Shrewsbury Town 0 Stockport County 2 ( EFL Trophy- Group Stage) Tuesday 6 October 2026

 

 

After a first 45 minutes best forgotten( the first half), County came back with a bang to dispose of Shrewsbury Town at the Salopians Croud Meadow home last night with second half goals by Jason Adigun and Che Gardner.

Gardner was one of the star performers for the orange shirted blues – his goal( a real belter) was very well received by County`s travelling support who were here in decent numbers.

A good result then, and one well worth making an effort to witness on a sometimes blizzard ridden Tuesday evening in October!

Jimmy Mac will have come away from the game with loads to ponder positively….Gardner`s lively showing….Adigun`s deserved goal……and a very interesting late cameo from Bruno Cina who might have scored a couple late on with a modicum of good fortune. At the back, the County 3 of Dacres- Cogley, Jobe & Wilson- Brown looked assured, if against somewhat moderate opposition,  and the team generally played with an assurance that augers well for their`s and their team`s future progress.

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Delayed by 2 serious accidents involving at least 1 fatality, on the A5 on the way to the game, the Flyer made it to the stadium in time for the start .

If any amongst us were expecting an uplifting spectacle in the first half they were in for a disappointment.

County were defending our end of the ground – the back 3 of Dacres- Cogley, Jobe & Wilson- Brown looking confident in front of Ashby-Hammond who is growing on me quickly as a net minder.

But, that said…what was happening on the park was truly soporific – it was 6 minutes before we were roused- as Camps sent a shot looping over the bar.

Another 14 minutes passed before anything else stirred County`s support under the SY Comms North Stand roof, and it was a break by Aiston for Town , but faced with a forest of orange shirts in the box he ran out of ideas and spark- any notional chance was gone.

Six more minutes and I fancied Shrewsbury`s Josh Davidson might, in another life , under the glare of a referee far more compassionate than Richard Watkins, have been celebrating winning a penalty as he sank to the deck – but Mr W wasn`t having any and I have to admit that he was correct.

He was correct again just beyond the half hour as Mandron was upended on the edge of the box. The free kick was ideally placed….right up Ollie Norwood`s alley, but he was busy elsewhere and Fiorini took it lifting the ball out of the keeper`s reach but over the bar.

The 40th minute saw a break of some quality by Sousa for Town and he ended a leggy run down the left with a corking cross that simply begged putting away- but it fell at the feet of Aiston and he froze in front of goal allowing Ashby- Hammond time and more to descend on the ball and nullify the danger.

There was time for Adigun to look to lift matters with a shot on goal but the ball drifted wide almost at the end of the half.

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The second half immediately seemed to offer us more- Adigun bursting through down the right, his ball across the box finding no one available to apply a finish.

The County push continued with Adigun combining with Edun to good effect-the latter getting a shot off that Gregory, the home keeper, did well to keep out.

Che Gardner meanwhile, was radiating good vibes looking every inch worth a run in the first team for me.

County`s press played on our hosts nerves,   and panic ensued as  a corner then a free kick  followed, and a shot from Adigun but this was blocked just inside the box.

Ennis was working hard but without any great reward-  England getting up to head a cross from County`s number 30 clear on the hour for the Salopians.

A minute later it was a surprise to see Wilson-Brown emerge inside the box – a shot from him fizzing inches wide with the keeper beaten, 61 minutes in.

On the County push went- as they pushed Town back into their last third- Jobe joining the forward thrust with a header that Gregory managed to push up onto the bar from 1 of a rash of County corners.

It was building nicely from County ,but there was no sign that Gregory would let them in any time soon- another fine save seeing him dive to keep a decent strike by Ennis out at his back post.

We were into the last 15 minutes now and hoping not to have to witness a penalty shoot out.

Then I looked up from my notes to see Mandron on the ball …turn before passing to Adigun who drilled the ball across goal into the far corner of the net. Gregory did get a hand to it but could not keep the ball out- County had their 1-0 lead!

By now Bruno Cina was on the park and straight in Gregory`s hair- the keeper brilliantly taken unawares by the young Hatter who slid in with a purpose with but one apparent purpose- to nick a second County goal . This was centre forward play straight from the forties and fifties but Gregory somehow managed to deck Cina and come out of the liveliest of exchanges not having conceded another goal!

That was great stuff and Cina looked right on the money – back again  3 minutes later only kept from putting Ennis`s cross away by excellent defending by Isaac Lee!

If Bruno is something of an unknown quantity to many County fans, Che Gardner is not- just lacking the game time to prove how very handy he could be to our first team, and he underlined this with clarity seizing onto Ennis`s cross in the box  before hammering the ball home to put the match out of Town`s reach at 2-0.

And it was out of their reach but Gregory kept making saves right up to the very last kick of the game-diving to his right to push a goal bound shot out as the ref put his whistle to his mouth to end the game!

 

A good win for County who are well placed now to sort matters against Tranmere in the final group match.

Well worth making the effort to get to this one as will be Sandbach in the First Round of the Cheshire Senior Cup next Tuesday- see you all there!

 

Stockport County line up:-

 Ashby-Hammond , Dacres-Cogley, Jobe, Wilson-Brown , Ennis (Rydel 76), Fiorini , Camps (Bailey 63), Edun (Ilara 63), Adigun (Cina 77), Gardner, Mandron (Astles 76). 

Unused subs: Mingi, Marshall. 

Shrewsbury Town line up:-

 Gregory, Lee, Stubbs (Hoole 46), Hall, Pendleton (Fallon 90), Gray, England, Sousa, Aiston (Thompson-McKenzie 83), Davison (Fletcher 73), Gbode.

Subs not used: Brook, Turner-Cooke, Berkoe.

Attendance: 1,918 (494) 

hedgegrower 

 

Some Crowd Shots from old hedgie......