Stockport County 1 Peterborough United 0 ( Football League 1) Saturday 26 September 2026

 

 

 

 

 

County did the biz, came away from today`s game with Posh without Lady Luck swinging her notoriously heavy fashion accessory in our direction, winning the game 1-0.

But it was a struggle throughout , being forced by Interim Manager Ryan Harley`s team  to attack the Cheadle End first off should not have caused us more than an instants difficulty, but somehow County set about making hard work of the simplest of tasks – trading on good fortune ( for a change) as Peterborough, led exceedingly well by Harry Leonard  who was ably assisted by a clutch of eager team mates most notably Bolu Shofowoke, suffered the sort of disappointment teams in their current league position usually have to cope with.

In the end ,all Peterborough`s effort and spirit came to nought as a second half goal , set up by M.O.M Kyron Gordon , and put away by master finisher Kyle Wootton won a game for County that at times looked about to be snatched from their grasp at any moment.

So, we`ll take it and look to the next game for a chance to improve!

 

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The first action came at the Cheadle End where Osborn was busily probing from the off, but the raid eventually broke down and Posh replied through Shofowoke, but his energetic run and cross found his team mates unable to embarrass County.

Twice after this, County had the opportunity to respond- both times via Harry Wood , but he was unable to make anything of either –giving his team mates far too much to do on both occasions to make anything of the situations.

We then saw Harry Ashfield steal possession off Lewis Bate for Posh  and head for goal……a chance for sure ,and he got a shot off only for Luca Ashby- Hammond to make the save and keep it at 0-0.

County were under pressure, and unable to hold onto the ball for any length of time as Posh surged forward –Harley Mills  breaking clear but seeing his snap shot clear the bar- Owura Edwards following up a minute later with a decent run that stretched County at the back- it begged a decent cross but instead Edwards planted the ball out of his team mates reach and County could at last clear their lines.

That was a relief, but the first 15 minutes had been frustrating in the extreme, and we needed to improve our game quickly!

And we looked like we were doing so – only excellent play by Carl Johnston for Posh kept Jack Diamond out. The corner that followed brought Eoghan O`Connell to the fore winning a header as the kick came over – only for Referee Ross Martin ( who I thought had a good game) to rule that he had fouled his marker.

I was not overly convinced by that last bit of reffing, but I soon forgot it as Glover surged through down the right finding the `ever- ready` Wootton on hand with an effort that visiting keeper Alex Bass did well to keep out- a good save but the ball ran loose to Wood who shot wide!

Gradually County were improving- Diamond and Glover making good progress down the right- settling for a corner that again saw O`Connell first to the ball – no foul called this time but there was disappointment again for the blues as although the header was firm and on target- the response from Bass was   spot on – the keeper smothering the ball along with County`s hopes!

But County were definitely working at their game- Norwood producing a near perfect pass next that sent Osborn scooting energetically down the left flank before pinging a neat ball over to where Wootton lurked . But Kyle had company in the shape of Josh Feeney, and he made short work of snuffing any chance out , thwarting Woots and clearing his lines.

Were we improving?.....yes we were I thought…but there was still stuff to do- highlighted as Bate gave the ball away ushering in a period of definite danger – Posh lively…desperate to nick a goal but totally without a scintilla of good fortune!

Meanwhile County were still getting half chances here and there – Osborn ( still putting himself about like a player 10 years younger than what he is) winning a corner- ,and we should have done better than we did with this- the ball being delivered to the back post and going directly out with no- one in blue attacking it!

County had turned the tide of things somewhat and put Posh under the cosh, but the visitors were not shy and got forward when they could – Gordon doing really well for County stopping Edwards as he made to break clear from a prolonged County raid.

Gordon was to the fore again not long after- setting Wood up for a pot at goal that saw Ben Woods deflect the effort wide- County going close but no more from the kick.

County continued to press- resisted by keen defending from Peterborough particularly keeper Bass who was in good nick twixt the sticks for his team- disappointing County with a run of saves.

Leonard and Edwards probed away a couple of times deep in blue territory but did not come close to getting the goal they desired.

Meanwhile County kept trying to get that first goal…Glover just unable to reach Wootton with a dink into the box …….and losing out with a free kick a couple of minutes later .

Somehow, whatever County produced Posh survived- Glover and Gordon combining well, causing mayhem, but just missing out despite a glorious back-heeled pass by Glover midst the mayhem.

But the thought that, despite County`s attacking, that Posh might nick a goal lingered in my mind and probably occurred to others too…..

That said, the next action was at the other end where a wonderful ball from Leonard saw Shofowoke in on goal- a real chance and the shot was on target – but Shofowoke was denied as Ashby- Hammond saved with his legs!

Diamond got in a tangle twice in rapid order after that escape- neither team making any ground in the 1 minute the Referee allowed for added time- the score still 0-0 as the teams left the field of play.

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An early half chance for County, when the game re-started , saw the effort by Wood clear the bar at the Railway End- more alarm bells ringing then at the other end after Bate gifted possession to Posh – who looked on to score until the upraised flag of the Danny Stand liner confirmed `offside`  coming to County`s aid.

Then Glover joined Bate on the naughty step with a truly awful back pass that had County`s back line in ribbons thankful to concede a corner when far worse threatened – Norwood rounding the escape off nicely by  blocking a decent effort by Liam Kelly on the end of the incoming flag kick.

That was not great to watch, but we bucked up soon enough as the action switched ends where Kyron Gordon got deep amongst the visitors back line – but his shot was kept out the ball finding its way, via a forest of legs, to Wootton who did what Wootton does, and with minimum panic- slotting his record breaking goal home giving County the 1-0 lead they craved.

Adigun was now on for Wood for County as Posh went in the hunt for the equaliser- Leonard to the fore but inches from turning a fizzing whizbang of a shot from Mendonca into the net.

That was close- Shofowoke back again for Posh moments later running the left side of County`s back line ragged – the ball still eventually running kindly for County who kept their lead!

Woods was in the mix again next for Peterborough, put through by Leonard, seeing his shot clear the bar if not by a great deal!

County now had Fiorini & Ennis on for Bate & Diamond, but it was Adigun who showed for County next- his shot on the turn held by keeper Bass fairly comfortably.

This brought Posh back on the offensive- as a neat combo twixt Leonard and Ormerod pushed County back, down the right- the ball reaching Shofowoke who  got his shot off well only to watch as  Ashby- Hammond stopped the rot for County with an important save.

County were under pressure now, and Posh looked anything but a team next to bottom in L1- Williams pinging a lethal cross over – Ormerod sliding in at the back post centimetres away from putting the ball in County`s net!

It went on….Leonard on the end of a cross from Kelly- stabbing the ball agonisingly wide of goal!

We were into the game`s dying embers now and Dacres-Cogley & Jobe were on for Glover & Osborn, but County were still under pressure- a fine pass by substitute Conn-Clarke sending Leonard in but kept at bay by a brave last ditcher from County keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond.

County rallied around at this point- Adigun (twice) raising the siege on County`s goal and twice upended as he sped up the park. We got free kicks but so deep that to be of no use to us, and Gordon met the same fate on the other flank -a blur of legs arms and torso as he hit the deck courtesy of a Posh defender.

Adigun did slip clear deep in added time, sliding a neat ball inside to Ennis who could not hit the target!

That was 94 minutes of the 95 done with- we would surely not surrender the points now…would we…????

Well no, but it was close…..and a dazzling bit of work from ex Alty boy Chris Conn-Clarke almost did the biz for his team down our left flank- and his effort was not bad at all but needed to be a bit special to beat the County keeper today and Ashby- Hammond saw the danger off with a confident save- game over, County had clung on to their 1-0 lead and claimed all the points!

Job Done, and well done County-it is lame to say it was a scruffy win, although that`s probably an accurate description, but our history is littered with hard luck stories of excellent County performances not always matched by results for reasons we need not dig too deep into here.

Jimmy Mac `s arrival heralds a new era, and the season is but young yet so I for one will rein in my neck…..keep the criticism constructive and …like you…keep supporting the team….warts and all!

See you at Shrewsbury!

StockportCounty line up :-

 Ashby-Hammond, Gordon, O’Connell, Pye, Glover (Dacres-Cogley 82), Bate (Fiorini 65), Norwood,  Osborn (Jobe 82), Diamond (Ennis 65), Wood (Adigun 54), Wootton.

Unused Subs: Camps, Mandron.

Peterborough United line up :-

 Bass, Johnston, Kelly, Leonard, Edwards ( Ormerod 60), Feeney, Mills, Woods (Conn-Clarke 77), Mendonca, Shofowoke ( Williams 77), Ashfield ( Jones 68)

 Unused Subs: Andeng Ndi, Weir, Dornelly. 

Attendance: 9,637 (401)

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