Stockport County 3 AFC Wimbledon 0 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 28 March 2026

 

 

 

County secured all 3 points via a resounding 3-0 victory at the expense of AFC Wimbledon at Edgeley Park today.

It was quite a game…..starting in a blaze of excitement as County`s newly minted strike partnership of Tanto Olaofe and Adama Sidibeh combined gloriously with Ben Osborn to put the blues into the lead before many had settled in their seats.

Sadly, the aforementioned partnership lasted less than half an hour before being ( temporarily hopefully) parted when Sidibeh was forced off with an injury.

The Dons though had come to make a game of it , looking lively and well  organised – getting the ball in the County net twice albeit that both were clearly offside and ruled as such by the officials.

It took County until 5 minutes before the break to add a second goal, and this again had Tanto`s imprint on it being put away with practised ease by Kyle Wootton who had been on the pitch barely 10 minutes.

2-0 at half time was good, and County opened the second half on the front foot looking for a third goal, but Johnny Jackson`s side   had other ideas – the tide turning not long after they brought Nathan Asiimwe and Antwoine Hackford on for ex Hatter Joe Lewis and Jake Reeves - the blues coming under sustained pressure from their opponents particularly Asiimwe who gave County a rare old time down our left flank.

This brought the very best out of Cory Addai ( my M.O.M),  who had an outstanding game littered with important saves , thus …..try as they clearly did, AFC were disappointed  ….County  eventually able to  weather the storms – emerging with precocious audacity to snatch a third goal- thumped home with relish by Ollie Norwood.

Tanto was again in the mix for that one, but he`ll surely score soon and anyway he`s contributing hugely in other ways!

If the Dons will be disappointed at not getting even a goal from the game – County will be mightily pleased, and rightly so- not a perfect win by any means, but it will do for sure!

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There was a cruel wind about the old place circa 3.01, but I venture that no one present cared a jot about prevailing weather conditions as the game started superbly as Tanto , from a relatively deep position , put the ball with pin-point precision at the feet of Ben Osborn who was some way further up the park on the left. Off he went towards the by-line , before unleashing a stunningly accurate cross to where Adama Sidibeh awaited its arrival in front of goal. 

 

 

 

He had keeper Joe Mc Donnell for company, but Adama made no mistake, and the old place went a bit daft in response seeing County 1-0 up!

Dons were not cowed by that opening, putting together some neat passing movements in response – Maycock heading over ( 3 minutes)-Omar Bugiel netting but offside 5 minutes later- Luke Reeves similarly disappointed another 5 minutes on from that.

 Tanto came close to getting the drop on McDonnell , 23 minutes in for County, but it stayed 1-0 for now.

I had been pleased to see that DC had opted to use Tanto and Adama together – a move well worth persevering with in my view, and it was disappointing to see Sidibeh have to be subbed , 5 minutes later following a knock- Kyle Wootton coming on in his place.

Initially, Wimbledon sought to take advantage of any confusion in County`s ranks that might ensue due to the personnel change- getting forward nicely – Maycock unlucky to see a shot on the turn fly wide of the far post from a corner- Osborn doing well a minute later to keep Bugiel from Maycock`s inciteful ball.

Then reality struck….there was simply no confusion within County`s ranks, especially not as far as the excellent Kyle Wootton was concerned.

Corey Addai was pretty sound also, making a splendid save to deny Nkeng 7 minutes before half time.

That was excellent from the County keeper, and more excellence followed in double quick time as Tanto surged clear before unselfishly sliding the ball to his right where Wootton latched onto it before making the Don`s net bulge .

 County now led 2-0 and did that feel good…..yes it did, and happy faces abounded at half time -the scoreline staying the same!

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County opened the second half on the front foot- Wimbledon`s Ryan Johnson twice stepping up for his team to thwart Dacres/ Cogley early on.

It was beginning to progress quite well to the extent that Lewis had to foul Tanto to stop his progress down the left.

We had a free kick, but the angle was much more oblique than anything I had seen Norwood attempt previously. He would not have dip would he ! Well…. he did, and McDonnell only just reached it in time managing to beat the ball out from under the bar with both hands- in the circumstances a fine save!

 

 

 

 

County were revving their game up nicely now- Tanto sent clear down the left again- but McDonnell did just enough to put Tanto off and his shot drifted harmlessly wide of the target with no one up in support.

If we expected a response by the Dons, we were not disappointed, their football was well ordered and commanded respect – Johnson so unlucky to find Corey Addai his adversary today- any other time his bullet like header would have thundered into the net, whilst on this occasion …it didn`t, as Addai somehow tipped the ball onto the bar and out for a corner- a fantastic save!

County did reply, after the hour, but Ethan Pye saw a header fly up and over the bar following a corner.

That was not the end of it either- County had more to offer as Osborn latched onto a loose ball heading up the park down the left.

It looked good did this, as Tanto was simultaneously heading goalward to Osborn`s right- a perfect target, but Osborn released his pass too soon and the chance was gone!

 

 

It was at this point that we saw Nathan Asiimwe and Antwoine Hackford on for Lewis and Reeves for Wimbledon- the blues coming under sustained pressure almost straight away particularly via the efforts of Asiimwe down the right.

Free kicks and corners added to the blues angst at this point, and the Dons kept a tight grip, making a break up the park a difficult option to pursue for County.

With 15 minutes normal time left County were still defending deep, when a snarling rip rap of a ball fizzed across from Asiimwe to where Nelson stood ready to apply the finish smack in front of goal. It ,looked a shoo- in …a definite goal when Nelson`s effort headed for the net, only to be kept out with  exceptional bravery and determination by Addai !

If that was brilliant on Addai`s part…more followed ,and of very much the same order- as County defended a corner but again could not deal with Asiimwe`s latest fizzing whizbang  that landed on Buglier`s head……”Goal !!!!”….err…definitely not – Addai somehow getting to and clinging onto the header dousing Wimbledon`s flames in the process!

On it went- Addai keeping another Johnson header out with an improbable diving save midst a whole lot of attacking play by the Dons.

 

 

Mothersille and Edun were on for Diamond and Bate as we went into added time( 5 minutes of it ) and Mothersille was bursting to do good things which continue just to elude him – seeing an early effort deflected for a corner …..keeper McDonnell thwarting him again with a confident stop.

But Wimbledon had by no means given up their quest to get something from this game, and it did them great credit!

They attacked with some style …. but with little good fortune – queueing to shoot but always finding the route to goal kept from them at the last gasp……92 minutes….93 minutes…on it went they won corner….then wasted it….

So, eventually County came back at the Dons again – not decisively at first , but it looked good as Mothersille darted clear down the left with Tanto again providing a real target to aim for…..if only Mothersille would pass to him, but he didn`t…the ball ending up with Norwood who blasted his shot over the bar ( 95 minutes)!

We were beginning to whistle at the ref for time as we were now on 97 minutes and feeling anxious for Addai`s clean sheet with Wimbledon again attacking.

But the moment passed—County broke clear via Tanto ,but it all got a touch overexcited now as Tanto`s chance eluded him again and others ,until the ball again ran loose to Norwood who made no mistake this time keeping his shot down perfectly – the ball crashing low into the net for County`s third goal.

 

 

The whistle went for time not long after – the signal for celebrations for County supporters.

Take heart County supporters – County remembered how to score today so congratulations to them for digging deep.

See you all Friday!

 

 

 

Stockport County line up :-

 Addai, Dacres-Cogley, Olowu, Pye, Diamond (Edun 78), Bate (Mothersille 78), Norwood, Osborn, Stokes (Bailey 60), Sidibeh Wootton 28), Olaofe.

Unused Subs: Hinchliffe, Dodgson, C. Gardner.

 

AFC Wimbledon line up:-

 

McDonnell, Seddon , Reeves ( Hackford 67) , Johnson , Maycock , Bugiel ( Fovo 86), Smith , Nkeng , Lewis (Asiimwe 67), O Gundere , Nelson ( Jennings 81).

Unused Subs :-

 

Bishop , Hutchinson.

 

Attendance: 9,530 (555).

 

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