Stockport County 2 Crawley Town 0 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 25 January 2025

 

 

 

 

County consolidated their position in fifth place in League 1 with a comfortable win over the perennially obdurate Crawley Town side at Edgeley Park today-two first half goals, one each for Will Collar and Macauley Southam-Hales doing the trick for County.

Crawley had more of the game in the second half  but without ever troubling Ben Hinchliffe who claimed another clean sheet  twixt the sticks for the blues, as County`s defence , magnificently marshalled by Callum Connolly ,  Ethan Pye & the excellent Kyle Knoyle centrally and Ibby Touray and the lively Macauley Southam -Hales in the wide positions, engineered the well merited `shut out`.

The result meant that County made ground on all the teams above them in the table, none of whom managed a win today- a fine result against a team that normally makes us struggle a touch!

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There was an early disappointment for County`s following in another large EP crowd, as Town made the blues attack the Cheadle End first.

We would see later just how well this doubtful strategy played out !

County were first to push on through Tanto, who sent Camps into the box with a neat pass. Camps had company, close enough to make the referee think a bit, but creditably perhaps , despite the aforesaid  close attentions, Camps stayed on his feet, the ball going out of play.

We then saw an early example of just how excellent Callum Connolly is just now at the heart of our back line- as he cut Bradley Ibrahim`s break off with the minimum of fuss.

More good defending came from County within a minute, and via Tanto Olaofe, who confirmed his massive potential by then darting up the park for the return pass . It came but had a touch too much oomph about it allowing Town keeper Jojo Wollacott to narrowly beat County`s number nine to the ball!

Three minutes gone- the game`s a lively affair!

County kept attacking – both Tanto and Touray testing the visitors defensive metal, Radcliffe doing a job for his side midst the attacking by heading clear.

It went on in the same vein- County foot down attacking, but Wootton unable to apply a finish in front of goal to Collar`s pass.

That was 5 minutes of lively football sorted, another 2 and County had defending to do as Tola Showuhmi bullied possession off Pye- County`s bacon saved by the first of many valuable interventions from the admirable Kyle Knoyle.

That was a bit of a warning perhaps, but County weren`t hanging around pondering life`s harsh realities- instead Touray and Tanto  engaged themselves productively winning a corner. This forced Ade Adeyemo to concede a second – County almost getting the opening goal when Wollacott fumbled Pye`s effort – sadly recovering just in time to keep it at 0-0!

County now had the whiff of success in their nostrils , but again Radcliffe did his side a massive lift by preventing Wootton from reaching Southam -Hales` cross 12 minutes in.

The attacks continued from the blues, but Wootton was again inches from adding a finish to Norwood`s corner just beyond the quarter hour mark.

Norwood continued with a free kick next- Tanto unlucky to be beaten to the ball by the Town keeper.

The pressure continued from County- Southam – Hales   nicking a corner – the move ending badly for the blues when Camps was penalised for a foul after Showunmi had headed clear in extremis.

It was at this point that Kyle Knoyle took a hand , the next 2 or 3 minutes seeing him running at Town down our right with a purpose, linking neatly with Southam- Hales and others , keeping the forward momentum going with his command of events around him.

It was inevitable therefore that County would look to give him the ball and they did …again, and the result was massively pleasing as Knoyle delivered a brilliant ball to the back post where Collar lurked. He had company so there was still work to do , but he did it well finding the net with his header from close in!

 County had the lead that they sought, could they now build on that?

They had some defending to do first off though, and Connolly did it well blocking Showunmi as he bore down on goal following good work by Will Swan.

County set about responding to that action, through Camps and his energy put great pressure on the visitors- keeper Wollacott having another iffy moment that saw him only just push Camps` shot around a post.

Crawley replied through Charlie Barker who got forward to good effect only to be thwarted by more Connolly excellence!

We needed a second goal for sure, and with 10 minutes to half time, it duly came- started by a virtuoso example of hold up play from Wootton that he topped magnificently by then picking the predatory Southam- Hales out with pin point precision, and it was 2-0 in a heartbeat as the Welsh Genius found the net with some assurance!

That was superb work, but the blues piled forward looking to add a third almost immediately – Southam Hales in with a definite chance again but accompanied by Rushian Hepburn- Murphy who was struggling and appeared to have had a hand to ball moment as a result. The referee may not have seen it, but the liner absolutely should have, but County did not get a penalty.

The pressure continued on Crawley via a free kick for a foul on Knoyle as he threatened down the right- the liner`s flag spoiled the moment however ( offside)and any chance was gone.

County were well on top for the remainder of the half- Collar a whisker away from turning a cross from Tanto into a goal late on!

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The second half opened with Knoyle and Southam- Hales thoroughly filleting the left side of the Town defence- Tanto just unable to convert the final ball into a third goal.

That was close , but County went closer and soon, as from a corner won by Tanto , Collar saw his header cannon into the bar and head off into the sparcely populated Railway End.

I was looking for a reply by Town, and one came via Hepburn- Murphy who looked to be the visitors main chance of flourishing- but not just yet as his run was cut short by another top-quality tackle by Connolly!

County were still looking in control but not looking that likely now to increase their lead, which was a dangerous situation against a side like Crawley – but the blues kept winning free kicks…corners and more or less wasting them, and with Crawley hardly motoring, play became distinctly scrappy for 10 minutes or so- the next excitement coming with 20 minutes left when Wootton almost profited from another of Wollacott`s `moments`.

Crawley by this time were beginning to flex their muscles- especially Hepburn- Murphy but his luck remained out ,as his latest break was ruthlessly dealt with by Ethan Pye.

DC rang the changes at this point swapping Hamilton , Diamond and Bate for Collar, Tanto and Camps.

I was unsure how wise these changes were – they certainly did for any cohesion we might have had going forward, whilst Town looked to be encouraged- Connolly and Pye both having to pull off decisive blocks as the pressure from County`s opponents increased.

Suddenly I was thinking “ could Crawley now nick one?”

But Connolly hinted at an answer to that with a brilliant tackle on Hepburn-Murphy to stop his break.

That said…Bates was looking to get into the game, linking with Norwood, and both sought to bring Diamond into play, but nothing materialised to worry Wollacott at all.

Micah Hamilton was on the park of course and he showed the odd touch or two – being not that far away from making something from a Wootton pass at one point, but it is early days, and no one was looking for definitive proof of excellence from a 20-minute initial run out!

For sure as the game neared its conclusion so Crawley increased the amount of time they spent in possession- in previous season`s they might have dished County in similar situations but not today- County`s back line was sufficiently in charge to lessen any angst that the almost 9000 specs present might feel.

Ryan Rydel came on for Kyle Knoyle , who left the field to a resounding ovation, late on , as Crawley kept plugging away looking for something from the game.

In response Connolly showed what an asset he is for us , still getting the impressive blocking tackles in deep in added time.

Eventually Mr Bourne, the Referee, blew for time and County`s win was confirmed- a decent win that  keeps them in fifth place – job done…..well done County!

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe , Southam- Hales , Knoyle ( Rydel 85), Connolly , Pye , Touray , Camps ( Bate 71) , Norwood , Collar ( Hamilton 71) , Wootton , Olaofe ( Diamond 71).

Subs not used: Addai , Anderssen , Bailey .

 

Crawley Town line up:-

Wollacott , Hepburn- Murphy , Barker , Conroy , Radcliffe , Adeyemo ( John-Jules 80) , Kelly ( Anderson 65) , Ibrahim ( Darcy 62) , Camara ( Roles 80) , Swan ( Forster 45) , Showunmi.

Subs not used :Sheik , Tanimui.

Attendance : 8960

hedgegrower 

 

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