Stockport County 0 Tranmere Rovers 2 ( EFL Trophy Final Group Stage Match) Tuesday 9 November 2024

 

 

 

 

County slumped to a rare EFL Trophy defeat at the hands of a determined and resilient Tranmere Rovers side that deservedly took the honours , winning 2-0 on a cool Edgeley Park evening last night via 2 first half goals from Kristian Dennis ( who else) and Josh Hawkes.

For all intents and purposes, the game was over at half time- County attacking play did improve in the second half and Rovers keeper did have to make 2 totally belting saves to keep the scoreline as it finished, but really Rovers played it cool after the break- attacked when they could looking altogether more dangerous doing so  than any of the home specs in the 1200 + Tuesday evening crowd perhaps would have expected .

No matter , Tranmere held out relatively comfortably , and in the end  the 92 Rovers fans who made the trip to cheer them on and  shiver bravely on the Pop Side , will have thought their journey to be well worth doing.

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I was late in due to the Club/ Supporters Cooperative meeting earlier and this report has been delayed going out for the same reason.

 

County fielded a reasonably strong side backed by a very impressive bench, but the early minutes saw Rovers making a good fist of taking the game to their Cheshire opponents- ex Hatter Connor Jennings stinging Corey Addai`s hands early on.

Almost inevitably another ex-Hatter Kristian Dennis also featured heavily in the early action, for the visitors, along with Josh Hawkes .

County held out well enough but had to defend well to keep it at 0-0 14 minutes in, when a Rovers free kick found the head of Tom Davies on the edge of the box. A firm header followed but County`s back line, marshalled by Sam Hughes and Ethan Pye defended the moment well and cleared their lines.

Back came Rovers with Dennis well to the fore ,but he fouled Hughes, and the visitors forward push was thwarted!

County did reply though, winning a couple of free kicks themselves, but they gained no advantage from either.

You would be hard pressed to point out which of the 2 teams was in the higher division ,at this point,  and Rovers confused the situation further by nicking a goal midway through the first half.

It came from a lofted ball into the box that Dennis found just too tempting to resist as it bounced invitingly at his side, so he didn`t beating Addai with the sort of finish he has produced regularly over the years- many times against us!

Tranmere had the lead, could County respond?

Not immediately, as County`s opponents seemed galvanised by Dennis`s opener , looking to attack, and they proved alert at the back too, doing well to cut Diamond off as he sought to hit them on the break down the left.

Sam Taylor meanwhile did a good job of ruffling County`s feathers down the right, being joined by Dennis who saw his latest effort blocked by one of a line of blue shirted defenders.

A period of introspection followed for Rovers as County started to inch their way up the park, but when a decent run by Tayo Adamarola  saw a cross ping over, an air kick from Lewis Fiorini negated the move.

It was nip and tuck for a while before Rovers advanced on Addai`s goal again – Jay Mingi getting a vital touch in to thwart a wave of white shirted attackers heading Corey`s way.

But Rovers would not go away and Addai was in action again a minute later punching clear under pressure.

Meanwhile County struggled to make a coherent response- Diamond closest to doing so, but his effort, with 10 minutes left of the half, went a yard over the bar into a Cheadle End bereft of all bar a few stewards.

The near side liner was about to incur my ire  ,but he came to County`s aid next waving his flag diligently to confirm offside, thwarting Rovers.

But Tranmere were again back gnawing at the blues defences -Taylor finding Hawkes with the neatest of passes , except Hawkes was a yard or more offside, but I swear I could hear the zzz`s emanating from the liner  as his flag never stirred and neither did he, until the action was beyond him and away.

That was annoying, but I thought the moment had passed because County managed to clear their lines thanks to a save by Addai…..but I was wrong as Rovers determination again held sway as they came back at the blues again with a will – Connor Jennings in behind the blue back line with startling ease before slipping the perfect ball across goal to where Josh Hawkes lurked , and he did the biz slotting the ball passed Addai into the net to double Rovers lead to 2-0.

That was a blow- a decent finish and assist , but had the liner done his job and flagged the offside seconds earlier County very likely would not have conceded.

No matter , County needed to make it to half time without conceding again, and with 2 minutes left  they looked like they just might as Dennis was clear and on his own with Addai seemingly toast!

But , when Dennis sought to execute a delicate chip over Addai`s head he botched it – Addai had the ball ,enabling County to go in at the break still 2-0 down with over 1000 County supporters hoping for better from the blues in the second half.

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Jennings was amongst 3 Rovers substitutions ( County kept the same 11 game long !) when the game resumed after the break.

County looked more inclined to contest matters getting on the front foot straight away, putting Rovers under pressure that resulted in a clear lapse in discipline by County`s opponents , marked initially by Bradshaw`s early booking for a crude foul.

Bailey came to the fore but having eyed a shot…opted not to ,faced with the massed ranks of white shirts twixt him and goal. Fevrier meanwhile had no such inhibitions but , sadly, no more success either, seeing his header drift wide.

County were getting closer though, so who knows?!

It went on with Bailey having a shot charged down- Diamond similarly treated by as parsimonious a defensive unit as I`ve seen for yonks!

Then, with County increasing the pressure- a chance and it fell to Tanto who burst through the middle on 55 minutes tearing the white shirted defensive plans asunder in his wake.

A shot of some power and lethal accuracy followed, and it was going in until Joe Murphy the veteran Rovers keeper, made his first exceptional save of the evening- diving to tip Tanto`s shot over the bar at the last gasp!

The corner was cleared, and from it ,County were threatened with a third goal as Josh Hawkes sent Kristian Dennis  clear with a beautifully fashioned through ball. It looked odds on a 3^rd Rovers goal as Dennis surged into the box, but Sam Hughes stepped up nicely for County seeing the danger off with skill and calm.

Meanwhile, that Rovers discipline issue was not going away and County were racking up numerous free kicks as a result , but we were making nothing of them- Fiorini`s latest hooked clear without Murphy being remotely troubled.

A goal would have been nice, but there was no guarantee that would not come at the `wrong` end which would close the game off in Rovers favour for sure, and Mingi did well to keep County afloat as Bradshaw and Hawkes broke clear in menacing tandem with 25 minutes left.

County kept plugging away- Fevrier twice disappointed in the Rovers last third- Tanto kept from a Diamond tempter by Bradshaw 4 or 5 minutes later.

It went on….Tanto unlucky chasing Fevrier`s through ball for County, but Rovers were by no means set on sitting on a 2-0 lead- pushing County back twice in a 5 minute period next, Solomon to the fore both times sending first Dennis then Bradshaw surging clear- overeagerness and Ethan Pye did for these worthy exploits as we entered the last 15 minutes of the game.

I have not used the term `nip and tuck` yet so I will ,as the next actions were- firstly County who watched as Diamond missed the target with an effort by a fare bit, and Rovers responding via a lethal looking attack that was not greatly helped by a failed scissors kick by Davison.

And so it went on…..Mingi close for County his shot saved by Murphy ….Norris disappointing Rovers with his effort after a tasty break by Davison had set him up.

County kept trying, but there was no denying Rovers claim to the evenings bragging rights and all the available points- Murphy crowning what was an excellent night for the Rovers keeper, late on ,with another terrific save to keep a shot by Bailey out!

 

Disappointing ? Yes , but a disappointment tempered by the knowledge that County ( and Rovers) go through and if I am not mistaken can claim a home tie in the next EFL Trophy Round- so get realistic…relax and get ready to welcome Wrexham on Saturday.

Stockport County line up:-

Addai, Mingi,  Hughes, Pye, Adamarola , Gardner ,Diamond, Fiorini ,  Olaofe, Fevrier, Bailey,.

 

Subs not used:  Hinchcliffe,  Bate,  Horsfall, Connolly, Wootton, Barry,  Norwood.

 

Tranmere Rovers line up:-

 Murphy, O`Connor, Davies , Drysdale (Turnbull, 46), Bradshaw,  Taylor ( Saunders, 69), Finley ( Norman, 46),  Merrie, Hawkes ( Davison, 69),  Jennings ( Solomon, 46), Kristian Dennis.

Subs not used:  McGee,  Wood.

Attendance : 1236 ( 92)

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