Fans can finally cheer a victory
Pre-season friendly July 29, 2013
Gary Harkins scored the only goal of the game late on at Edgeley Park on Saturday to hand Saints a victory in their penultimate pre-season game and end a run of disappointing results.
Saints dominated the first half but The Hatters came into it after the interval and the Northern Conference side was unlucky not to level the match towards the end, with Jordan Fagbola’s header flying inches over target.
Goalkeeper David Cornell returned for Chris Dilo, while Darren McGregor, Lee Mair and Kealan Dillon made way for John McGinn, Paul McGowan and Gary Teale.
Danny Grainger kept his starting slot, while a trialist midfielder – Newcastle United starlet Michael Richardson– came in for Thomas Reilly, wearing the number 15 shirt.
Before the game former Stockport stars Jim Goodwin and Mair were presented with some framed keepsakes for their service to the Edgeley Park club, who have fallen on tough times and tumbled out the Football League altogether.
Early on David van Zanten floated in a cross from the right hand side but Steven Thompson found himself in a packed penalty box and couldn’t get his shot away.
For The Hatters, right wing-back Kyle Jacobs saw an effort blocked after Phil Jevons played him in 20 yards out.
Grainger won the first corner of the match after nine minutes. It fell to Thompson but his header was knocked clear.
Then a Teale free-kick 20 yards out on the angle of the box was played short to Harkins, but Stephen O’Halloran got his head to it to send it behind.
Thompson again had a half chance at the back post with a looping header, but County goalkeeper Ian Ormson took it with ease.
In the 17th minute Teale played in Thompson with a slide rule pass but the foward slashed at it from 14 yards and it zipped wide.
Towards the midway point Paris Bateman was penalised for a foul on McGowan and the visitors won a freekick 25 yards out.
Up stepped Grainger to send a low left-footed drive agonisingly wide of the right hand post.
Midfielder McGinn showed some nice touches on the left hand side to send an effort across the face of goal but there were no takers on the end of it.
Moments later McGinn saw a low effort spin off the feet of Ormson after good work from Teale, Thompson and McGowan to create the space and the chance.
At the half hour mark, Teale won a free-kick, this time on the right hand side, 20 yards out on the angle.
This time Grainger’s low drive was easily taken by Ormson.
After 38 minutes Harkins guided a left-foot shot fractionally wide after Marc McAusland’s precision pass found Teale and the winger set up the opportunity 16 yards out.
McGowan saw a harmless effort sail straight into the arms of Ormson as Saints continued to dominate with keeper Cornell a virtual spectator at the other end.
After 50 minutes Harkins sent a wellstruck free-kick from 25 yards into the arms of County’s half-time goalkeeping substitute Lewis King.
County’s Chris Sutherland at long last tested Cornell, sending a low drive into the dangerzone for the Saints keeper to gather.
Buddies boss Danny Lennon made a double substitution after 61 minutes, with Reilly and McGregor replacing Richardson and McAusland.
Striker Reilly should have done better when Teale played him in on the edge of the box, placing a low rightfoot shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
Then Kristian Dennis picked up possession on the right side, got beyond Grainger, and fired a deflected shot just wide for a corner.
Kyle Jacobs marched in from the right and tried to play in Dennis in front of goal but McGregor made an important block to the cross to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity.
County were much better in the second 45 and seemed somewhat more industrious and inventive than they had been.
Rhys Turner picked up a pass from Bateman and threatened to go all the way, twisting and turning in the box and getting the better of McGregor and Grainger – but he could not get enough power in his shot to trouble Cornell.
After 75 minutes McGowan fired a awkard shot into the arms of King after Teale’s cross was only partially cleared by Stockport’s defence.
After 81 minutes Thompson send a glancing header just wide of the left hand post after another trademark cross from Teale.
But Harkins sealed the win after 84 minutes when Thompson’s header in the box wasn’t properly cleared, and Harkins pounced to send a shot into the net from eight yards out.
Fagbola almost levelled a minute later when he connected with a Brandon Windsor corner from the right to send a header inches over.