County suffer late Trophy heartbreak
STOCKPORT fell to a second cup defeat of the week as National League rival Notts County snatched a late 2-1 win in the FA Trophy at Edgeley Park.
In a largely quiet affair – after the fireworks in Monday evening’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Premier League side West Ham – chances came at a premium before the visitors took the lead after a rather flat opening halfhour.
The lively Enzio Boldewijn burst through the heart of the Hatters’ defence and teed-up Mansfield loanee Jimmy Knowles to cleverly toe-poke past Josh Barnes.
Jim Gannon’s side pressed for a leveller before the interval, and it came just four minutes following the opening goal when the returning Ash Palmer bundled home Macauley Southam-Hales’ near-post corner.
After an equally quiet start to the second half with no chances of note for either side, it was the visitors who once again came closest to retaking the lead when Ruben Rodrigues’ cross cannoned off the crossbar and flew clear of danger.
The Hatters almost took a lead of their own in bizarre fashion, when Luke Pilling’s sliced clearance in the Notts County goal fell straight to Adam Thomas from distance – but the County winger saw his chipped effort clip the outside of the post as the Magpies survived.
Gannon turned to leading striker Alex Reid from the substitutes’ bench late on, and the former Stevenage forward almost grabbed a winner with his first touch as he met Mark Kitching’s cross from close range and forced a superb save by Pilling.
Striker Richie Bennet spurned a huge opportunity to win the tie in normal time as he screwed Jordan Williams’ cutback wide from close range, before Magpies sub Kyle Wootton did win the tie when he drove home via a deflection in the final minute.
Altrincham, meanwhile, had to forfeit their FA Trophy tie against Havant and Waterlooville due to a Robins player contracting Covid.
Several first-team squad members have had to isolate after having close contact with the player, which meant Alty were unable to field a side for the tie.