Tranmere Rovers 1 Stockport County 3 ( FA Cup Round 1) Saturday 1 November 2025

 

 

 

A business-like performance by County saw them claim a place in Round 2 of the FA Cup today at Prenton Park where they despatched a competitive Tranmere Rovers side 3-1.

Quality goals, one each by Jack Diamond and County captain Ollie Norwood , plus a late/late match clincher from substitute Nathan Lowe in added time, saw the blues home, but credit should be given to Andy Crosby`s side for making County work hard for their victory.

I was pleased to see that DC fielded  a strong side – not the first eleven but not very far removed from it either.

The first half was rather forgettable with neither side able to pin the tail on the donkey- their opponents invariably unwilling to play victim.

We needed a better second half , and that’s` what we got – Diamond`s goal really lifting another large County away following.

But Rovers just would not lie down and die- instead they pressed County hard ,being rewarded with just under 20 minutes left when Omari Patrick equalised with a cracking goal.

That got the home specs going, but only for circa 3 minute when they were undone by their team`s indiscipline that saw them trailing again as a gloriously delivered free kick by Ollie Norwood nestled in the Rovers net.

Plenty of time left for the game to be changed of course, but it wasn`t and really never looked likely to be as County  saw the game out with precision and not a little nous and of course another opportunist goal from Nathan Lowe !

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The game started with County pushing on- Onyango to the fore on the end of a lovely chipped pass from Joseph Olowu- it was a good effort from the excellent right sided duo, but Rovers defence held out cutting Onyango`s path to goal off as he looked to cut inside from the by-line.

It went on and looked good as Pye progressed forward before picking Diamond out with a neat pass. Diamond was away and drifting inside – a shot was on, but when it came the ball soared wide of the target from Jack`s boot.

Two minutes later and the action switched ends as Billy Blacker sent Charlie Whitaker surging clear down the middle. He was through…Addai was toast….or so it seemed , but Whitaker put the ball wide !

That was a relief, but Rovers kept the pressure on , and it was again via Whitaker who won a free kick that quickly morphed into a corner off Wootton`s head- any chance disappearing as the incoming kick was headed clear at the near post by Onyango.

Blacker took a turn for Rovers next – good work for sure, but County`s back line had the measure of the situation , cutting him off as he cut inside from the left.

Ex Hatter Connor Jennings disappointed locals firing a tame effort straight into Addai`s waiting hands.

But County were not doing any better at the other end- Wootton wide with a shot when well set……Fevrier ballooning a poor effort high into the stand behind the Rovers goal.

Credit to  Whitaker though, he continued to pluck at County`s feathers , but he lacked quality support at times this latest move fizzling out miserably ( for Rovers)with a County free kick.

And CJ fared no better – on the end of a decent long ball .A shot was definitely on , until it wasn`t and Olowu saw the danger off with something close to ease.

Perhaps the best moment of a not that fantastically colourful half ,might have occurred next but for Rovers` keeper Jack Barrett whose timely work prevented a wondrous chip across the box by Joseph Olowu from reaching Kyle Wootton half a yard out at the back post!

With half time approaching we had another chance to consider increasing the strength of our BP tablets as excitement mounted again- Nathan Smith beating Osborn comprehensively down our left before lifting a dangerous ball inside to Whitaker who lurked a yard or so out smack in front. `Goal`……err…no…as a superb tackle from the excellent Olowu stopped the rot for the green shirted blues, stopping Rovers from taking the lead.

That action did Osborn no good at all, and within minutes he had succumbed to injury being replaced by O`Keefe.

There was just time for Jayden Fevrier, who had had a quiet game, to watch as a fizzing whiz bang from him was tipped over the bar in stunning fashion by the Rovers keeper, before  the teams went in at half time with the game still scoreless.

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Camps and Dodgson were on for Olowu and Fevrier when play resumed after the break- a slider from Nathan Smith ending a promising run by Diamond.

O`Keefe has always impressed me when he has had minutes on the park- a definite asset, and I am sure DC appreciates that, and a brilliant cross from the County number 2 looked about to set Wootton up as he shaped to meet the incoming ball in front of goal. It was a real chance and then it wasn`t as Wootton was mugged – McGowan looked to be prime suspect , but I can be an unreliable witness sometimes.     

We were almost on the hour and by now I was beginning to sense that County were about to rev things up a touch- the thought helped along by Onyango and Norwood who combined to excellent effect on the edge of the box down the right. The neatest of balls emerged then via Norwood`s educated feet ,heading towards the back post where Wootton was charging in at full whack. The home defence was there to spectate only at this moment, and surely County would go 1 up, but they didn`t, instead Woots` slider saw him force the ball wide rather than into the empty net -it stayed 0-0!

Then  Jack Diamond took a hand for County, latching onto the ball just outside the box before unleashing an unstoppable shot home beyond anything Jack Barrett could produce in response twixt the sticks for Rovers.

It got a bit frenetic next as Rovers strove and strove again to get back on level terms- their best in a 5-minute period an effort by Blacker, but it flew inches wide.

County might have had a tilt at getting a second goal shortly after ,gaining a free kick for a foul on O`Keefe by Whitaker as the County man headed inside promisingly. But the chance went begging, not through any deficiency on the part of the men in green, but poor officiating as a rank bad offside flagging saved Rovers.

It was always possible of course, that the game`s second goal would fall to Rovers, but the large County following behind Barrett`s goal gave scant consideration of that possibility, but ,within 10 minutes the scores were level…..

Rovers had been pressing a bit, winning corners but not making anything of them, but the 73 rd minute saw an almighty tangle in front of Corey Addai`s goal – a goal did not look all that unlikely at that moment but instead Tranmere had to settle for a corner.

Any relief for County was purely temporary as , from the  kick , they were punished as Omari Patrick leathered a superb strike into the net to give his side parity with the blues.

More pressure followed on County , but…crucially… no second Rovers goal, the pressure fading noticeably after a superb headed clearance by O`Keefe at the height of the Rovers push.

Suddenly County were hitting back, pushing  their opponents back before them- Rovers lost their discipline as a result and a series of poor fouls gifted County a free kick.

It was wide left so no shoo in , and probably Norwood would lift it to the back post , but he didn`t ,instead planting the ball into the net with Barrett scrambling impotently to stop it- it was a brilliant goal and County now led 2-1!

Meanwhile Barrett`s day was getting busier, and he did well to get to a bit of a screamer from Dodgson  and keep it out  with just over 10 minutes of normal time left to play.

Tranmere`s Nathan Smith helped his keeper massively with a terrific tackle that nullified an impressive run by Diamond, but Barrett had to pull off more minor miracles as the game`s dying embers arrived- a couple of decent saves to deny Lowe …..

Into added time it was still 2-1, but only for 60 seconds or so as Lowe nicked possession before lobbing the keeper to make the win safe for County.

I said `business-like` earlier and I think County`s display was that and possibly more, but whatever the analysis…the opinions….County are in Round 2 of the FA Cup and that`s worth a small celebration don’t you think ?

See you next Saturday for the Luton game and hopefully 3 more points!

 

 

 

 

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai, Olowu (O’Keeffe 46), Connolly, Pye, Onyango (Lowe 75), Bailey, Norwood , Osborn (Dodgson43), Fevrier (Camps 46), Wootton (Moxon 90 + 4), Diamond.

Unused Subs: Hinchliffe, Fiorini, Andrésson, Edwards.

 

Tranmere Rovers line up :-

Barrett ,  McGowan ( Joseph 76), Smith , Brough ,  Norman ( Dennis 79), Finley ,  Smallwood ,Patrick, Jennings (Ironside 45)  Blacker ( Solomon 76)  Whitaker ( Harris 89).

Unused subs : Murphy , Davison , Lowe , Kenneh

 

Attendance: 5,164 (1,504). 

hedgegrower

 

Crowd Shot Gallery by @machinsports