Stockport County 1 Reading FC 1 ( Football League 1) Saturday 27 September 2025

 

 

 

Used to seeing their team establish a lead and then end up struggling to survive in games that should have been won, County supporters were again forced to endure the torment of a promising first half being followed by a largely anonymous second 45 minutes.

This time it was Reading FC  who provided the opposition , and at the end of the game I could not say that they did not deserve the result that they got, but whilst a competent outfit, they looked to be nothing special – just competent, until the `oomph factor` disappeared from the blues play and the midfield became overwhelmed - the Royals getting ever  closer, as the game progressed,  to embarrassing County.

Norwood is a fine player but does need some help in that central role- a fit Camps would be a start or an inspired acquisition during January !

It was a great pity as County had played some very good football in the first half- taking the lead through an archetypal Kyle Wootton goal midway through the half then failing to add to that frustratingly thereafter, allowing Noel Hunt`s team to flourish when they should have been hanging on!

That was unquestionably 2 points lost !

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The early play offered County supporters much to enthuse about as County got the ball down and played it about nicely- Bailey adding something extra to the mix with a lively break down the left from deep.

The pass on saw Diamond looking for an opening in the box but having to settle for a corner as Finley Burns blocked his shot.

Norwood`s kick was met decisively by the advancing Ethan Pye, but his header twanged the bar much to the disappointment of most of another large Edgeley Park crowd!

If Reading looked a tad pedestrian in comparison to some of the blues work, they were sticking to the basics which they seemed to master quickly , an ability that was to serve them well later in the game.

This time the break by Kyerewaa only served to annoy as he was way offside when played clear- he was blocked well enough ,but no thanks to the slumbering Danny Stand liner who was way behind the action!

No matter, I took heart as Bailey shaped to add a finish to another neat County move , but his shot went wide !

Meanwhile, Reading were still keeping it simple, and making their passes count-Doyle making headway down the right looking to pick Kyerewaa out as he made ground through the middle . Doyle`s execution was excellent…..Kyerewaa`s less so, his control letting him down allowing Hinchliffe time to make the save for County.

For all County`s superior quality of play, it was disquieting to note how comfortable the Royals looked when on the attack and how precise their passing was, and it was a good thing for the blues that Hinchliffe was awake and, on his toes, able to prevent the free scoring Jack Marrriott from getting to  a searching ball into the box from Savage.

It was an interesting game thus far, we just needed County to score, and midway through the half that`s what they did……

It was all set up by a neat move and a decent finish from Andresson , but that was brilliantly kept out by the diving Castro Perreira the Reading keeper- with the ball in play County worked at keeping Reading under the cosh- Osborn  lifting it back inside to where Onyango lurked just inside the box- his header finding Wootton in the thick of it smack in front of goal- his unerring finish beating Perreira and a clutch of …err….brown shirts ? ….giving County the lead they craved.

Wootton was on fire and , but for excellent work by Perreira shortly after might have doubled his and his team`s goal tally!

On it went….County attacking and looking to build on what they had got, and I thought we very probably would do just that next, as Norwood sent a lovely ball into Diamond`s path- he was clear and clearly on to score until a late flag  wrecked his and County`s party- offside!

County kept attacking- Wootton winning possession…Bailey unable to get a shot in just after the half hour mark…….Wootton in the thick again his flick on teeing Diamond up with another notional chance that ended disappointingly with a corner which County made nothing of.

With half time approaching and County still probing for an opening- more frustration surfaced as having been set up nicely by Andresson`s neat lay off, Diamond saw his shot saved by the keeper.

There was time left for Hinchliffe to confirm he was still on his toes with a watchful catch as Savage pinged one in at him from distance, and for County to reply- Hills heading over from a Norwood free kick.

1-0       at half time should be the basis for County to build on what they have, but would they ?

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Any disquiet I might have felt started to get a touch more worrying as the second half opened with Reading very much on the front foot.

County were fortunate that Matty Jacob`s talents probably lie in defensive work as, played clear  5 minutes into the half, he sliced his hurried effort wide ruining a period of sustained pressure by the visitors.

This continued for close to 15 minutes – County saved by a certain imprecision in the Royals finishing.

Then, when matters looked at their darkest ……with one bound we might have been free…..but we weren`t as having been beautifully set up by Bailey, Diamond …in on goal…only the keeper to beat… over finessed his finish, missing the target by not much !

That lit something of a spark in County, but it still stayed 1-0  as Wootton got his head to Osborn`s ball into the box seeing his header fly over the bar from close in.

On it went…..County looking to get that second goal but unable to find the necessary finish- Reading`s captain Lewis Wing doing well to block Diamond at the far post when something looked on for the blues.

The pressure from County continued and a second goal did not look all that unlikely- Diamond for sure could use a bit of luck but had to watch as his shot ricocheted out off a defender on 64 minutes.

A corner followed and almost that second goal as Andresson sent a drive of coruscating power goal ward…..it had `goal` written all over it but nobody told Perreira who pulled off a terrific save to deny the unlucky Icelandic forward!

I am not sure just what affect the last misfortunes had had on the blues but , for sure, it did nothing for their speed of reaction as they were bullied off the ball just inside the Reading half.

In  no time Matt Ritchie had it wide right for Reading, and then he hadn`t as he had picked out Jack Marriott with a pass of scrupulous accuracy – Hinchliffe had no chance and Reading supporters on the Railway End were celebrating their team`s equalising goal.

Credit to County, they tried to hit back quickly through Diamond and Wootton but the latter`s shot was beaten out bravely and effectively by Perreira the visiting keeper.

Shortly after DC rang the personnel changes, bringing Fevrier and Lowe on for Bailey and Andresson.

County struggled for a while next- Hinchliffe doing well to beat Ehibhationmhian to the ball under the bar and doing so again shortly after keeping a tasty ball by Wing from Marriott in the box.

We went into the last 7 or 8 minutes with Fevrier finding his feet wide right- his brilliant run turning Jacob and Lane inside out on the edge of the box. The Cheadle End were on their feet and roaring but Jayden`s shot fizzed across goal and out just beyond the angle of bar and post.

That probably upset Perreira`s equilibrium as he then fed Lowe a lovely pass…….a gift………… but he hesitated and passed to Fevs who again watched as his shot missed out narrowly.

A dubious late free kick deep in blue territory offered Reading some late comfort and a sniff of goal, but Hinchliffe dealt with the fiercely struck kick to keep it at 1-1- Lowe being blocked on the break.

With the minutes slipping away and the final whistle nearing -County kept Perreira busy- Wootton straining to get to another ball from Fevrier at the back post but denied by Perreiras excellence!

I was surprised to see Joseph Olowu replaced by Moxon into added time. I again thought Olowu was excellent and my M.O.M .

The substitution had no ill effect however…..some bad reffing might have late on  as a blatant foul on Wootton deep in Reading territory was waved away by Referee Oliver Mackey, but we defended the Reading break that resulted well.

Fevrier was still giving it 100% right to the last second, that was good what was annoying was , with the game obviously in its final seconds and the ref waiting for the opportunity to blow for time- we then won a throw in and instead of hurling it forward into the Reading box which would probably have obliged the official to not blow…we threw it back towards our half whereupon Mr Mackey ended proceedings!

I had said earlier how well Reading tended to the basics….we need to perhaps give them more attention if we are going to prosper this season!

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Hinchliffe, Olowu (Moxon 90), Hills, Pye, Onyango, Bailey (Fevrier 77), Norwood , Osborn, Andrésson (Lowe 77), Wootton, Diamond.

Unused Subs: Addai, O’Keeffe, Connolly, Fiorini.

 

Reading FC line up:-

 Pereira, Dorsett, Jacob, Burns, Ahmed (Abrefa 70), Wing, Savage, Doyle (Ritchie 70), Lane (O’Mahony 85), Kyerewaa (Ehibhatiomhan 70), Marriott (Stickland 90).

Unused subs: Stevens, Elliott.

Attendance: 9,249 (885)

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