Blackpool FC 1 Stockport County 2 ( Football League 1) Tuesday 27 January 2026

 

 

 

 

County came away with a full haul of points from their latest game on their travels, following a convincing 2-1 win against Blackpool.

2-1 may not seem convincing but it very much was- the illusion of it being not quite so , due to County, having established an authoritative lead via two superb goals in 2 minutes of exciting one touch football, then eased off after the break conceding a late/ late goal as a result.

County will be well pleased with the win, if correctly concerned that they allowed their opponents that late consolation.

Blackpool have an uphill battle ahead of them, but they won on Saturday for the first time for yonks and it`s no small achievement not to get totally blitzed when a team as switched on as County are just now, comes to town.

Dave Challinor will be sleeping soundly tonight- his team always in control - multiple individuals in that team performing superbly well. I am thinking of Brad Hills…..so solid and always looking to influence play further up the park…..as does another ace up County`s sleeve just now…Tayo Edun- a blizzard of skills oozed from him for 90 odd minutes unabated- Josh Dacres -Cogley and Kyle Wootton were pick of the rest but no-one need feel they let the team down tonight- they were all part of what looked an increasingly coherent playing unit.

Oh…..and have I mentioned that Lewis Bate got 6 or 7 minutes at the end of the game and thoroughly boosted the travelling County support`s morale with a terrific cameo that included much sharp work and one very near miss.

Add 45 minutes from Adaba Sidibeh that whetted County supporters` appetites to see more from the  ex-Cheadle Heath Nomads lad , and DC can be very happy indeed with his teams nights work.

Injuries to Andresson and Diamond cast a bit of a shadow over proceedings, but hopefully they will not be severe and both will be available for Plymouth at the weekend.

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The trip down on the Flyer was congenial……the pie and coffee inside the stadium very acceptable, but the seat I was told I needed to stay with was a mess- my view of 35% of the action being obscured by a massive orange pillar.

But a rapid relocation worked a treat -my view 100% pillarless, which was good as County were quickly on the front foot- winning a free kick on the end of an early long ball from Hinchliffe .The kick flew harmlessly wide.

I still had to look right though as County, urged on by excellent work from Dacre-Cogley and Edun, had Ian Evatt`s team on the defensive , but a move of multiple skills and determination from the blues, ended with Edun`s shot drifting wide of goal.

The fourth minute saw Blackpool show their hand , but it amounted to riding out the storm of County attacking and then hitting us on the break, and their first shot at it failed miserably as Ash Fletcher put the ball wide when well set.

We could have done without the tiresome pantomime that Honeyman treated us to next before eventually , and to ribald abuse from over 1600 County fans, he departed the scene, replaced by Niall Evans.

But I soon forget that nonsense, as Edun`s brilliance saw County win a corner that had home keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell flapping prodigiously at the ball under pressure- somehow the Seasiders survived to have another go at hitting the blues on the break.

Again, it started as a credible effort , promptly put together and with pace, but upon seeing the whites of Hinchliffe`s eyes it all again fell apart as Tom Bloxham`s scuffed effort bounced wide of goal.

So, despite looking distinctly under the cosh and second-best Blackpool might have stolen the lead ….twice….with a modest show of composure, surely County would now make them pay!

The pressure from County was certainly upped in the minutes that followed Bloxham`s aberration-increased by a foul on Diamond but then doused slightly when Peacock-Farrell clung onto Andresson`s header.

More followed from County via Diamond and Dacres-Cogley who combined neatly to win a corner.

The Blackpool keeper was distinctly ruffled – managing to punch the incoming kick out for another corner, his lot improved , for now, by a poor follow up flag kick by County.

Would we let Blackpool off the hook?

Well, there seemed little intent on the blues part for that to happen, indeed their press only got more intense as they won a free kick…took it quickly and almost nicked that crucial opening goal as a curling whiz bang from Odin Bailey smacked into the angle of bar and post with Peacock- Farrel diving full stretch but beaten!

That let off lit something in Blackpool and but for a timely defensive header by Ethan Pye , Ashworth`s dangerous looking cross might have fared better than it did.

 But almost 100% of the action continued to be in the home half and the opening goal when it came was really no great surprise.

It was a quality effort though, engineered by Norwood who’s immaculately delivered cross was headed home with practised precision by County top scorer Kyle Wootton.

It was 1-0 and County supporter enjoyed the moment richly , but not for long as they had another to celebrate within a couple of minutes , Brad Hills pass teeing Jack Diamond up for  a first-class finish as he cut inside.

Shots rained in on the Blackpool goal thereafter – the eternally energetic Hills closest for DC`s men , but  with Diamond shooting tamely wide after excellent approach play by Pye, and then sending Andesson the poorest of passes in the last third deep in added time, it stayed 2-0 as the players went in at half time.

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The first 10 minutes of the second half, saw some County have to shuffle their pack – firstly as a clash twixt Andresson and the home keeper from which the Iceman come off worst physically having to go off being replaced by Sidibeh- Diamond having to go off shortly after bringing Stokes back into front line County action.

County were still putting the neat moves together- Edun picking out Woots from one but the resultant header flew wide.

Sidibeh had an early run that got County supporters roaring, but his pass inside to Stokes saw him drag his shot wide.

Meanwhile , Bowler was doing well for Blackpool under pressure , trying to push his team forward , but the good stuff only had traction up to the point where play reached County`s last third ,thereupon it was snuffed out by County`s well drilled back line.

I began to wonder if County were relaxing a touch, happy with 2-0, but then I would see Osborn pushing on looking for ever tastier positions  deep in opposition territory , and I could see there was no such intent on County`s part .

Osborn was unlucky though- Peacock- Farrell diving to push his shot round the post on 68 minutes……..more good work by Osborn not well served by an underpowered effort from the otherwise excellent Wootton 3 minutes later….then another shot from Osborn that had all the necessary power, a minute later,  that the home keeper again managed to usher around a post.

County continued to press, but Osborn’s fortune never improved- receiving a neat pass from Sidibeh- seeing his shot drift out off a defender, Dacres-Cogley faring no better with added time nearing, his shot carrying the bar with Pool stretched.

The last few minutes of normal time saw Blackpool push on a bit- winning a late corner that Woots headed clear for County- Ashworth fluffing a late/late chance putting his shot well wide as he ran at County down the left.

That was totally foreign to what had gone before, but credit to Blackpool, who in common with just about every other club in the land ,definitely need to sign a striker.

I forgot stuff like that as the away end went totally AS with the sight of Lewis Bate coming on for Odin Bailey.

What a moment…and Lewis did not disappoint- sharp as he ever was …involved 100 % in the move that saw Peacock-Farrell manage to push a shot by Sidibeh for a corner on 92 minutes.

The 93^rd minute saw the away ends fuse lit again as a cracker-jack shot by Bate brought out another top quality save from the home keeper as County pushed and pushed deep in added time for a third goal- Hills in the thick at the sharp end if hugely optimistic in thinking he might get a penalty as he went down in the box- even I would not have gone along with that, but I enjoyed the humour of the moment!

It was then that County supporters gave us “ Three Points Again…Oley..Oley”  …..

And it was a justified exhibition of pride in our team`s performance, but with virtually the game`s last kick a little of the performances lustre was scuffed as the energetic Josh Bowler chased a hopeful high ball , bringing it down before beating Hinchliffe.

That was not the way that we wanted, or deserved the game to end, but the win had been secured much earlier and ,as long as any available lessons from the game are taken in and absorbed, it is 100% correct to forget to nitpick and celebrate another County away win.

Well played County!

 

 

Blackpool FC line up :-

Peacock-Farrell, Grant (Finnigan 74') Casey, Husband, CJ Hamilton (Randall 45/ Ennis 58), Brown, Honeyman (Evans 12), Ashworth, Bowler, Bloxham (Obafemi 74), Fletcher

Subs not used: Upton , Ravizzoli.

Stockport County line up:-

 Hinchliffe, Dacres-Cogley, Hills, Pye, Edun, Diamond (Stokes 55), Bailey (Bate 91), Norwood , Osborn, Andrésson (Sidibeh52), Wootton.

Subs not used: Addai, Dodgson, Olowu, Mothersille.

Attendance: 9,708 (1,669)

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