Stockport County 2 Blackpool 1 ( Football League 1) Saturday 1 March 2025

County did the double over Steve Bruce`s Blackpool side today ,with a highly satisfying and well-constructed 2-1 win at Edgeley Park.

`Game of 2 Halves` did I hear you say, and indeed it was- County looking unable to cope with the Seasiders energy and invention for long periods before the break, and fortunate to not be 2-0 down instead of 1-0.

I wondered what the 2^nd half would bring us, and did not have to wait long as Dave Challinor`s inspirational substitutions turned the match decisively in County`s favour- Moxon , Camps and Andresson all giving DC the kind of selectorial headache he relishes for Tuesday night`s game.

Benoni Andresson`s 2 goals won the blues the match and him the M.O.M award but for me Tanto should have won that -his non-stop energy making him a constant threat, even in the first half when County were producing precious little at the sharp end.

Callum Camps was terrific too -Lewis Bate ,Brad Hills not far behind with Owen Moxon who will be good for us if we can hold onto him!

So, a very satisfying win, which keeps us in 4^th spot within 2 points of Wrexham – a triumph for the Manager and the team!

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Back at 3 o’clock all the above was to come ,the Edgeley Park air tinged with perhaps a small dash of apprehension following County`s poor showing last time out.

Indeed, the first minute or so saw Pool camped in the County half of the field where Morgan , Fletcher and Ennis were looking livelier than was good for County`s health, but the blues were quick to respond and it looked good as Bate latched onto a loose ball delivering it into the visitors half for Tanto to chase.

He did…..but lost out to Harry Tyler the Seasiders` keeper.

I was encouraged by that action, less so a few minutes later as an air-kick by the returning Jayden Fevrier ended an otherwise promising, Norwood induced, County raid.

I was still feeling positive a minute later when Will Collar scooted clear- the moment ruined by the upraised liner`s flag !

But calamity then beckoned for County as , straight from the free kick, the left side of the blue back line was carved open via a superb ball from Albie Morgan that sent Ash Fletcher clear. He had company, and Addai was twixt him and goal, but he made light of both elements lobbing the County keeper with a deliciously weighted finish.

We were 1 down and now looking at an uphill struggle for upwards of another 83 minutes!

Blackpool , meanwhile looked intent on further ruining County`s day , and Bruce seemed to have got them playing well- or at least well enough to disrupt the blue`s game plan- Brad Hills confirming my good impression of him with a fine piece of work in cutting out a terrific ball fired across for Ennis to work on by Morgan smack in front of goal following a break by the visitors!

CJ Hamilton was next to show for Blackpool- easily bamboozling Touray but then seeing his ball into the box cleared by one of a clutch of blue shirted defenders.

This went on much in the same vein- Blackpool on the ball attacking…..County trying to cope but not always managing it- the 15^th minute demonstrating this to the full as a foul by Knoyle on Jim Husband put us under pressure from the free kick .

The pressure increased when the ball reached Fletcher following the kick and it looked to all the world like 2-0 to Pool as the deftest of flicks by the combative forward beat Addai thudding into the far post before rebounding into the County keeper`s grateful hands!

County appeared stung by that escape and Pool perhaps were stunned as they were soon at sixes and sevens with the blues on their case, and our press was excellent as a Norwood free kick morphed into a corner as the visitors sought respite.

This looked a vain search for Pool especially when Bate siezed possession and then fired in a superb shot that headed towards the top corner until Tyrer flung himself upwards and back to somehow tip the ball over the bar !

That was a fantastic save and ,perhaps inevitably, the corner came to nought !

It went end to end for a while next- County`s back line just able to keep Niall Ennis`s ball from Albie Morgan on 20 minutes- Jayden Fevrier sadly flagged offside on the end of a decent move by the blues that momentarily offered a way through Pool`s dogged defence.

On it went- Morgan seeing a shot blocked for Pool- Tanto unlucky with a shot on the turn that was blocked by one of a clutch of orange shirted defenders, the raid ruined, and Blackpool`s burden lifted by a free kick.

So far, I had been impressed by Pool`s Albie Morgan, but he blotted his copybook 31 minutes in fluffing a decent chance sending the ball straight into Addai`s arms with County fearing the worst!

Pool were definitely unsettling County, who were conceding more free kicks than was good for them, increasing any pressure the Seasiders were putting on and I had a bit of a giggle – County fortunate ,with less than 10 minutes of the half left, to see the officials totally miss a poor foul by Pye on Morgan who would otherwise have been clear.

Morgan was bereft….disconsolate -Mr Martin and his myopic liner unconcerned – County perhaps relieved as it was a definite escape!

And Blackpool thought their day had been sorely blighted again just a minute later as Ennis went down in the box, but I saw no foul , and the referee did not give a penalty , so that was that!

We were nearing half time now , and the blues were still 1 down with their opponents looking quite likely to nick another , but we then saw County offer a glimpse of what might be via Tanto who latched onto a loose ball before looking up and pinging a fine effort goalward from way out that fizzed and then dipped its way just under the bar where Tyrer managed to push the ball over the bar at the last gasp- a terrific save, and to annoy us more the keeper claimed the incoming corner- danger averted for Pool!

The half ended with both teams having a go……Sonny Carey and Ash Fletcher going close for Pool but unable to convert a chance with the blues defences stretched on 42 minutes…….a minute later Wootton saw his shot on the turn saved on the line by the Blackpool keeper……and I think that Tanto may still be waiting for the return pass from Touray with that same keeper under pressure almost smack on 45 minutes.

Added time saw Hills in good nick for County, twice disrupting late surges by the visitors- the teams going in at the break with Pool still 1-0 in the lead!

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With County having struggled to contain Blackpool in the first half, I wondered what was ahead for us in the second, and I did not have to wait long for an answer as Moxon, Camps and Andresson came on for Norwood, Fevrier & Wootton as the game re-started.

But it was immediately disconcerting to see Morgan skin the left side of the County defence ,making it to the by-line where his progress was halted by Addai and co.

That was alarming but matters quickly improved as County responded via Tanto who took charge of a loose ball on the break before slipping it sideways, upon reaching the box, to Benony Andresson , and it was 1-1 as the young Icelander drilled the ball home with unerring accuracy!

That was excellent work, and County worked hard thereafter to add to their lead without success- the closest to a goal came at the other end 3 minutes later as a terrific ball by Hayden Coulson teed Hamilton up with a nailed down chance close in- he met the cross perfectly – the ball heading in until Addai closed the door on Pool with an amazing save!

Back came the blues- Andresson denied by an alert save from Tyrer, then fouled a minute later as he went to meet a pass by Bate , but Pool survived as Bate`s free kick was headed wide by Moxon.

The pressure on Blackpool from County was mounting by the minute now- corners and free kicks upping that pressure but not changing the scoreline- Hills doing excellent work to keep the County forward momentum going – Tanto unlucky not to add a second almost on the hour.

On it went- a ball to the back post by Knoyle seeing Collar go down under pressure from Lee Evans- of course I would have pointed to the spot but have to admit that Collar goes down rather easily…well….but easily …. and this was not greatly convincing- there was no penalty and that looked to be correct.

County continued attacking with Tanto in the van of the action -playing provider again for Andresson who was once more denied by Tyrer.

It went end to end for a while next , both teams having ambitions , and Camps was impressing for County – his zest and skills a real asset to the blues and an obvious pain for Pool.

Five minutes of concerted pressure from Blackpool followed without the scoreline changing- County eventually replying via Tanto only for a break by him to wither and die due to lack of support.

We were almost 10 minutes from the end of normal time now , and Micah Hamilton was on for Will Collar- Hamilton immediately in the mix but lifting his shot into the Cheadle End from a Bate pass.

Then, with County pressing, a long ball by Pool out of defence threatened to tip the game`s balance again as Ennis surged in on goal his goal bound effort kept out by a fine save by Addai who pushed the ball over the bar brilliantly.

It was perhaps getting worrying again , but then County provided the perfect antidote to the anxiety with some glorious football as Camps and Bate tore into the visitors defences- Camps demanding and then running onto Bate`s return ball before releasing the neatest of balls into the box to Andresson who headed home with stunning precision!

We had our lead but with Tanto off now and replaced by Cosgrove, and Blackpool pumping balls into the box with increasing urgency the game was by no means over!

That said it might have been had Micah Hamilton not been needlessly impeded by Cosgrove as he was about to shoot on goal with a minute of normal time left to play.

Moxon saw his cross cleared as 4 minutes added time was announced, and Blackpool tried again to tip the games balance- pinging a free kick and then a cross into the box but without troubling Addai and his defenders.

County dug deep though and took the ball up the park- Bate finding Cosgrove, and I was still mumbling unhappily about him when he won a free kick as he headed for the traditional corner flag ending scenario.

Sadly, we made a bit of a wakes of the free kick allowing Pool to break clear, but any worry was stopped in its tracks as Bate tracked back to stop the break and win possession sufficiently long enough for us to see the game out and claim a very worthwhile win.

That was pretty good and especially good to see our newfound ability to kill games off- and not give away hard won leads!

Tuesday brings on another test at Northampton- I hope to see many of you there- County will need us!

Stockport County line up :-

Addai; Knoyle, Hills, Pye, Touray , Fevrier (Camps, 46), Collar ( Hamilton 77), Norwood (Moxon 46), Bate, Wootton (Andrésson46), Olaofe (Cosgrove 84).

Subs not used: Metcalfe, Rydel.

Blackpool line up:-

Tyrer, Offiah, Casey, Husband, Coulson (Gabriel 88') Evans (Beesley 88'), Morgan, CJ Hamilton (Silvera 71), Carey, Ennis, Fletcher (Apter 71)

Subs: O'Donnell, Baggott, Onomah .

Attendance: 10554 ( 1119)

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