Stockport County 2 Plymouth Argyle 1 ( Football League 1) Saturday 31 January 2026

 

 

 

 

 

County came back from a goal down to take 3 points with a well-earned win today against a dogged Plymouth Argyle side at Edgeley Park.

If the spotlight was on the returning Tanto Olaofe and Adama Sidibeh , it was two goals by County top scorer Kyle Wootton that won the game for the blues.

County looked disjointed in the first half going in at the break 1-0 down to Tom Cleverley`s side via a quality goal from Matt Ross conceded close to half time.

Sidibeh had been one of County brighter performers in a disappointing half , but he was substituted  , along with Bailey and Osborn on the hour, replaced by Mothersille, Bate and Diamond, and DC`s substitutions stopped the rot for the blues who, with all 3 contributing , especially Bate ,ensuring our midfield maintained control when it mattered .

County`s goals were of no lesser quality than the Argyle effort earlier, and sent another large EP crowd home happy in the realisation that the blue`s promotion push remained very much on course!

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It was first blood to Argyle  as they forced County to attack the Cheadle End in the first half, but the blues started well enough getting forward – Sidibeh looking lively from the off, winning a corner within a minute of the  start. It wasn`t a bad corner either , but despite both Hills & Pye showing interest ,the ball ended up with visiting keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond.

It was early days, but County seemed in good nick -Wootton kept from Dacres- Cogley`s dangerous looking cross by more good work by the Argyle keeper.

On it went, Edun passing to Sidibeh only to watch exasperated as Ashby-Hammond snuffed any danger out for his side.

We got a hint of what might lead to our undoing next ,as some really slack passing fed the visitors appetite for getting forward to win a couple of corners but failing to add anything more lethal to their mix!

But County were managing to work half chances , in fact the next action was a real opening – Wootton centimetres from getting to Bailey`s well hit cross 10 minutes in.

Plymouth had proved fairly lethal, hitting us on the break at their place earlier this season, so I was thinking that we had to be sure to keep the slack work to the barest minimum-but we were caught out again , 3 minutes later, when Ronan Curtis was allowed to embark upon what ended up as a tricky run deep into the blues backyard!

This posed major problems for County , and they might have paid the price had Argyle shown more precision at the sharp end but , sadly for them, Joe Edwards put his shot wide .

For a time Argyle started making life difficult for  County – Caleb Watts almost through, 7 minutes later, his progress halted by the redoubtable Ethan Pye smack in front of goal- cue theatricals as Watts made a five courser with several side dishes of the aftermath of Pye`s tackle, so much so that Referee Sam Allison was moved to book him!

We were beyond halfway in the first half now and I could not help feeling frustrated that with all the pacy forwards we had on the park, that County seemed unable to oblige them with a decent pass- instead our build up was ponderous allowing the Pilgrims ample time to adjust.

Some overly elaborate  passing almost saw us undone – County were fortunate that their opponents were not at their sharpest where it mattered.

Watts looked like he might prove this last point of mine to be incorrect, -rising to get his head to an incoming corner , in oodles of space , only to see the ball twang the bar and stay out.

Have I said that we needed to be tighter?.....well, we did , and we were grateful for Dacres- Cogley`s presence next as he managed to usher Galloway`s goal bound effort off the line just beyond 30 minutes, after Osborn had been outpaced by Curtis who set the shot up for Argyle.

It was puzzling to see that Ben Osborn , who I thought did good work pushing forward in midfield on Tuesday ( as did Tayo Edun operating as usual down the left) being used as a wing back with Edun switching flanks to the right.

This looked not to be working!

I allowed myself to forget this for a moment though ,as County pressed Pilgrims back on their heels , but the moment passed with the sight of Bailey`s shot fizzing inches over the bar.

Back came Argyle, but  Watts made a meal of his shot when well set giving Hinchliffe time to set himself to make a fairly routine save.

Then it all fell apart for the blues……………set up by more slack passing that forced Hinchliffe to make a hurried save to deny a  clutch of Argyle forwards, then another with the help of Hills almost immediately afterwards.

County looked vulnerable and it  was no surprise when they went behind just 3 minutes before half time- Wiredu able to lift the ball to the back post where Ross latched onto the ball before sending it across goal into the net to give Argyle the lead at half time!

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County had to work hard to keep Argyle quiet in the early minutes of the second half- Pye doing particularly well to keep Pepples cross from Amaechi.

The 53 rd minute gave us a glimpse of what might be in the offing going forward for us, as an interesting cooperation twixt Tanto and Edun saw the former get the crowd cheering by winning a corner- his shot kept out by the keeper at the near post.

Nothing came of the corner , forcing Sidibeh to do excellent defensive work to stop Sorinola who had designs on making headway on the break down our left flank.

If it was all a touch laboured, maybe it was about to change as DC made 3 substitutions bringing Bate, Mothersille and Diamond on for Bailey, Osborn and ,perhaps surprisingly, Sidibeh.

This meant that Wootton and Tanto formed a notional 2 up front with Mothersille and Diamond sorting width, and Bate IC our spine in midfield.

For all that I felt Sidibeh deserved to stay on, it certainly looked to be working, and Tanto looked `on fire` in the words of the song, surging through the visitors` defensive cover-the move fading out when Diamond overhit his final ball.

If that was disappointing, the feeling did not last long, and Diamond made full amends starting the move with a  pass to Mothersille wide left. Mothersille did really well in response, sending Edun ( now restored on the left) away with a neat pass.

A further neat pass followed from Edun to Wootton , smack in front of goal, whose back heeled effort gave the keeper no chance at all  - County had the goal that they craved and the scores were level at 1-1 with 20 minutes left to play!

It was good to see Lewis Bate in midfield and of course much of his work was attacking in nature, and one such sortie saw him upended unfairly on the edge of the box. Bates and Norwood did the obligatory pre kick deliberatory mime before Norwood took the kick which very nearly sneaked in. Ashby- Hammond did the biz with that one and a shot by Bates from the short corner that followed .

County were much better this half, and it was so good to see Tanto getting some of the old spark back in the game`s latter minutes.

Edun set the moment up, breaking from deep before passing to Bate who had made himself available . Bate`s pass to Tanto forced him slightly wide- his shot pushed for a corner by Ashby- Hammond.

Much pressure followed from the blues, but we had to wait until 5 minutes from the end of normal time for  County`s second goal.

Diamond set this up with a neat chip across the box for Wootton to head home from close in.

The old place went a bit AS following that action, and deservedly so , County had fashioned a fine comeback , and the win would be theirs in just a few minutes time.

Those minutes saw  Argyle do their utmost to dislodge County`s lead- Dale rattling the crossbar with snorting fizzer of a shot …….Dale, Curtis and Boeteng buzzing about in County last third with zero good fortune.

Soon enough Mr Allison blew for time – the points were County`s – DC`s team showing the sort of metal needed of teams desiring to win championships.

There`s much to come from them when DC irons out a wrinkle or two , and I am sure you will be there to watch them do the biz!

 

 

 

 

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Dacres-Cogley, Hills, Pye, Edun, Bailey (Diamond 59), Norwood , Osborn (Bate 59) Sidibeh (Mothersille 59), Wootton, Olaofe (Olowu, 88).

Unused Subs: Addai, Dodgson, Dixon.

Plymouth Argyle line up:-

 Ashby-Hammond,Ross, Wiredu, Edwards , Mitchell, Watts ( Amaechi 46), Boateng, ,Galloway (MacKenzie 61), Pepple, Curtis,  Sorinola ( Dale 77).

Unused Subs: Baker, Paterson, Oseni, Roberts.

Attendance: 10,117 (1,160 )

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