Wycombe Wanderers 1 Stockport County 3 ( Football League 1) Saturday 3 May 2025

 

 

 

County ended the pre play-off portion of their season on a considerable high with a morale boosting 3-1 win away to Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park today.

It was another game of 2 halves – the first seeing County struggle to put together anything to see off a Wycombe side that looked a pale shadow of the side that seemed to be the best L1 side by a distance when beating us at Edgeley Park earlier this season.

But pale shadow or not ,Mike Dodds side , waited their moment which came 31 minutes in when Garath McCleary took advantage of some poor County defending to give his side the lead.

County continued to struggle into the second half –Corey Addai emerging as   a real hero for the blues- making a terrific save to deny Xavier Simons on 57 minutes before turning the match on its head with another stunning save to keep Luke Leahy`s penalty out on the hour!

It took County 10 minutes to capitalise on that piece of goalkeeping brilliance thanks to Benno Andresson who stunned the home crowd with a powerful finish.

Another 6 minutes and County had the lead as Norwood was tripped in the box- getting up to net from the spot , followed not long after by the goal of the game from Will Collar who leathered a beauty home from the back of the box.

There was still time for Wanderers to come back at County- but despite 10 minutes added at the end there was no way back for the team that would now finish fifth to County`s third position in the final L1 table.

County supporters stayed on to salute their team at the end and the mutual congratulations swapped were very definitely well earned!

…………………………….   

The first half was a massive disappointment particularly after the large County following watching from the WhiffAway Stand, turned the home PA`s rendering of “Hey Jude” into a massive prolonged County anthem before kick off- fantastic stuff!

But it suddenly all went off a tad when the game started and County found making headway against the home defence harder possibly than they had imagined it being.

Wycombe looked nothing like the side that swept us away at Edgeley Park, but somehow County`s best efforts were not buttering any Buckinghamshire parsnips, indeed Ethan Pye did well to usher McCleary out of harm’s way as he threatened briefly on the break.

Wootton with a header, and Collar with some good work wide left offered some response from the blues but neither effort troubled Will Norris the Wanderers keeper.

Then just beyond the quarter hour mark we almost went one down as our left flank  was filleted neatly by McCleary whose well struck cross really should have been better served – but try as he might Dan Udoh could not get a touch on the ball smack in front with the goal gaping!

A good 10 minutes passed before anything of note came to pass  and it was to County`s detriment as they totally failed to respond as the ball was played across the box to Udoh who …..unchallenged ….. teed McCleary up to drill a routine finish home!

Hopefully that would prove to be a wake-up call for County, but there was absolutely no sign that the call had got through- the half ending with County  still making little headway -failing to give the Wanderers keeper any real work to do.

That was disappointing, but maybe another shuffle of the County pack by DC would sort matters- we would see!

…………………………….

 

Kyle Knoyle and Ryan Rydel were on for Callum Connelly and Ibby Touray when the second half started with Fred Onyedinma lifting a shot over the bar in an early Chairboys raid.

Tanto`s flame flickered briefly next being unlucky to settle for a corner when he threatened the heart of the home defence- the moment passed when the corner was cleared.

Udoh was next to show for Wanderers but , like Onyedinma , he failed to test Addai shooting well wide.

We were nearing the hour mark now and it was dismaying to see the midfield bullied off the ball – Simons bursting through to fully test Addai with a neat shot on the end of a tasty run- Addai proved up to the task pulling off a terrific save to deny the Chairboys number seven.

The home specs got a touch overheated next as their team had the ball in the County net, but the liner had raised his flag well before the shot hit the net- the `goal` being ruled out for offside !

Any feeling of relief on County`s part did not last long as following a melee in front of goal the Referee pointed to the spot awarding Wycombe a penalty.

This would decide the game …wouldn`t it ?!

Well maybe McCleary thought it might when he stepped up to plant his kick to Addai`s right- the County keeper`s thoughts are unknown but his actions were clear as day as he dived right and smothered the ball and with it probably the Chairboys spirit!

It was a pivotal moment in the game for sure, but it took the blues 10 minutes to capitalise on it and in the meantime Odin Bailey and Benno Andresson were on for Moxon and Tanto Olaofe.

Andresson came on to huge acclaim from County supporters and well inside 10 minutes he had repaid the compliments several fold  with a gem of a goal  !

It started with a foul on Wootton, and a massive collective effort from the County forwards that saw the ball heading to where Andresson and three or four defenders lurked- the aforesaid 3 or 4 all working hard to impede Benno be it by legal or other means. Benno would brook no argument and bossed the situation brilliantly powering a neat finish into the Wanderers net before turning toward the big County following to take their acclaim!

County were level, and bearing in mind what had gone before, that was no mean feat!

But were they content ? ….ah…not a bit of it , indeed Andresson in the very next attack, a couple of minutes later, turned Declan Skura inside out darting clear before being hacked down by Jack Grimmar.

Slightly wide( ish) but heading for goal, so for me more than a free kick was called for but that`s all we got, and Wanderers were able to defend it well enough and survive!

Another 4 minutes and more Andresson mayhem surfaced in the home back line as he is felled in the box – the Referee choosing to look away and allow play to continue- no penalty apparently!

But it mattered little as matters were redressed to some degree within a couple of minutes with County mounting an urgent attack switching play about intelligently –from Fevrier on the right , whose run won County a corner ,to  Norwood who was at the hub of this and being so was brought down in the box – the Referee pointing to the spot immediately- County had a penalty and the chance to take the lead!

Cue Norwood to the penalty spot where another top-class kick nestled in the net behind Norriss`s brave dive- County had their lead!

County are making something of a habit of coming back from seemingly poor positions- surely, they would now rest on their laurels?!

Well, no…..instead they fashioned another irresistible attack that had Wycombe reeling unable to respond sufficiently to County`s urgent press- the ball eventually reaching Collar at the back of the box where he lashed a veritable rocket home with unerring skill and accuracy- definitely the goal of the game !

Fraser Horsfall came on for Jayden Fevrier with 10 minutes added time announced.

County looked to play the 10 minutes out coolly and calmly , but on the way found the free kick`s racking up…on 92 minutes ( wasted by Wanderers)….95 minutes and again Wanderers did nothing with the opportunity to test Addai.

Not looking for a rest…Andresson almost nicked a late goal – prevented from doing so by diligent play by Sonny Bradley.

There was time for another decent save by Corey Addai to wrap up a highly satisfactory day for him( 99 minutes).

Eventually the game was over , and County supporters could salute their team before departing for home .

The hurly burly of the play offs start now with a game against Leyton Orient next Saturday.

Details will be forthcoming rapidly I would expect and both you and I  will be looking to support the team to the hilt as usual!

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai, Connolly (Knoyle, 46), Hills, Pye, Fevrier (Horsfall 88), Norwood, Moxon (Bailey 62), Touray (Rydel 46), Collar, Wootton , Olaofe (Andrésson 62).

 Subs not used: Wogan, Cosgrove.

 

Wycombe Wanderers line up:-

Norris , Grimmar ( Back 83) , Simons , Leahy( Vokes 83) , Udoh , McCleary ( Westergaard 65) , Bradley , Taylor , Reach , Onyodinma ( Bakinson 83), Lowry ( Sadlier 65).

Subs not used: Ravizzoli , Low .

Attendance: 7561 ( 1588)

hedgegrower

 

hedgegrower`s additional gallery:-