgaard (Scott Smith 60'), McManaman (Olakigbe 45'), Taylor

Subs not used:  Watson, Stones

 

Attendance: 9995 (843)

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