Hatters still up for the cup

STOCKPORT bounced back from a disappointing midweek defeat at Notts County by advancing in the FA Trophy with a 3-1 comeback win over National League North Guiseley at Edgeley Park.

Despite falling behind to Jon Wafula’s first-half strike, The Hatters bounced back in the second half with an Alex Reid brace and a late stunner by John Rooney against a Lions side which finished with ten men after Hamza Bencherif’s second-half dismissal.

In a low-key first half, the first real chance for a much-changed home side – showing seven changes from the side which fell to defeat at Meadow Lane in midweek – when young striker Louis Britton looped a clever header onto the post and away.

But the visitors took a lead when striker Wafula beat Josh Barnes to a through ball and slid through the legs of the debuting Hatters ‘keeper.

As the tie approached the hour mark, Reid ran through on goal after a Britton flick-on and went down under pressure from Hamza Bencherif. With the Guiseley skipper the last line of defence, the Lions defender was dismissed, and Reid stepped up to take the spot kick himself – only to blaze wildly over the crossbar.

Reid made amends with a quarter of an hour remaining as he flicked a deft header inside the far post from a John Rooney corner, before the inform striker then gave County the lead with less than ten minutes to go.

Substitute Rooney sealed the comeback win, and County’s route into the fourth round of the Trophy, when he picked up Ryan Croasdale’s ball and curled into the top corner.