HAVING completed an impressive turnaround to edge out Worcester City by the odd goal in five whilst on their travels seven days ago, Stockport County returned to Edgeley Park with confidence duly boosted ahead of the visit by bottom-of-the-table Corby Town.
But County were this time to be on the receiving end of a late recovery, as the ‘Steelmen’ scored twice in the closing stages to claw back a two-goal deficit – and, by doing so, snatched a draw to take a little edge off the disappointment at having their own relegation mathematically confirmed.
County’s starting line-up on a cold spring afternoon – which was later to mix hail, and even light snow flurries, with the intermittent April sunshine – showed just one change from the team that had taken to the field against Worcester, with Jamie Menagh replacing Chris Smalley.
Obi Anoruo and Glenn Rule – the latter of whom had not featured since Jim Gannon’s first league match back in managerial charge 12 weeks earlier – were both named among the substitutes, following recovery from their respective injuries.
Brandon Wilson, fresh from a fine individual performance in the Worcester game, picked up where he had left off a week previously by engineering the latest contest’s first chance, as he weaved into the Corby box from the right before finding Richard Brodie – but the latter’s shot lacked pace and was comfortably held by visiting goalkeeper, Oliver (son of former English and Scottish Premiership forward, and glancing-header specialist, Chris) Sutton.
With Corby’s team including Ellis Myles, Greg Mills and Ben Milnes, there was potential for all kinds of confusion in terms of reporting which of the Steelmen might do what! And this was put to the test at an early stage, when Milnes teed up Mills – who fired wide of County’s right post.
As the match settled down, County, in a 4-4-2 ‘diamond’ formation, began to assume a level of control that was maintained for the remainder of the half.
John Marsden, who had earlier in the day signed a new contract that will keep him at EP until May 2017, came close to celebrating his good news twice within four minutes: first, picking up on Kay Odejayi’s through-ball before seeing his low drive denied by a one-handed parry from Sutton around the right post; and, subsequently, striking Corby’s other upright with a shot from eight yards out.
The Steelmen made occasional forays towards the other end – with Mills hitting the side netting after cutting in from the left, and stand-in captain, Danny Draper, firing high into Cheadle End orbit from distance. And Dean Henderson was called into action when Nathan Evans threatened from the right – but County’s on-loan Number One stood tall to block effectively.
Just prior to Henderson’s save, Wilson had become the second Hatter to hit the visitors‘ woodwork – courtesy of a 30-yard thunderbolt that rattled their crossbar. The effort would have made for a wonderful first goal in County colours, so far as the loanee midfielder was concerned – but it mattered not, given that just four minutes later he conjured up another of its kind.
And this time, to the delight of most in attendance, he hit the target…
Having been teed up by Marsden, Wilson let rip again to bury the ball in the top corner – simultaneously putting County ahead just before the interval, and producing a late contender for the club’s ‘Goal of the Season’.
In the half’s dying moments, Brodie shot wide after being played through by Odejayi. But the Hatters were nevertheless able to go in at the break with a lead – and were good value for it.
HALF-TIME: County 1 (Wilson, 42), Corby 0.
Mills, of all the visiting players, appeared most likely to cause problems for the Hatters. And he went close twice in quick succession shortly after proceedings resumed – shooting wide of the left post from just outside the area, before latching onto an Evans cross from the right and heading straight at Henderson.
Odejayi then put Sutton to a more serious test, when the ball fell to the big striker after Danny Morton had crossed. Sutton, clad all in plum, stretched out his right leg to keep out the shot – and the danger was duly averted.
Albeit temporarily, mind. For, just ahead of the hour-mark, a Menagh corner from the right was met by Paul Connolly, who stooped to head in his first County goal and double the Hatters’ advantage.
Morton was whipping all manner of dangerous deliveries across from the right flank. And the right back went close to scoring, after cutting in and unleashing a low shot that Sutton did well to dive and smother.
But the Steelmen introduced two 17-year-old wingers – namely, Sekou Kromah and Michael Ogilvie on the left and right, respectively – and, between them, the pair gave Corby a renewed sense of purpose.
With nine minutes of normal time remaining, an Ogilvie cross deep into County’s six-yard area found Milnes. The latter’s first attempt at a shot was kept out by Henderson – but Milnes made no mistake on the rebound, to fire home and halve the arrears.
A rather frenetic end-to-end episode followed, as Corby sensed an opportunity of salvaging something from the contest and the Hatters sought to preserve, or extend, their lead: Sam Grimshaw fired over, after excellent work on the right by Odejayi; Callum Ball did likewise for the visitors at the Railway End; and Ryan Ellison shot wide of the right post from distance.
But there was to be a late twist of cold steel in County’s heart – when, in the third and final minute of added time, Morton lunged at Mills to bring the Corby frontman down in the box. Referee, Jane Simms, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot – and Mills dusted himself down before sending Henderson the wrong way to equalise.
A draw for the visitors – however unlikely it might have seemed as the game entered its final phase – could not save them from a drop back down to the Step Three level from whence they came last year. But they will have boarded their coach home with at least some pleasure over a comeback that had seen them… erm (last time, I promise) ‘steel’ away with a share of the spoils.
FULL-TIME: County 2 (Wilson, 42; Connolly, 59), Corby 2 (Milnes, 81; Mills (penalty), 90 + 3).
Teams
Stockport County: Henderson (GK), Morton, Roberts, Ellison, S O’Hanlon (C), Connolly, Menagh (Grimshaw, 76), Wilson, Brodie (Anoruo, 69), Marsden, Odejayi.
Booked: Anoruo
Corby Town: Sutton (GK), Myles, B O’Hanlon, Breeze (Ogilvie, 64), McKenzie, Marshall, Mills, Draper (C), Ball, Milnes, Evans (Kromah, 76).
Booked: Marshall
Attendance: 2,454 (33 away)
By Gareth Evans at Edgeley Park
@GarethE77815055
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