HARD WORK STARTS NOW
Boss fires warning ahead of tough week
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon warned his side that there would be ‘plenty of hard work still to come,’ after The Hatters thrashed neighbours FC United of Manchester 5-1 in Saturday’s season opener. Goals from Frank Mulhern, Paul Turnbull, Kallum Mantack and a brace from Matty Warburton sealed a stunning three points for County in the National League North curtainraiser at Edgeley Park – but the Hatters chief explained that his players wouldn’t be resting on their laurels with two daunting trips in the offing.
Gannon’s men were due to travel to York City on Tuesday evening as the Express went to print, before hitting the road again this Saturday to battle big-spending Southport.
“The way we went about things was exciting and the most pleasing aspect for me,” said Gannon.
“It’s job done on the day, but the week only gets tougher with two trips to two full-time sides. But it was a brilliant day with an excellent result, full of energy and vigour from both our players and our fans.”A bumper crowd of more than 4,500 packed into Edgeley Park to watch The Hatters dismantle the Red Rebels, and the former Motherwell boss admitted that there may be a new hero on the books for the County faithful.
Striker Frank Mulhern, signed for an undisclosed fee in the summer to replace the departed Jason Oswell, got his County career off the perfect start with the opening goal from a Paul Turnbull, before going on to produce an all-action display.
Gannon was quick to praise the majority of his side, in fact, reserving a mention for the midfield duo of Paul Turnbull and Sam Walker – with captain Turnbull helping himself to a pair of assists and a stunning late strike.
“We’ve had some excellent number nines here, and Jason’s gone now, but there’ll always be more strikers out there.
“We will not regret bringing Frank in, he gives that bit much more and I’m really pleased.
“I was delighted with Sam and Paul, too. We’ve wanted them both to be that bit much more attacking and to get involved higher up, and they’ve done themselves justice on the day,” the 50-year-old enthused.
An eye-catching result was capped by a fifth Hatters goal in stoppage time by youngster Kallum Mantack, with Gannon admitting that the former Oldham trainee’s clever lob was an ‘emotional moment’.
Mantack, during a loan spell at Edgeley Park last campaign, suffered a broken leg from a nasty challenge in a Boxing Day win over Alfreton, with The Hatters moving to add the recently recovered wing-back to their ranks late last week.
Gannon explained after the signing that last season’s horror injury was a ‘sad way’ for Mantack’s stint with the club to come to an end, and was quick to secure the permanent signature of the 21-year-old.
“Kallum was disappointed that he came on the left wing on Saturday, but we told him he could still cause problems and he did. It was a fantastic finish, and you could see in his celebration that his attitude towards this club is excellent.
“It capped a great afternoon, but there won’t be any complacency. We know there is work to be done. We know York and Southport are very tough asks – but we’ll come in and prepare as professionally and thoroughly as we did on Saturday.”
It’s a great job done, but the week only gets tougher with away trips
Gannon’s side never looked in doubt of taking the three points in this encounter
RAMPANT County made an emphatic opening day statement by crushing neighbours FC United 5-1 at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
A brace for Matty Warburton, sandwiched inbetween Frank Mulhern’s opener and late goals from captain Paul Turnbull and substitute Kallum Mantack, eased The Hatters to their biggest opening day win in over 20 years.
Jim Gannon’s men took to the field showing just one change from the starting line-up for their final friendly, at home to Macclesfield, a week earlier. Winger Darren Stephenson was brought in as Gannon opted for his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
Gannon has rang the changes at Edgeley Park over the summer, and three new faces made their competitive bows for County.
Defenders Ash Palmer and Jordan Keane started at the heart of a back four, while striker Frank Mulhern took to the field with the daunting task of replacing last season’s 30-goal striker Jason Oswell, who departed for League Two Morecambe in the summer. Tom Greaves’ FC United side featured a host of former Hatters, in captain Harry Winter and full-back Stephen O’Halloran – both of whom opted to depart County over the closeseason period – and former Wembley hero Liam Dickinson, who famously bagged The Hatters’ playoff final winner ten years ago against neighbours Rochdale.
Gannon’s side, who suffered play-off heartbreak last season in a quarterfinal defeat to Chorley, had been installed as title favourites by national bookmakers before the National League North season began – and, against opposition who are widely tipped to struggle, the hosts never looked in doubt of taking the three points here. From their first corner, whipped in menacingly by skipper Turnbull, Mulhern’s header was cleared off the line by Joel Senior, before Warburton fired the follow-up narrowly wide of the right post on the rebound. And from their second – also taken by Turnbull on the left – Mulhern again connected to head County into the lead, with 12 minutes played. A minute ahead of the half-hour, County’s advantage was doubled, with the superb Turnbull intercepting O’Halloran’s risky pass out of defence before barrelling through the Rebels backline, and laying it on a plate for Warburton to get off the mark for the campaign.
And a minute ahead of half-time, Warburton made it three with another close-range finish – after Scott Duxbury typically charged down the left, crossing low for Minihan to square for that man Warburton to tap home.
Any fears that County’s first-half momentum would fade after the break
were dispelled, when Mulhern saw one goalbound shot blocked by O’Halloran within a minute of the resumption, and another, four minutes later, kept out by teenage debutant-goalkeeper, William Crellin.
Mulhern then headed a Walker corner from the right against the crossbar, before Willoughby’s shot, from a cross by newlyarrived substitute, Sam Tattum, on the right, took a heavy deflection off Ash Palmer and fizzed past Hinchliffe to reduce the deficit.
But, unlike last season’s infamous 3-3 draw at Edgeley Park, in which The Hatters squandered a 3-0 half-time lead, Gannon’s new and improved side went on to reassert their dominance and capped the win with two excellent stoppage-time strikes.
With a minute of normal time remaining, substitute Kallum Mantack’s cross from the left was headed cleverly back by fellow substitute Nyal Bell for Turnbull to fire in low from the edge of the box.
And, on the stroke of full-time, Mantack superbly chipped a through-ball over Crellin to spark a back-flip celebration on the former FC United loanee’s part and, in the words of the delighted Gannon, ‘cap a wonderful afternoon’.
County were due to travel to full-time side York City on Tuesday evening as the Express went to print, with another tough trip following this weekend with a visit to Liam Watson’s big-spending Southport.