Stockport County 3 Reading FC 1 ( Football League 1) Saturday 14 November 2026

 

 

 

 

Just goal difference keeps County away from topping League 1 tonight after a crowd-pleasing performance at Edgeley Park against Reading , saw them take 3 points with a well merited  3-1win.

The performance was particularly good, bearing in mind the recent rigours away to Cray Wanderers in the FA Cup, and County were never seriously challenged throughout a game that seemed pretty much decided long before game`s end.

Goals from Kyle Wootton, my M.O.M Ethan Ennis and Jack Diamond saw County home – Royals consolation coming via a seriously good and entirely typical finish by Jack Marriott in the first half.

Jimmy Mac`s got his team playing beautifully just now. County`s supporters, as a result, are smiling broadly and long may this continue!

……………………………………..

 

  Straight from the off County almost took the lead- Wood looking mightily effective darting clear – a whisker away from teeing Wootton up with the opening goal.

But another large Edgeley Park crowd did not have to wait long for that opener- set up by a glorious ball out of defence by Ollie Norwood to Ethan Ennis who added wonderfully to the mix with an electrifying burst of speed that took him just inside the box where he delivered a near perfect ball to the back post- a shot? I thought so, but Kyle Wootton took no chances and swung an educated boot at it ….missed….but was alert enough to react as the ball came back off the upright , and prod the ball home.

Six minutes had gone - County had their lead and the EP faithful reasons to be joyful!

That said, the ninth minute needed good work by Eoghan O`Connell for County to stop Kyreece Lisbie & Jack Marriott as they surged into the County box.

Nothing really hinted however that Royals would disturb County`s day, but an over abundance of passes across the back and a rank bad loose ball by Norwood  undid the blues  as Wing and Savage took full advantage with a neat exchange that saw the ball head off wide to where Lisbie lurked, and he delivered the pill low and hard across the box to Marriott who did what he has done so many times before at this venue beating Whatmuff with as tidy a finish as you could wish to see.

Royals had equalised and a real game beckoned!

But County kept their cool, kept pressing forward- Ennis and Diamond to the fore – Ennis particularly effective down the right skinning his marker before getting a cross over- but despite much pressure…a shot by Diamond coming out off a defender, it stayed1-1.

Then, it was 2-1, or so I thought…..the play switching flanks to where Ben Osborn fired in a potential game changer for Wootton to head home. As I say…2-1 but the liner`s flag told another story- the goal was ruled out for offside.

That was frustrating, and it took 5 minutes for matters to be rectified to County`s satisfaction, and what a fine goal it was that brought this about!

It was a classic ensemble production involving a nodded prompt from Wootton to Diamond followed by a pacy run by County`s number 7 and a pass sideways to Wood who wasted little time in seeing the ball on to Ennis who thrashed the ball home brilliantly!

Reading tried to respond and Dan Kyerewaa`s pace down our right flank caused us issues briefly- thankfully Osborn was on hand and ushered the ball up the park and out of danger!

The rest of the first half was a procession towards the Reading goal- Wood shooting wide from a Norwood pass………Wootton blasting his shot over the bar on the end of a neat pass from Diamond ……Ennis enhancing a fine ball from Norwood with a delicate `dink` that required visiting keeper Joel Pereira to make a save with his legs to keep the score at 2-1.

That was that, except for a head but on Ethan Pye by Lisbie- it looked a bad foul and laid Pye out for a time, but Referee Bobby Madley contented himself with showing Lisbie a yellow-the last act of the half

………………………………………

The second half opened at fever pitch with Reading hanging on desperately by the narrowest of threads – kept afloat by the excellence of their goalkeeper Joel Pereira.

Right from the start County were at Royals with real zest and vigour- Wood running at the visitors back line at speed before cutting inside and unleashing a veritable rocket of a shot goal ward where  Pereira dived to tip the ball over the bar at the last gasp!

A corner ensued and worse apparently for Royals as Norwood met this with a thunderous drive that would have removed the netting from its moorings had not the excellent Pereira beat the goal bound shot out with another brilliant save.

If that was frustrating, more of the same followed as County racked up a series of corners putting Reading under the cosh- again relying heavily on their keeper, and they knew that they could.

Then the ball ran clear up the park to Whatmuff who despatched it back again with interest to Ennis on the right wing for County – somehow Reading kept Ennis`s cross out, but at the cost of another corner which was met by Diamond whose header screamed `Goal!!!!` as it headed towards the net where another dive by Pereira saw him push the ball over the bar.

More pressure followed from County, but it stayed 2-1, with 49 minutes gone.

Then karma as a ridiculous free kick awarded to Reading for what appeared to be a foul on Wood, resulted in the kick ending up with Jack Diamond who wasted no time at all in advancing on goal before burying the ball beyond Pereira into the Reading net!

County had their 3-1 lead and proceeded to try and increase it!

Ennis was in the van of this- providing the thrust- Bate having a better game today and the team benefitting accordingly- Ennis twice launching precocious runs that deserved far more than they achieved- Pereira doing well to keep crosses out of the danger zone.

With County ringing the changes – Fiorini for Norwood, Glover for Ennis – Reading put them under pressure for a while but without causing Whatmuff undue angst.

It was not long before County took control again with some lovely football – and Reading were fortunate not to concede a penalty on 68 minutes when Glover appeared to be pushed as he went for Wood`s incoming cross in front of goal. Nothing was awarded by the officials- a big miss!

On it went with County pressing…Osborn pinging a cross over which Pereira came out to grab.

Pereira could do nothing next as Wootton latched onto the ball, deflected to him by 1 of a clutch of Reading defenders close by him, before slotting the ball home to cheers from the big EP crowd.

But it stayed 3-1 as, despite the deflection, the goal was ruled out for `offside`.

Cue another couple of County substitutions as Adigun & Dacres- Cogley came on for Wood & Osborn( ex Hatter Josh Stokes coming on ( to boos) replacing Kyrewaa for Reading.

County came under pressure again for a time – defending deep but with determination- Whatmuff`s best being a neat bit of work at his near post to deny Fraser with circa 10 minutes left.

It was around this time that Diamond was played clear but unable to score what looked a decent chance allowing Hayden Roberts to clear the danger for Royals.

Jobe was on for Gordon late on as County sought to control matters until the final whistle- Adigun going close for the blues…... Reading replying for a while without success……Bates good work surfacing again at the death…..along with a neat pass by Wootton to Fiorini who was inches away from glory with a shot that saw the ball fizz inches wide of Pereira`s right hand upright!

Game over, to County the points and much credit that sets them up nicely for another away trip ( to Cambridge) on Saturday- see you there then!

Stockport County line up :-

 Whatmuff, Gordon (Jobe 81), O’Connell, Pye, Ennis (Glover 62), Bate, Norwood (Fiorini 62), Osborn (Dacres-Cogley,73); Diamond, Wood (Adigun 73), Wootton.

Unused Subs: Edun, Mandron.

 

Reading FC line up:-

Pereira , Godwin-Malife, Roberts , Fraser, Marriott( Reed 83) , Savage( O`Connor 83) , Wing , Kyerewaa ( Stokes 73), Lisbie , Knight , Masterson( Williams 66).

Unused Subs:  Stevens , Patton , Ahmed, Jones.

Attendance: 9,778 (689)

hedgegrower

 

Crowd Gallery by @machinsports