Tough workout
STOCKPORT County suffered defeat in their final pre-season match of the summer after they were beaten by National League side Barrow.
Adi Yussuf got the only goal of the match in the first half to condemn County to defeat at Edgeley Park.
While his side may have come up short, Stockport manager Jim Gannon was still fairly pleased with what he saw from his side.
“It was a tough workout, a very physical game and we’re pleased we had a lot of lads who looked very capable of 90 minutes and we came off with no new injuries,” he told the club’s official website.
“We’re obviously disappointed with the result but it was a tough game which puts us in good stead for next week.
“We all looked fit and capable, I changed the shape slightly towards the end going with three strikers, and we created more in the last ten or fifteen minutes than we did in the rest of the game, so it was a good workout and I take a lot of positives from it.”
Recent Stockport signing Ben McKenna played in the match, and Gannon was impressed with what he saw from his new recruit.
You can see what Ben’s got in terms of his turn of pace, he’s a typical winger who wants to stay wide,” he said.
“We need to get him to play off his shape and get into pockets and get involved in the play, but he’ll be a good addition.”
County started the match well and went close early on when Harry Winter had a shot deflected wide.
Barrow soon responded though and it didn’t take them long to make the breakthrough, scoring the opening goal on 13 minutes.
Yussuf drove past the County defence before firing a low shot past Ben Hinciffe and into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
County tried to immediately hit back, as Darren Stephenson forced a good save out of Barrow goalkeeper Stuart Moore.
Barrow then had another opportunity just before the interval, when Asa Hall hit an effort over the crossbar.
Stockport made changes in the second half as they tried to get back into the game, bringing on the likes of Dan Cowan and George West.
The Hatters still had to be alert at the other end, as Hall again went close but he was denied by the legs of Hinchliffe.
Stephenson went close to levelling thing up late on when he was through one on one, but he couldn’t get the shot on target.
It meant it wasn’t to be for Stockport, who now turn their attention to their league opener away from home against Spennymoor Town this weekend.