Stockport 2
(Southam-Hales, 34′, Palmer 63′)
United 2
(Boden, 40′ pen, 57′)
United’s televised showdown with Stockport County ended with honours-even on Sunday, as two goals from Scott Boden secured a 2-2 draw at Edgeley Park.
Despite a bright start by Gary Johnson’s men, it was County’s Macauley Southam-Hales who opened the scoring, however the lead lasted just a few minutes, before Boden levelled things up from the penalty spot. A second from the same player after the interval raised hopes for another three-point haul for United, however Stockport responded through Ash Palmer soon after to take a share of the spoils.
The Gaffer made just the solitary change to the starting line-up which drew 0-0 with Bromley last time out, with Armani Little taking the place of Billy Waters. The substitutes bench will have provided some added cheer for the Yellow Army watching on at home, with Kyle Cameron and Ben Whitfield both returning from injury to take their places amongst the replacements.
It was the hosts who were first to threaten, however, Elliot Newby’s 7th minute cross from the left just evaded Alex Reid inside the six-yard box.
It wasn’t long though before Torquay tested home stopper Ben Hinchcliffe though, with Jake Andrews produced a stinging drive from 20 yards out that forced the ‘keeper to parry the ball away from his right-hand post.
A couple of minutes later, and it was Little who was came close to applying the finishing touch, as he produced an acrobatic volley by the penalty spot in a bid to force Ben Wynter’s cross from the right home – unfortunately though, the ball sailed over the bar.
The 15th minute saw the action revert back up the other end again, with Lucas Covolan producing a marvellous one-handed save to deny Reid from close range and keep parity intact.
After a tight opening, things were suddenly much more open, which must have surely delighted any watching neutrals. Adam Randell was next to try his luck, as he saw a left-footed strike from the edge of the D well held by Hinchcliffe moments later.
With the first period reaching the halfway point, Torquay went within inches of breaking the deadlock. Sensing that home skipper Liam Hogan was taking a little too long in dealing with a ball in the right-back position, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans was onto it like a flash and robbed him of possession inside the penalty area. Despite the angle being against him, the Welshman produced a marvellous flick over the onrushing Hincliffe, only to see the ball clip the far post and bounce out, rather than in.
Five minutes later, and Lemonheigh-Evans was threatening from the opposite flank, before cutting inside to fire in a low drive which the goalkeeper was relieved to see cleared away following his initial spill.
It certainly felt like a goal wasn’t far away, and in the 35th minute, the deadlock was broken. Unfortunately for United though, it fell County’s way.
On 35 minutes, Southam-Hales made inroads down the right, before exchanging passes and cutting inside Dean Moxey to curl a left-footed effort into the top corner of the net to give his side the lead.
Two minutes later and it was nearly two, as Reid broke into the left side of the box, however Covolan narrowed the angle smartly, which forced the Stockport man to fire his strike into the side netting.
That miss was to prove costly, as within moments, Johnson’s men drew level.
With Lemonheigh-Evans once again reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the box, a rash challenge from Ryan Croasdale saw the referee with an easy decision to make, and he wasted little time in pointing straight to the spot.
Boden responded emphatically, with absolutely no nerves whatsoever on show, as he slammed the ball down the middle of goal with some vigour to make it 1-1.
Despite United looking the stronger side by some margin during the remainder of the first half, it remained all-square at the break.
The Gulls would have been looking to start in the same vein following the restart, however it was Stockport who began on the front foot, with Torquay’s backline forced to soak up a fair amount of pressure.
Clear-cut opportunities were kept to a minimum though, and just short of the hour mark, it was United who edged in front.
A throw-in from Ben Wynter midway inside opposition territory may not have instantly set pulses racing, however after Lemonheigh-Evans picked up possession and fed Andrews in space to his left, a low ball across the six yard box was finished at the second attempt by Boden, who gleefully bundled the ball home after his initial effort struck the crossbar.
Sadly, there was little time for the Yellow Army to fully celebrate..
After winning a corner in the 63rd minute, John Rooney’s corner was delivered deep into the box, leaving Palmer to rise highest and head home at the back post, leaving things all-square once more.
The introduction of Benji Kimpioka and Whitfield for the latter stages raised hopes of another late surge to success, however it was a third substitute, Kyle Cameron, who nearly turned things in their favour with little over a quarter of an hour remaining.
Randell did remarkably well to retain possession on the left wing, before delivering a ball to the back stick that Cameron did well to beat Hinchcliffe to, before feeding the ball back to Joe Lewis, who could only fire over the bar from close range.
Kimpioka was looking determined to make his mark though, and after sprinting clear of a tiring backline moments later, he chose the unselfish option of squaring the ball into the path of Lemonheigh-Evans rather than shooting for goal himself, however it was to his misfortune that he lost his footing at the vital moment, much to the hosts’ relief.
With both sides craving three points rather than one, it was end-to-end action during the final ten minutes, however it was Johnson’s men who looked the likelier side to strike again. The closest they came to adding another ‘Gary Time’ goal was in the final minute of normal time, as Asa Hall forced a close-range block from fifteen yards out, after Whitfield and Lemonheigh-Evans worked their way around the County defence to set up the opportunity.
A point at one of The Gulls’ closest promotion rivals would undoubtedly have been an excellent one on any other day, and with the Yellow Army bracing themselves to return to Plainmoor for the visit of Barnet on Saturday, Johnson’s men will be doing everything in their power to provide yet another twist to this season’s dramatic title battle. It’s certainly not over yet.
STOCKPORT: 1. Ben Hinchliffe (GK), 3. James Jennings, 4. Liam Hogan (c), 5. Ashley Palmer, 8. John Rooney, 17. Macauley Southam-Hales, 18. Ryan Croasdale, 19. Alex Reid (16. Jordan Keane, 85′), 29. Tom Walker (2. Sam Minihan, 83′), 30. Harry Cardwell (9. Richard Bennett, 89′), 31. Elliot Newby.
SUBS NOT USED: 26. Ross Fitzsimons (GK), 6. Lois Maynard.
Yellow Card: Walker, 79′
TUFC: 33. Lucas Covolan (GK), 2. Ben Wynter, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 8. Asa Hall (c), 10. Armani Little (4. Kyle Cameron, 73′), 11. Jake Andrews (34. Ben Whitfield, 64′), 12. Adam Randell, 16. Sam Sherring, 19. Scott Boden (28. Benji Kimpioka, 64′), 21. Dean Moxey, 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Shaun MacDonald (GK), 25. Billy Waters.