County took
their supporters on a white knuckle ride today at Haigh Avenue , where……leading
Southport by 1-0 at half time, a score that, despite a last 20 minutes period
in the half where Southport took the game noticeably to County, hardly flattered
them.
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| Terrace part of County following. |
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| and again..... |
With Stephenson and Thomas showing great skill
down the flanks ,and the defence looking sound, things were looking up as the
teams headed off the park at circa 3.45.
However….the re-start saw a complete turn around as Southport tore into
County with a zeal and energy almost totally absent from their game in the
first 45 minutes.
In response
County, whose defence, had shut the Sandgrounders out in the first half,
imploded big time thereafter shipping 3 goals without reply to a Southport side
rejuvenated by the inclusion of several new faces in their numbers , all of
whom were motoring considerably in the second half.
In the end,
despite a valiant effort late on from County, it was almost impossible to argue
that the 3-1 score line was anything other than a fair reflection of how things
panned out. Disappointing….for sure….but then life is that at times is it not!
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| County pre match ! |
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| Andrew Machin catches the minutes applause. |
The early
exchanges saw County get forward nicely, putting together some neat moves
spearheaded by Oswell who was looking to prosper as Stephenson and Thomas
tested the home side down the flanks.
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| Turner and Oswell raid ( Andrew Machin ) |
Thomas did particularly well, and
continues to impress me, and Dazzer gets more in his opponents faces with every
game that passes.
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| Thomas- mustard ! |
It took
County fully 8 minutes to make their apparent superiority count, and it was a
run from O’Halloran that was the catalyst. Surging clear down the left, the
former Irish international then sent an inch perfect lofted cross to the back
post where Oswell headed it back across goal to Turner who made no mistake from
close in.
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| 1-0 | | |
And two from Andrew Machin , same County goal.....
That was
simply excellent , but the large County following had no time to celebrate
when Elliot Osborne ( one of the new
faces)hit back , a decent drive from him requiring prompt attention from
Hinchliffe( back in between the sticks for Ormson) to keep it out.
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| Hincliffe busy ( Andrew Machin ) |
Southport
kept up their spirited response, and ex
FCUM man Jason Gilchrist tested Hinchliffe fully, a couple of minutes later,
with a shot that had the County keeper diving urgently to his left to keep it
at 1-0, dealing with the follow up from the impressive Adam Dawson for good
measure.
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| Hinchliffe grabs...Andrew Machin snaps ! |
Stephenson ran the ball clear from this action, and all seemed well
from a County viewpoint, although County could not make anything from the break.
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| Oswell/ Turner hover........ |
I must say
,that Southport were clearly looking in
better shape than when last we were in these parts, and Michael Clarke did well
to deny Jack Sampson as he lined up a shot in front of goal, and thwart the
same player not long after as he strove to reach Gilchrist with what would have
been a dangerous ball.
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| Clarke clears |
David Morgan,
another one in yellow who had a good game in my view, blotted his copy book 15
minutes in, by clattering Adam Thomas thus earning himself an early card.
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| Hup....Thomas ! |
County
eventually got their mojo back, and with Thomas flying in excellent fashion
hugging the touchline down the right, and Oswell sniffing energetically for the
resultant scraps, they racked up a series of corners – Jon Worsnop, the home
keeper, doing particularly well at one point to tip an Oswell effort over the
bar at the last gasp!
It was disappointing
to see scorer Rhys Turner limp off after 23 minutes, being replaced by Gary
Stopforth, and hindsight installs this moment as pivotal to what happened
thereafter.
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| Rhys Turner - missed for sure! |
Notwithstanding Stopforth’s obvious and abiding energy and verve,
County found replacing Rhys a difficult ask! Arguably a crucial factor in the County demise then…..but
there were other factors as well so….to use a Scottish legal term…. ` not
proven’
With 25
minutes gone though, things still looked OK for the white shirted blues, as Stephenson
and Thomas continued to take the game to County’s opponents.
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| Stephenson- lively ( Andrew Machin ) |
The 29th
minute however saw County almost pay for their slackness, as Winter lost the
ball to Morgan. Morgan was only denied by a neat save from Hinchliffe , and County breathed easy again.
From
this….Southport put more pressure on the County keeper, who had to punch out as
Caleb Richards’ lofted cross headed into the crowded box. Dawson’s follow up
found Hinchliffe able to deal, which again was a relief.
Southport
kept the pressure on, and Clarke did well to block a raid, with 8 minutes left
of the half. Ball was able to run the ball clear from this and twice in rapid
succession Stephenson was almost in.
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| Hup Ball. |
At the other
end, Gilchrist was not far away with a nifty effort, as was Morgan whose shot saw an involuntary stop by
Hinchliffe keep the ball out.
Worsnop meanwhile……did
well to keep a Stephenson shot out, after the liner allowed him to carry on
when well offside( even I would have flagged that one- the locals were not best
pleased!)
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| Stephenson on the ball ( Andrew Machin ) |
The half
ended with Morgan shooting wide when well placed, and Dawson stopped in the box by County debutant
Jamie Stott.
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| County Flags ( Andrew Machin ) |
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| Spot the Coop Board Man ( Andrew Machin ) |
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| County seats( Andrew Machin ) |
Southport
had shaped up well in the last 20 minutes of the first half, but with the game
re-started it was possible to think that maybe County could win this one.
Well….it
took about a minute for me to be disavowed of that one…..there seemed no real
danger when Sampson stole the ball midway inside the County half. Even when he
strode forward to the edge of the box…I thought the same, and then it was
`quick re-think time’ as Hinchliffe took an age to react to Sampson’s shot when
it came and the ball slowly headed goal ward , a late bobble beating the
keeper’s attempts to keep the ball out. That should have been avoided!
Southport
were suitably buoyed by that last action, and captain Dave Lynch saw his shot
go narrowly wide after snatching possession in the County half.
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| Close call for Southport ! |
A tense
moment or two followed for County, but I again allowed myself happy thoughts,
as Winter sent a veritable rocket of a shot screaming inches over the top!
I liked
that…..but not the next bit …as Morgan and Dawson were joined in County’s last
third by Jordan Richards, who proceeded to ping a succession of dangerous balls
into the box, causing County real issues dealing with same.
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| County defend.... |
County were
under the cosh, and it was a relief to see Hinchliffe react swiftly to claw a
shot from Lynch out of the air as it sped goal ward.
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| The Claw ( Andrew Machin ) |
He was under
pressure again shortly after as Gilchrist surged clear to set up a real chance
for Kevin Davies’ side, but despite an almighty scramble at the foot of
Hinchliffe’s left hand post, the ball stayed out!
Duxbury was
on now for Thomas, and was soon in the fray, earning a lecture, along with
Dawson, from referee Dean Hulme.
County
stepped up their search for a goal that would give them back their lead, and
Stephenson was unlucky to see Worsnop rise to push his shot around the post ,
with 25 minutes left.
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| County press. |
O’Halloran
and Stephenson continued to probe for
that vital second goal but without
success. That said…. I was moved to think that we had in fact achieved a
measure of success when Oswell went down in the box under pressure from Lynch
amongst others.
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| Penalty.....not apparently! |
The referee pointed to the spot( or so I thought), but when he
reached in his pocket and produced a yellow , waving it in Oswell’s face, we
knew differently. I rated that an iffy decision, that was not made any better
by the referee’s booking of Lynch ( for verbals).
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| Yellow for Lynch |
County fans
were still seething, when less than a minute later their team were behind as Gilchrist
shrugged off a couple of ineffectual challenges to fire the ball home off the far post.
Bugger….we
were 2-1 down……and not long after it was 3-1 when the ball was lifted into the
box from the left touchline. It had snow on it when it came down , but it also
had accuracy and picked out Sampson precisely at the back post. Hinchliffe’s
ball?.............arguably……but he stayed on his line and Sampson did the rest
heading home from close in.
County tried
to reply but, with around 10 minutes left, attention was diverted to off the
field where a group of individuals within the County following, who had refused
previously to move away from blocking the view of the disabled ( County) fans,
erupted in a welter of foul language, before one of their number, having hurled
a cone ,along with some vile abuse, at a player, elected to run onto the pitch
.
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| Late County pressure ( Andrew Machin ) |
This was
quite simply outrageous behaviour which is likely to cost the Club. What is the
point of me railing about segregation when this sort of stupidity reins…..
albeit from the smallest of minorities!
I almost
missed Dixon coming on for Clarke because of the unsavoury goings on to my
left.
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| Worsnop earns his corn ! |
I was able
to see that County were trying to get back into it……Duxbury was trying
particularly hard………. winning corners…pinging crosses in…drawing fouls from the
opposition. Stott went close with a header, and keeper Worsnop was a busy
lad in the minutes that remained of the
game , but it stayed 3-1.
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| Dux pinging them in ! |
County put a
lot of pressure on Southport in the remainder of the game, but the last laugh
was very nearly the home team’s, as from deep defence they broke . It was a bit
of a shoo in really….but somehow Sampson managed not to hit the target with
Hinchliffe severely stretched.
That was it
then….no fairy tale come back, just disappointment, but we have been there
before ….and we can come back from this…starting Tuesday at Harrogate!
See you
there!
Southport
line up:
Worsnop, J
Richards, C Richards, Morgan, Howson, Priestley, Dawson( Charles 81), Lynch,
Gilchrist, Sampson, Osborne.
Subs not
used; Smith, Kpohomouh, Doyle, Halstead.
Stockport
County line up:
Hinchliffe, Cowan, Clarke( Dixon 80), Stott, O’Halloran,
Ball, Winter, Thomas( Duxbury 61), Oswell, Turner( Stopforth 23), Stephenson.
Subs not
used: Ormson, Mc Kenna.
Attendance:
1652
hedgegrower
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