Stockport County 0 Wycombe Wanderers 5 ( Football League 1) Tuesday 5 November 2024

 

 

County met their toughest challenge of the season and were just blown away in a blizzard of high-octane football as in form Wycombe Wanderers stormed to the top of League 1 with a 5-0 win  at Edgeley Park last night.

This was a football lesson in every sense of the words as County struggled to put any coherent moves together against a Chairboys side that simply oozed confidence throughout a match that saw County fans streaming towards the exits some 20 minutes before the end.

Despite County playing extremely poorly  to see so many leave so early  was    disappointing - we were never going to walk this league – most certainly though- if we were wise ,we would have anticipated some bad nights `at the office` and this was one of them – made so ,as much, I would claim, by Wycombe`s control and mastery of just what needed to be done, as from County`s inadequacies- although they had a few on view last night!

Slack play and really poor defending laid an early foundation for County`s undoing, capitalised on ruthlessly by the visitors who ,with quality finishing to add to their obviously superior game plan and application , never gave County a moments respite for 90 odd minutes. Matt Broomfield`s side tormented the blues and their supporters to distraction long before a substantial number of them had left !

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Back at 7.45 the first communal groan went up competing with the sound of fireworks , as County were made to attack the Cheadle End first-an initial boost to Wanderers morale – but would it count in reality?

Well, it began to seem so and early as County were on the back foot defending a raft of free kicks in the first 8 or 9 minutes.

Diamond had tried to make some impact for the blues down the right but Wanderers irritating `stickability` and awkwardness kept him out.

Then the very next raid by the visitors hit paydirt as  Horsfall upended Dan Udoh   as he darted into the box.

Mr Corlett quickly pointed to the spot teeing Richard Kone up to give Wanderers the lead with a well taken penalty!

Then in no more than a minute we imploded again as Fiorini sold Touray massively short with his pass, and Wycombe were away- Fred Onyedinma running clear largely unchallenged to make it 2-0 to the Adams Park outfit.

County were up against it big time- we survived more pressure and a menacing Chairboys corner, but it was not pretty.

They were still reeling , 18 minutes in, when Wycombe struck again in devastating fashion as the right side of County`s back line melted away with Cameron Humphrey`s tearing into them- Diamond tracked back and tried , but Humph was having none of it- shrugging Jack`s efforts off ending the run with a firm drive that Addal saved but could only parry to the predatory Kone, and it was 3-0 as he fired the loose ball home!

We could have done without the dark arts bits that followed from Harvie and  Taylor – all of which the Referee bought 100% , booking Diamond in the process- but my sudden recovery when County won a corner -promptly evaporated when they wasted it , and a series of others that followed in a 5 minute period when it was possible to think that the blues had a real chance of at least nicking a goal.

And Louie Barry  did make it to the by-line a couple of minutes later -in concert with Collar, but again a corner seemed the apex of our ambitions and once more it was wasted being sent out of play depressingly!

This prompted a response from Wanderers, and they passed us dizzy from their box to ours where County were fortunate that Connolly was able to usher a goal bound shot out off the line to keep County`s deficit at 3.

Wycombe were in their element- Onyedinma particularly so – Addai doing well to deal with his shot with half time approaching.

County did try- Diamond breaking at speed but crowded out by 3 defenders .

Then ironic cheers interrupted the sound of exploding fireworks as Wootton won a free kick from Mr Corlett- it was a rare amusing moment in an oasis of sadness but when Bate lifted the kick into the box and Horsfall headed it down & across  , Wycombe were able to clear their lines  leaving the score 0-3 in their favour as the teams went in at the break.

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County had Southam- Hales, Rydel and Tanto on for Fiorini, Connolly and Diamond when play resumed after half time….` Cue Epic Revival` I scribbled optimistically in my notes, but we would see……

County were pushed back from the off- Rydel looking like he had never been away in the process, and he needed to be ,he and Southam -Hales both in at the sharp end straight away and both showing signs of old form- Rydel heading a Udoh effort to safety 7 minutes into the half.

County were still looking to work something at the other end, but Tanto was not looked on kindly by the Referee in a moment of excitement deep in Wycombe`s territory.

For a time then , County showed willing but Wycombe by way of contrast seemed able to turn the gas up a notch or two at will- Kone demonstrating this convincingly slipping his marker to get behind the blue back line- his pass saw Morley shoot wide- but we had been warned!

The hour mark was now long gone but there was no let up as far as pressure from Wycombe was concerned – Humphreys blocked on a run through the middle by Bate  at one point…..Addai pulling off a good save to deny Kone after he had linked up with Onyedinma in a move of considerable quality.

County were under the cosh ; pressure was building again but County took Touray off for Bailey which I found baffling!

There was now much space in which Wycombe could operate down our right side and Udoh and Harvie looked to exploit this – Addai forced to make another decent save midst a wave of visitors` attacks – Southam- Hales and Rydel getting good blocks in, but the press from our opponents was not diminishing.

Then, with 20 minutes left the pressure told as Kone`s run took advantage of County`s inability to make a tackle that counted ,and it was no great surprise when the ball was lifted into the box ( by Harvie I think) where Onyedinma headed home in splendid isolation near the back post.

It was 4-0 and in no time there was a rush for the exits by many County fans- when perhaps the team needed some support.

The majority stayed to do just that ,but it was a thankless task – Addai  making a very good save to deny Kone after Wycombe had driven the proverbial coach and horses through our right-hand side on the overlap.

Another goal for Wycombe was inevitable and not long in coming as again they hit us down our right where Morley made it 5-0 to Wycombe from the edge of the box when the cross eventually came over.

There was still time for Addai to make another save to keep a shot by Lubala out after County had been pierced by a brilliant pass from someone in green and white ( apologies did not see who).

Time also for loud booing as 5 minutes added time were announced by Kenny.

It did not matter- County had lost – Wycombe were worthy winners, and it seems table toppers too.

For County, we have Bolton at EP on Saturday, and much to do to avoid a recurrence of last night.

You’ll be there though , and so will I hopefully!

 

Stockport County line up :-

Addai, Connolly ( Southam- Hales 46), Horsfall, Pye , Touray ( Bailey 66) , Bate , Fiorini ( Tanto 46), Collar, Diamond ( Rydel 46 ), Wootton, Barry ( Norwood 77).

Subs not used: Hinchliffe , Fevrier .

 

Wycombe Wanderers line up :-

Ravizzoli , Harvie , Scowel ( Butcher 85) Udoh( Leahy 79),  Low , Humphreys ( Bakinson 79), Kone ( Lubala 80) , Morley , Pattenden , Taylor , Onyedinma( Wheeler 80).

Subs not  used: George , Skura.

Attendance 8305( 271)

hedgegrower 

 

Additional Gallery from @machinsports