Monkey off the
COUNTY battled to a first win in seven last Wednesday evening, overcoming former Football League rivals Hartlepool Utd 2-1 at Edgeley Park.
With the BT Sport cameras screening the game live across the nation, two early strikes by Ash Palmer and the newlysigned Tom Walker put County into a strong firsthalf lead, before the visitors threatened a late comeback via Nicke Kabamba’s 86th minute finish.
With new signing Tom Walker in situ on the left side of midfield, County chief Jim Gannon opted for four changes from the side which “stopped the rot” with a goalless draw at Sutton the weekend prior.
Festus Arthur, Joe Leesley and Nyal Bell were all recalled, while the returning Walker, beginning a second spell at EP, went straight into the side – although fellow new arrival Devante Rodney, also on loan from Salford City, had picked up a knock that delayed any debut appearance.
Dan Cowan, Elliot Osborne, Adam Hammill and Frank Mulhern all dropped to the bench, with Cowan suffering from illness throughout the week - although the former Macclesfield man recovered suitably enough for a second-half cameo.
County looked to take the game to their visitors, who parted ways with boss Craig Hignett just 24 hours after the Edgeley Park defeat, and stormed into a two-goal lead early on - with new man Walker pivotal to both goals.
In the opening minutes, talismanic defender Ash Palmer grabbed his first home goal of the season with a volleyed finish past Pools stopped Ben Killip, from a short corner routine led by the quickthinking Walker.
With an assist already to his name, the lively Walker continued to show his Football League class, easing through the Hartlepool defence and curling a delicious effort off the post moments later - via a splendid fingertip save by the busy Killip.
The energetic Sam Minihan had also been at the heart of anything good emanating from the home side; and the diminutive full-back raced away down the right soon after to tee up Adam Thomas.
Thomas crossed low for Nyal Bell, who - with the signing of striker Rodney putting the youngster’s position seemingly under threat - cleverly rolled into the path of the onrushing Tom Walker, who finished classily past Killip.
Pools improved throughout the first half, with captain - and their best player on the night Ryan Donaldson cutting in from the left and firing narrowly over the crossbar just before the halfhour Mark.
Many of Hartlepool’s efforts came from long range, with County welldrilled and battle-hardened to National League sides looking to get at the Hatters defence - although Mark Kitching fizzed a dangerous low effort across Ben Hinchliffe and inches wide just before the break.
There was still time for County to strike the woodwork again, with the bustling Thomas seeing his effort from another Tom Walker pullback cannon off the crossbar and away.
There was applause all around Edgeley Park for the first-half performance of the home side - but, as has been commonplace in many of County’s impressive wins this season, the second half made way for a spell of more sustained pressure from the trailing visitors.
In truth, it was still mostly long-range efforts from Hignett’s men which looked the best bet.
Striker Gime Toure looked increasingly dangerous for the away side,