Stockport County 3 Lincoln City 2 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 26 April 2025

 

 

 

 

 

County took their supporters on a late season roller coaster ride at Edgeley Park today with an outstanding 3-2 win against Lincoln City.

It really was an outstanding win, and not at all certain for long periods as a dire first half performance saw them in at the break 0-2 down.

The blues usually excellent defence were a pale shadow of themselves, in the first 45 minutes , fortunate not to be more than 2 down , whilst at the other end of the park the County forwards struggled to convert a clutch of half chances that might have made some difference  to what looked a possibly losing position should they not shake themselves out of their malaise.

Thankfully ,DC`s half-time substitutions changed the game completely and County swept City aside in a blizzard of attacking football that offered little in the way of respite for Michael Skubala`s team.

Jayden Fevrier was simply sensational, scoring one and making the other two goals for Will Collar and Tanto Olaofe  , his pace and trickery making him unstoppable and sweeping the Imps aside !

As I write this, Wrexham are 2-0 up and thus likely to take the final automatic place- but today`s performance showed us just what this team can produce when motivated , and …in the second half they had that element for sure , and if they can reproduce that in the challenges ahead- we will have nothing whatsoever to fear!

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Back at 3.01 with another big crowd packing Edgeley Park, County were almost immediately under the cosh- the left side of their back line in difficulties early as Reeko Hackett sneaked in behind them being unable then to get a shot in, County continuing to struggle until Ethan Pye was able to hook the ball clear from a central position.

The first minute had been a bit tasty, and the next 2 hardly improved for the blues- Ben House almost in at the back post only denied by urgent defensive action by Brad Hills.

It went on with Addai making a save to deny James Collins after Norwood had given the ball away just outside the box.

This was nothing like the start that County would have anticipated – Pye in action again to tidy up as Sean Roughan chased a long ball into the box.

And Pye got no rest- called on again a minute later as Ethan Hamilton darted through the heart of the blue back line – a terrific block from County`s returning defender proving his value to the side!

County`s reply , 9 minutes in, started well with Benno Andresson nipping clear, but his shot took a deflection, and the move faded quickly as Wootton could not force the loose ball home.

The pressure continued from County via a free kick and then a corner ,but when Norwood lifted this onto Horsfall`s head he planted his header wide of what looked to be an open goal.

Norwood continued to seek to run the show for the blues, but the chances were seemingly hard to put away- Wootton heading over the bar from a free kick 15 minutes in, doing so again 5 minutes later after Ibby Touray had seen his speculative shot deflected for a corner.

The midway point of the half saw a response by Imps – the left side of the blue back line again struggling to contain the visitors precise passing as Hamilton and Collins combined to discomfort the blues– Addai and Pye combining to deny their opponents  ushering the ball urgently off the line !

County replied going close through Woots whose shot grazed a post, and Andresson who probably should have done better having been gifted the half chance by Darikwa`s wayward clearance.

Then it all went pear shaped for County as Tendayi Darikwa made full amends for his earlier blooper with a superb pass that sent House surging through County`s left side to score with an emphatic finish that gave Addai no chance in goal for County.

The Imps had the lead, County now had to muster a coherent reply!

It was slow in materialising, and when Andresson did fashion a break ,keen defending by Imps forced him to drift wide the chance fading away quickly.

County were certainly creating half chances but so far were making nothing of them – Wootton again in on the end of a Norwood free kick on 33 minutes  but sending his header straight into the keeper`s arms.

Back came Lincoln, and Corey Addai did well to keep House from Hackett`s  free kick, but it then threatened to  go pear shaped again for the blues as Hackett tore into County ,twice showing the ball to Touray…..looking like losing it…then regaining full control- somehow we survived but by good fortune rather than good defending.

Kyle Knoyle was to the fore as County replied seeing his shot saved by George Wickens the Imps keeper  and then earning a corner that saw a Hills header carry the bar.

We were one down , and there were 2 minutes of normal time left , so if we could just hold it together and keep the deficit to 1 ………

Alas …Imps would have none of that….O`Connor`s pass , helped on by House to Erik Ring and he was clear in an instant down our right flank. He was probably a yard or so offside also but with the Danny Stand liner way behind play that reality was academic- Ring taking full advantage, his run taking him inside the box where he beat Addai with another top-quality finish!

County were 0-2 down and that`s how it stayed until half time!

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Still reeling from the first half, it was good to see that DC had opted for positive action bringing Jayden Fevrier, Ryan Rydel and Tanto Olaofe on for Horsfall, Touray and Andresson.

The changes made an immediate impact, and it took just 3 minutes for a goal to follow, and it came following a wave of attacking from County whose initial push seemed to have been resisted successfully….

………….enter Jayden Fevrier who latched onto the loose ball applying his blinding pace and almost invincible trickery to the situation before firing an unstoppable effort beyond anything that Wickens could do in goal for Imps ,into the net- County had pulled a goal back!

County now looked a completely different proposition to how they had presented themselves before the break, and Wootton looked to have scored with a header ,7 minutes into the half, only for the ball to rebound into the keeper`s hands disconcertingly.

Another curious moment occurred just over 10 minutes later involving Tanto and Wickens – the keeper`s response to a fairly routine challenge from Tanto might have given a keener referee than Mr Hallam  grounds for reaching for his cards- he didn`t though , but he had a decent game …mostly….so fair do`s.

County were really motoring now, but a free kick and corner from Norwood failed to penetrate the visitors defence, and worse followed as Tom Bayliss darted clear with a determined run that took him deep into blue territory where only the best of defensive tackles by Ethan Pye would do to stop him- and Ethan had saved County`s blushes again!

The tsunami of attacking from County resumed with Tanto feeding Woots , and Wickens somehow managing to keep his team a goal in front with some excellent work!

Hills and Connolly ( on for Knoyle earlier)both saw headers rattle the woodwork in quick succession – a double whammy made worse by watching O`Connor mauling Tanto in front of goal getting absolutely zero protection from Mr Hallam throughout !

County almost went to sleep at the back next but pulled themselves together in time to begin the game`s finale in style starting , with 12 minutes left as Fevrier entered the fray again taking his marker on and leaving him in his wake before sending a cross of unerring accuracy across the box to where Collar lurked , and it was 2-2 in a heartbeat as he headed the ball home.

A fantastic moment….a fantastic goal and Rows Q..R and  S   went AS around me and there was more to come…….

Within 3 minutes too and again it featured Fevrier …… his pace and slight of foot were key but the delivery this time was subtly different as having spotted Tanto near the back post, Fevs slid  the ball along the ground to County`s number 9 who scored with practised ease!

That was simply awesome, and I feared for my pie ( secreted under my seat) as bodies lurched and leapt about all around me with the strains of `Tanto `s on Fire` adding to the joy of the occasion...  

But County had done the biz in resounding fashion and led 3-2 now with under 10 minutes left plus added time.

County kept working for another goal- Collar heading over from Rydel`s pass on the end of a neat move…. Tanto winning possession from nothing only for Moxon to spray his shot well wide.

But credit where it`s due, so did Imps- Jack Moylan hitting a post with his shot on the break on 89 minutes…….Freddie Draper inches from reaching a searching ball into the box by Sean Rougham smack on 90 Minutes.

Added time saw County trying to consolidate their position whilst Imps got more and more twitchy firing free kicks and lifting throw in`s Addai`s way, but the County keeper produced a neat moment on 92 minutes – his confident claim probably doing nothing for the Imps morale  at a crucial point.

But Imps kept trying- Fevrier earning more applause tracking back and snuffing out a late Imps raid- an even later raid seeing keeper Wickens up with the forwards getting a shot in but sending the ball wide of goal.

Eventually County`s game plan won the day and at the very least they now had a favourable play off spot to look forward to!

Well done all, a fantastic win, not perfect of course but DC will sort that for sure we just need to back him and the team up starting with Wycombe next Saturday.

Hope to see you there!

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai, Knoyle (Connolly67), Touray (Rydel 45), Horsfall (Fevrier,45), Collar, Pye, Wootton, Moxon, Andresson (Olaofe 45), Norwood, Hills. Subs not used: Wogan, Cosgrove, Bailey.

 

Lincoln City line up:-

 Wickens, Darikwa, Jackson, Erhahon, Hackett ( Moylan 74), Hamilton, Ring (Bayliss 62), O’Connor , House ( McCrandles 74), Roughan, Collins( Draper 74).

 Subs not used: Jeacock, Montsma, Gardner.

 

Attendance: 9,717 (1,156)

hedgegrower

 

Crowd shots from @machinsports ....