Stockport County 3 Rotherham United 2 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 17 January 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

County claimed another 3 points at Edgeley Park today , beating Matt Hamshaw`s Rotherham United side 3-2.

Whilst the win was arguably deserved, over 600 travelling fans watching from the Railway End I wager might see it differently.

They`d be wrong though, in my view , probably overjoyed at , at last seeing their side shape a bit after a wearying run of disappointing games.

For sure, County did not perform to their absolute best , indeed at times  County`s best, on the day,  looked more than a touch off.

Rotherham came to frustrate and largely succeeded in that endeavour- their tiresome time-wasting tactics far from original but good enough to take advantage of Referee Aaron Bannister`s obvious short comings, successfully breaking up any rhythm County might have built up.

County`s goals came via a deflected effort by Josh Dacre-Cogley, a good old-fashioned no-nonsense finish by Josh Stokes and a neat tap in from Iceman Beno Andresson- United`s two comprising of an appalling error by Ben Hinchliffe, and the best goal of the game by Sam Nombe.

Between the goals however much of County`s play left lots to be desired- particularly our defensive play- in the last third in the second half, and in midfield where we allowed United room and time on the ball in potentially dangerous situations that did not bode at all well for upcoming challenges ( Editor thinks `Cardiff` and reaches for the BP tabs)

Saturday 24 January is another day and County are……County so despair we do not!

………………………………….

 

Back to 3 o`clock as the game got underway watched by another big crowd.

Dacre – Cogley and Stokes started for County who were quick to try to impose themselves on the visitors, although not doing this entirely successfully in the early moments allowing Harry Gray to make a break down our left flank- Hills was quick to react , and the moment passed without undue alarm.

Then it was `uppsy…downsy` time as United`s Liam Kelly took an early rest causing an unwanted break in play- the first of many!

County continued to chip away at the visitors` defences and appeared to have made progress as Stokes skirted along the by-line before pinging a pass inside to Edun . It was a good move and Tayo`s response was good too ,and his header true, but lacking in that little extra that would have seen it beat Cameron Dawson the United keeper.  

But County weren`t discouraged, Joseph Olowu forcing the Yorkshire side onto the back foot – picking Ben Osborn out but seeing his shot fly wide.

Then, we thought we were seeing County take control of the game. The impetus started down our right flank where Dacre- Cogley took a pass from Odin Bailey before turning for goal. His instincts were good, his shot powerful and true , the ball deflected into the net off Rotherham defender Sean Baggett – County had the lead and thoughts of a comfortable County win swept over me!

County did go close , a couple of minutes later- Kyle Wootton heading wide when set up by the lively Dacre-Cogley, and Bailey saw a shot blocked , having been picked out by Edun who was having another good game.

Play started to get a tad untidy next , and for a while, the process was helped along by the willingness of red shirted players to fall down – Kaleta particularly effective in this regard getting Edun booked for nothing at all.

I was still groaning over that irritation when Dawson went to earth for no apparent reason  again causing a break in play and no doubt in County`s concentration.

On the half hour County got a bit of a warning from Dru Yearwood who headed off towards Ben Hinchliffe`s goal with blue shirts melting away before him as he went….thankfully …one man in blue stood his ground when it mattered ……Ollie Norwood , and his quality block stopped the rot for his team!

More headed County`s way via a free kick and Hinchliffe did well to keep this out at his far post.

We weathered the storm, or so I figured, as County attacked first through Edun whose pass to Osborn saw him hesitate just long enough for the chance to disappear…….and then via Hills who headed wide from a free kick after Dacre-Cogley had been fouled.

Hills did better almost immediately, tidying up nicely as Kaleta rounded on the County goal following a United long throw.

There was no pressure at all on County- there were no red shirts in the vicinity of Ben Hinchliffe and a clutch of blue shirted players as the County keeper grabbed the ball off the ground.

Nothing to see here then, except there was in just a couple of seconds as , with Olowu standing less than a couple of feet directly in  front of him, Ben …..obviously trying to not hit Olowu…did ….despite the efforts of the County number 5 to duck out of the ball`s path- the ball then flew back into the County net just about the time that the Railway End went AS !

County just seemed to wilt after that calamity – not helped any by Mr Bannister awarding their opponents a somewhat dubious free kick.

 County defended that well enough, but their general play was getting as rough as old boots – their passing increasingly ragged typified , deep in added time, when Jordan Hugill beat Ethan Pye to  the ball diving to head the ball wide with Hinchliffe beaten.

So ended the first half with the score 1-1 !

……………………………….

The second half opened , as the first had ended, with Rotherham attacking through Shaun McWilliams who was allowed free passage deep into blue territory by County`s back line .

 We looked toast, but as  McWilliams let his goal bound shot off so Hinchliffe flung himself to his right to usher the ball around a post and out of danger.

It took County almost 10 minutes to , at last, put a decent move together – Bailey winning a corner .

Norwood`s kick found Wootton who was well placed and pretty much smack in front of goal, but Kyle was only able to head the ball to where Stokes and Dawson were disputing territory on the line.

The ball bounced twixt the pair, and I must admit visions of Nat Lofthouse , Eddie Lewis on Ken Greaves in 1958 flitted in and out if my consciousness ,and back in again as Stokes did enough to see Dawson and the ball over the line. I looked at Mr Bannister….he`d seen it ….saw nowt wrong…for the merest second…I  waited for a change of mind , but it didn`t materialise County had their lead and I loved it!

But my euphoria did not last long 3…4 minutes when I stared in total disbelief to see United unfold a move of real quality as the ball swept at pace and under control from our end of the stadium to the other where McWilliams took ample advantage of the acres of space allowed him as he made his way forward before picking out substitute Sam Nombe with a peach of a pass – Nombe wasting no time it slotting the ball beyond Hinchliffe into the net to bring the scores level again!

This prompted DC to shuffle his pack, bringing Andresson and Fevrier on for Osborn and Olowu- a definite positive move.

We now needed County to sharpen up, but I looked up to see McWilliams again gifted possession- he fluffed what was a decent chance , but County could not rely on their luck continuing.

I then brightened up a touch seeing Stokes and Andresson briefly in combo- the former sent clear by the latter who then positioned himself ready for the return pass. It never came, instead Stokes sent the ball to Fevrier in an altogether less advantageous position, and he lifted the ball high over the bar.

There was no doubt that County wanted a third goal – none more so than Stokes but a shot from him a minute later cleared the bar.

We were well into the final 20 minutes now…Hunt was on for Dacre- Cogley and Marvin Kaleta was still incurring the eternal wrath of County fans with his `upsy/ downsy`s` when County squared that circle!

Again ,it was that Andresson/ Stokes connection that did the trick – Stokes doing brilliantly to dink the keeper – the ball heading towards goal. Rafferty made a valiant effort to retrieve matters for the visitors and keep the ball out ,but he had not factored Andresson into the equation ,and Beno did what Beno does making no mistake from close it.

It was 3-2 and the EP faithful were singing our young Icelanders praises again and with justification!

Into the game`s last 10 minutes we went with Hinchliffe making a decent save to stop McWilliams- McWilliams doing less well 5 minutes later – left in oodles of space but then fluffing what seemed a real chance to equalise for Rotherham.

On it went into added time with County riding their luck somewhat- still not defending that well or getting their passing right Spence and McWilliams going close…..Nombe closer seeing his shot cannon into one post and soar across to smack into the other and stay out!

In fact ,County were made to work hard to stay alive right up to the 96^th minute and beyond, before they could claim their victory!

Not our best performance by some stretch, but anyone expecting us to curl up and roll over next Saturday in the Principality does not know County.

Be there, they will need our support!

 Stockport County line up :-

 Hinchliffe, Dacres-Cogley (Hunt 73), Olowu (Andresson 62), Edun, Pye, Wootton, Osborn (Fevrier 62), Norwood, Bailey, Stokes (Diamond 82), Hills.

Unused Subs - Addai, Mothersille, Okeke

Rotherham United line up :-

 Dawson, Rafferty (Agbaire 95), Kelly (Spence 46), Raggett, Hugill (Nombe 46), Kaleta (Jules 68), Baptiste, Yearwood, McWilliams, Holmes (James 46), Gray.

Unused Subs- Cann, J Clarke.

Attendance- 9141 (634)

hedgegrower