Stockport County 0 Luton Town 3 ( Football League 1) Saturday 8 November 2025

 

 

 

 

 

A County team, cruelly shorn of captain and inspiration Ollie Norwood were outplayed, and outclassed at Edgeley Park today when rookie manager Jack Wilshire`s Luton Town team  took all the available points with a well-deserved 3-0 win.

It was a truly awful display by County , one that begs the obvious question ` how can the absence of 1 man, however good he might be, have such a deleterious effect on a team?` and it did, it really did ,the blues  being somewhat fortunate to end up just 3 down.

Point to a missed penalty early in the second half, and having to play the last 10 minutes of normal time with 10 men, as Dodgson earned himself a second yellow and saw red ,if you must,  but neither of these moments really influenced the  game`s outcome- that was settled much earlier, and to be fair Luton scored some good goals , and well merited their victory , so  we`ll take it on the chin and go again!

……………………………….

 

Another full house greeted the 2 teams circa 3 o`clock- all 10000+ observing the Remembrance Ceremony perfectly!

 

 

 

 

I was confused by the team we were fielding-Ollie Norwood`s absence I understood but I looked for Joseph Olowu`s name and he was benched , which made no sense in view of his recent form as did risking a back four that included Owen Dodgson instead of lessening any likely disruption by sticking with Pye, Connolly and Olowu, allowing O`Keefe and Dodgson to supply the width!

Still, I told myself ,  DC had  been proved correct many times when doubted , whereas I was wrong more than once, so we would see how it went!

It started badly  as Jack Wilshire had obviously read his predecessor`s team notes  and turned County around forcing them to play towards the Cheadle End before the break, but what concerned me more was seeing Ben Hinchliffe constantly shielding his eyes from the sun- was this a factor in either of the first 2 goals, and why does our match budget apparently not run to expenditure on a hat- a basic necessity in my opinion when the sun shines as it did today?

But I took heart upon seeing visiting keeper Josh Keeley plant a poor clearance at Diamond`s feet , and again when a foul on the County number 7 ushered in a free kick in a decent position ( central but about 10 yards outside the box).

We were without Norwood of course ,but Moxon` kick found its way to Camps , who was already taking up very advanced attacking positions, but his volleyed effort was  headed behind for a corner by a defender . The kick was good too and it was met firmly by Connolly, but his header cleared the bar by not much at all!

Five or six minutes had  gone by, and not much was coming back  from Luton ,although a brief flurry of activity down our right flank involving the lanky Cohen Bramall possibly gave us a hint of what was to come.

The pre-match word on Luton was that ` their fullbacks were dire, so Diamond would have a field day`, but a promising run by the County forward was snuffed out without issue by the visiting defenders  so we had to think again maybe, but I still clung to the possibility that `if we had a go……………`

Meanwhile Bramhall showed again for the visitors – he was blocked eventually, but again he was clearly testing the waters!

And I again shook my head in irritation as I saw that Ben was still shielding his eyes with a free kick about to head his way from out of the glare- County cleared their lines , but my anxiety still held!

It was not all gloom and doom though- Corey O`Keefe was getting forward as he generally does and getting the odd decent ball into where it matters at the sharp end and this time that meant   dropping it in Nathan Lowe`s vicinity which he did and Lowe reacted swiftly in response only to see his volley clear the bar from close in.

County came under pressure from that last action  , and their angst increased several fold when Dodgson conceded a free kick ( and was booked )with Luton pushing on down our left flank.

Thankfully County saw that last danger off coming back at their opponents- a brilliant ball from Dodgson sending Lowe clear and Lowe did everything right , his finish looking like going in until the keeper`s outstretched leg intervened and spoilt things for Lowe and his team.

County continued to look for that opening goal – Bailey winning a corner that saw Moxon to the fore picking Wootton out with a terrific pass – but the effort from the County captain went the wrong side of the woodwork and it stayed 0-0.

On it went- Lowe blocked by good work from Naismith……..Diamond  fouled after being set up by O`Keefe….the absence of Norwood then being underlined with special emphasis as Bailey planted a poor free kick high into the Cheadle End.

So far so good , you could say , but whilst we had chances in the 30 odd minutes that had elapsed, we had not managed to put 1 of them away , thus….of course we paid the price…..

The impetus came from Bramall who, trading on his earlier experiences pushing forward, surged clear to pick out Jake Richards who lurked menacingly in front of goal- Hinchliffe was there or there abouts but well beaten as Richards turned the ball smartly beyond him into the net .

Town had their lead, and the away end went AS in response!

Luton kept the pressure on, and it took just 3 more minutes for them to double their lead and sadly it came via another bit of poor defending resulting in a free kick.

Most around would have not expected a goal to result from this kick as it was way wide on the right although fairly close to the edge of the box. It mattered little to the excellent Cohen Bramall who calmly leathered the perfect kick  beyond Ben`s dive into the net- County 0 Luton 2 !

County did try to respond- Wootton close with another header….Diamond promising much with a run and then running into trouble  that set Luton up for a counter- attack that the blues managed to survive without being able to convert what followed into a coherent move.

Into added time, there was time for Hinchliffe to pull off a top save to deny Nahki Wells who looked well on to make it 3-0……and time for a response from County, but after some commendable slight of foot in front of goal by Lowe his shot flew up and over the bar from close in.

Half time was something of a relief , maybe County could make a better fist of things after the break ?

………………………..

 

There were no changes in County`s team when play re-started.

The first 5 or 6 minutes after the break were frustrating as County strove to get back into the game but just failed to make their rare openings count – firstly wasting a corner won well by Camps.

But another 5 minutes and this element was emphasised again when Bailey was upended in the box and Lowe`s disappointing spot kick was kept out with aplomb by Keeley the Town keeper.

It was not long thereafter that we saw the first personnel changes  for County as Fevrier and Andresson replaced Lowe and Camps.

Fevrier was to have another quiet game, but the 68^th minute saw him send Wootton scooting goalward . It looked good and then it didn`t as his shot was held onto brilliantly by Keeley who was having a very decent game for Town.

Another minute and things got worse for the blues started by Richards who took Dodgson to the cleaners down our left flank before slipping the neatest of balls to Isaiah Jones who made light work of  beating Hinchliffe to increase Town`s lead to 3-0.

We were into the game`s dying embers now with Luton forever threatening to overrun us, but never quite being able to apply the killer punch- Bramhall switching flanks to send a fizzing rip rap of a ball across the box that was untouched by forward or defender…..the Luton keeper going full stretch to keep a free kick by O`Keefe out not long after…

Then it all went further pear shaped for the blues as Dodgson earned himself a second yellow and the accompanying red card reducing County`s numbers to 10.

 

This ratcheted up the angst for County as Luton piled forward onto the attack- Hinchliffe making a good save to keep a shot from Latine Fanne out…..Ali Al-Hamadi duping the remnants of the left side of County`s defence before blasting a stinging drive beyond Hinchliffe heading for the net, except Connelly arrived to make another remarkable clearance off the line. Applause erupted from behind him on the Cheadle End but by now Connelly is used to that!

There was a final flurry from Wootton for County halted by a last ditcher from someone in a Luton shirt- I did not clock who , so it ended 3-0 in Luton`s favour.

Amazingly County stay in top position in League 1 after today`s defeat and they will need our support  all the more, particularly on their travels, and next up away from Edgeley Park is Peterborough on 20 November.

Join Us on the Fingerpost Flyer & urge our team back to their best ….

Pick  up time will be 14.00 at Lowndes Lane/ 14.15 Worrall St , Mercian Way( advise us if boarding here please)- getting us to Rugby Services for circa 16.00/ departing there 17.00....arriving Posh 18.30

Please book on/pay via the appropriate link:-

Peterborough Adults -£25

https://buy.stripe.com/5kQ4gy6lrgX2dgbemk1440s

 

Peterborough , Accompanied  Under 14 `s  - £20

https://buy.stripe.com/bJe6oGfW1fSY6RN2DC1440t

 

Please note parking is on Lowndes Lane or the car park across Hempshaw Lane near the shops.

As usual we will ask travellers not to take alcohol onto the coach.

 

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Hinchliffe, O’Keeffe, Connolly, Pye, Dodgson, Camps (Fevrier,64), Moxon, Bailey (Fiorini 83); Lowe (Andrésson 64), Wootton , Diamond (Mothersille 77).

Unused Subs: Addai, Olowu,  Gardner.

Luton Town line up:-

 Keeley, Naismith, Andersen, Mengi, Bramall ( Odoffin 78), Saville, Walsh, Fanne ( Yates 86), Richards ( Kodua 72), Jones, Wells ( Al-Hamadi 86).

Unused subs : Lonwijk, Shea.

 

Attendance: 10,090 (1,158 ). 

hedgegrower

 

 

Crowd  Shot Gallery from @machinsports  .....