Stockport County 0 Mansfield Town 1 ( Football League 1 ) Tuesday 21 April 2026

 

 

 

County`s promotion push took an almighty knock last night as Nigel Clough`s  Mansfield Town took all the points with a 1-0 win under the lights at Edgeley Park.

It was a result that always looked on the cards on an evening when the blues were constantly struggling in vain to put together coherent moves.

There were good performances in the County mix for sure…Mothersille again lifted his personal performance bar with his best showing in a County shirt yet…..and Louis Barry showed more than occasional glimpses of what we know he can produce in the hour he was pitch side, but elsewhere whilst Wootton, and Pye worked hard and Edun and Osborn put themselves about well at times , County found the Stags too tough an opponent to digest when they really needed 3 points.

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With the 11 names announced earlier, ….I was expecting Tayo Edun to be played out of position on the right side of a back 4, but it was interesting to see Ben Osborn given the right sided short straw with Edun notionally teaming up with Mothersille on the left.

Within 90 seconds of the start County were under the cosh and almost leaked a goal as Jon Russell met Blake- Tracy`s first time cross with his head- only to see the ball fly over the bar with Addai exposed.

Mansfield looked busy…early…and intent on testing County`s makeshift defence, but the blues weathered the early storm without further alarms.

By 5 minutes in, matters looked a tad different as a lively  run by  Barry in combination with Mothersille went close- the ex-Posh striker denied by an excellent tackle by former County right back Kyle Knoyle.

County kept the pressure on – Norwood emerging midst a forest of legs in the visitors` box to fire a goal bound shot off that Stags keeper Liam Roberts kept out with great resolve.

The forward movement from County continued ,with Edun and Mothersille in the van teeing Stokes up for a strike on goal that was again dealt with briskly by keeper Roberts.

Play switched next -Hendry`s shot deflected off Woots for a corner. This was cleared easily enough by the blues, but the right side of our back line was fair game for Town as Blake – Tracy sought to take advantage of oodles of space. He really might have done better than settle for a corner, but he had too, and neat work by Wootton, Pye and Sidibeh saw any danger off.

We had something to debate on 35 minutes as, with County attacking Barry went down in the box, but Mr Jackson, the Referee, waved play on -on balance probably the correct decision, but……..

Barry looked fired up by that and was at the head of County`s next move some 60 seconds later.

Mansfield looked stretched and more so as Barry passed the ball left to Bailey who would surely shoot but shoot he decidedly did not, electing instead to pick out Stokes( I think) and he was immediately flagged offside – chance gone.

This would be a recurring theme ( and has been of recent matches also) namely our reluctance to `have a go`….`test the keeper` we really have to address this!

From the free kick Akins shot wide on the break for Mansfield, before Edun and Mothersille again set about giving the Stags back line nightmares – joined by Barry, winning a corner. More pressure resulted and a bizarre moment as the ball twanged the bar ….twice….via a header by Ethan Pye who must nick a goal soon, the number of times he goes close!

With half time approaching the pressure was kept on the visitors by County, but it was all slow-motion stuff as we repeatedly tried to walk the ball into the net- neglecting to shoot in the process- Sidibeh miss-controlling a pass from Stokes with half time almost on us.

There was time for Mr Jackson to earn some opprobrium deep in added time when he stopped a lively County raid after Jon Russell slumped to the floor – no head injury…no contact at all…just taking a rest it seemed to me, and the ref bought it and County`s last decent move of the half was dished.

Mr Jackson left for the half time break with boos ringing in his ears!

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County opened the 2^nd half brightly – Barry making good progress down the right, but when he laid the ball off nicely to Norwood the ball then flew off over the bar.

Excellent defensive work by Pye was followed immediately by a fine ball by the County centre back to Barry who again lurked menacingly wide right, but the Aston Villa loan star ran out of grass and any chance was gone.

Barry was definitely sparking a bit, but Ryan Sweeney stuck to his role as Stags Curmudgeon upending County`s number 20 just outside the box- the free kick offered us a chance again, but it disappeared when Jon Russell headed the ball clear.

Back came County- Stags keeper saving from Mothersille and Edun in quick succession.

Mothersille was enjoying a fine showing, and the Cheadle End was singing his praises loudly- a great thing to hear – as Mothersille sent Barry clear- the move sadly breaking down as Stokes was penalised for an infringement.

It went on…Barry dashing clear- but offside…apparently!

Then DC opted for personnel changes, bringing Diamond and Tanto Olaofe on for Barry and Sidibeh, and within a couple of minutes County were in the mire as Evans latched onto the ball crossing it inside to Akins who teed up Tyler Roberts ( just subbed on) to score with some relish for Mansfield!

That was a shock, but it could have got worse had Corey Addai not somehow got his fingertips to an effort by another substitute Rhys Oates just 4 minutes later!

Diamond was looking to get forward down the right, and won a free kick following a foul by Evans. The kick was interestingly positioned, but taken by Bailey, who sent it straight down keeper Roberts` throat – again the chance went begging.

County personnel changes continued as Stokes and Mothersille gave way for Gardner and Grogan.

These changes contained much of interest- young Grogan`s first taste of first team football which allowed Woots to now move up the park. Osborn also switched wide left his natural position- Mothersille meanwhile left the field of play to a rousing ovation as he walked in front of the Cheadle End- great to see and well deserved!

 Our first glimpse of Woots in a more familiar attacking roll saw him head over the top from Osborn`s cross, with 10 minutes left- our second being watching as he was hauled down by Blake- Tracy as County sought to hit Town on the break. The miscreant was booked but County could not profit from the aftermath.

Mansfield were still looking to hit us on the break – Edun and Addai both doing well to stop the rot for County faced with real threats from Stags.

County kept plugging away too, but without ever convincing that they would sort matters- Diamond lifting a disappointing effort over the bar after a promising run with 4 minutes left.

Oates was proving lively in the games later stages- Pye doing extremely well to cut his off with just 2 minutes left of normal time.

It was good to see Brogan involved in a skirmish deep in the blues half not losing out, albeit with some help from others in blue, to Oates.

Normal time ended with Bailey`s shot charged down in the box- added time ending disappointingly as both Norwood and Pye were booked for verbals – our discipline gone, as by now was the game!

We go again though don’t we, so see you Saturday!

Stockport County line up:-

 Addai, Osborn, Pye, Wootton, Edun (Fiorini 90), Norwood , Bailey, Stokes (Grogan 73), Barry, Mothersille (Gardner 73), Sidibeh (Diamond 61).

Unused subs: Hinchliffe, Bate, Olaofe.

Mansfield Town line up :-

 Roberts, Knoyle, Sweeney  Oshilaja (McLaughlin 26/ Oates 61), Akins, Reed (Taylor 94), Hendry, Blake-Tracy, Russell (Moriah-Welsh 94), Gardner (T. Roberts 61), Evans.

Unused subs: Hartmann, Irow.

Attendance: 8,763 (839).

hedgegrower

 

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