Post by westander on Mar 19, 2024 10:32:02 GMT
Tough game, made tougher by Stockport pressing hard throughout the game. Stockport are a very good team and it showed. They had clearly done their homework and managed to keep our better players quiet with Lolos in particular being marked closely. As a result of their high press we were forced to go long from Corey for most of the game and we found it hard to find space in the midfield.
We did far better in the wide areas, with Kellen and in particular Harry Forster having good games. The Stockport number 3 Touray really should have been booked (at least) for two very late challenges on Kellen in the space of a few minutes.
The first half was nervy and cautious. Not many clear cut chances but we had the better of the possession and the better chances when they came. The defence left Stockport with few efforts on goal and most of those led to routine saves by Corey. The defence was outstanding throughout. Joy had a tougher time than he has had lately playing against a real League Two forward, who was strong and wiley but he coped very well and had a great game. Laurence Maguire had a good game as well and although Will Wright played well, he was hesitant at times, both in his distribution and his decision making.
Early on we had a few good chances, with Maguire missing a free header, which looked easier to score.
In the midfield, Jeremy was a little lost, a little too slow in thought and movement, he looked as if he was struggling. Darcy was everywhere as always and had to cover for him numerous times. Jay was also everywhere and I thought was one of our better players - he does a lot of unheralded work breaking up attacks and his positioning off the ball was outstanding.
Up front Orsi stuck at it and had one superb chance which their keeper did well to knock away. Lolos was, well, Lolos. He gives so much, even when he is tightly marked - he had three Stockport players around him every time he had the ball. He is irrepressible though and although he could not play his usual expansive game, he worked hard and kept at it.
The second half was very different. They changed shape and really took the game to us. We struggled to get out of our own half for the first 15-20 minutes. They had a number of decent chances and Corey pulled off one outstanding save as the ball came across the box to the far post. There was also one big moment. Their number 8, Camps, who was probably their best player, kept driving forward and worked a one on one with Corey on the right hand side. Instead of shooting, he opted to square the ball and it was easily intercepted by our player.
Their goal was disappointing. Will Wright was clearly pushed as the ball came across from a corner and as a result, their player had an unopposed header at the back post.
Stockport made some strange substitutions - they took off their most potent attacking players and brought on defenders, presumably to hold the lead. A little odd as they had been nullifying us in the second half. We then had a lot more space in front of us and took the game to them.
We buzzed around their box and had a number of half chances then Orsi turned the ball into Lolos' path, he took one touch to take it into the area and unleashed an unstoppable thunderbolt into the top corner! Cue scenes!
We had one last chance when Maguire picked up a knock down in the area but blasted it well over.
There was also a string penalty claim for us that wasn't given.
Did we deserve the draw? Arguably but the Stockport fans will feel they did enough to win and they have a strong point. All credit to the players though, they kept at it, chasing shadows at times but they kept doing the right things - kept the right shape, kept the right mindset throughout the game and came away with a credible point that felt like a win at the end.
Stockport were one of the best teams we have played this season and to get a fighting draw in such a tight, hard fought game was fantastic.
Man of the Match - Harry Forster, Joy, Laurence Maguire and Jay Williams were all strong contenders but Harry Forster deserved it for another non-stop, all action, lung-bursting game.
SCOTT LINDSEY'S RED ARMY!