United 2
(Collar o.g. 19′, Hall pen 45+4′)
Stockport 1
(Collar 21′)
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United produced a performance full of heart and desire on Saturday, as they dispatched Stockport County 2-1 at a bouncing Plainmoor.
Goals at either end of the field from The Hatters’ Will Collar saw The Gulls earn – before giving up – their advantage, however Asa Hall’s penalty on the stroke of half-time saw his side regain the lead at the halfway point. Despite plenty of possession from County in the second period, Gary Johnson’s men held firm to record arguably their most impressive result of the season so far, with the Yellow Army playing no small part in the securing of three very precious points.
The Gaffer made two changes to the Weymouth success, with last weekend’s matchwinner Sinclair Armstrong replacing Dan Holman and new signing Jack Sparkes taking the place of Byron Moore. Fellow new boy Joe Felix was named as a substitute 24 hours after signing for the Club, and took his place on a new-look bench also featuring the returning Harry Perritt, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Danny Wright.
The match was keenly fought from the first whistle, with neither side willing to give the other any encouragement in the early stages.
It took some time for either side to get within shooting distance, with Klaidi Lolos producing the game’s opening effort on eleven minutes, a rising drive from 20 yards that was too high to trouble visiting goalkeeper Ben Hinchcliffe.
Stockport went close themselves moments later.
In the 16th minute, a through-ball from County skipper Paddy Madden saw Antoni Sarcevic race clear, with Shaun MacDonald coming out to spread himself expertly to keep the effort out as the former Plymouth man ran into the penalty area.
Collar went close to profiting from dangerous deliveries into the box on a couple of occasions shortly after, however on 19 minutes he made headlines at the other end of the pitch.
A purposeful run from Armstrong saw the young Irishman break into the 18-yard box between two defenders, and despite being forced wide of goal, his on-target effort beat Hinchcliffe, and had too much on it for Collar to deal with, resulting in the retreating Stockport man diverting the ball into his own net.
Just as with last week though, the lead was swiftly wiped out.
Having already served notice with some testing crosses, Ryan Rydel took a moment to check onto his left foot before sending the ball onto the head of Collar, who gleefully accepted his chance of almost instant redemption.
Things became very nip-and-tuck again thereafter, although debutant Sparkes was providing his new side with an added threat down the right hand-side.
With the match heading towards the interval, both teams traded punches in pursuit of a half-time lead.
After earning space for himself on the left-wing, Lolos broke into the danger zone. After seeing his initial pass to the waiting Armani Little blocked, he responded by forcing a desperate near-post smother from Hinchcliffe, before the loose ball fell to Tom Lapslie, whose perfectly hit half-volley was hacked off the goal line.
The action went straight down the other end though, with Madden reacting to a half-clearance by striking a fierce volley that cannoned off the crossbar.
It was breathless stuff as the match entered its first spell of stoppage time, however the five minutes added on belonged almost entirely to the men in yellow.
Armstrong, with another powerful drive deep into enemy territory, nearly provided the invitation for strike partner for Lolos to prod home with the ball just behind him, before in the penultimate minute of first period, United struck again.
Dean Moxey’s attacking throws have already provided a number of chances this season, and after challenging for a high ball following his initial ball into the box, a clumsy challenge saw him upended illegally, leaving the referee with an easy decision to make.
Back on penalty duties, Gulls captain Hall dispatched the spot-kick with nerveless precision, sending the ball low down past the ‘keeper’s right hand to make it 2-1 at the change of ends.
County haven’t been given the tag of pre-season promotion favourites without reason however, and following the restart United’s commitment and passion was called to the fore to keep their opponents at bay, as Johnson’s men were forced to soak up large spells of possession.
United remained organised though, with MacDonald’s goal largely untroubled until the 66th minute, when Ryan Croasdale’s strike called Torquay’s stopper into action, as he pulled off an unorthodox, but effective, parry to keep United in front.
The territorial advantage remained with Stockport, and the pressure nearly paid off on 72 minutes, as Sarcevic’s mazy run ended with a curling strike that missed the far post by a matter of millimetres, with the merest of deflections preventing it ending up in the back of net.
From the resultant corner, the aforementioned upright itself came to The Gulls’ rescue, as a Croasdale’s hooked shot rattled it, before being cleared away from danger.
With goalscoring opportunities for Johnson’s men not falling quite as freely as they had in the first half, it began to look more like a case of hanging onto their lead – rather than extending it – and MacDonald had to come up with another marvellous reaction save from point-blank range with ten minutes remaining, as Madden’s deflected strike from 15 yards threatened to go past him.
Backed by a vociferous Yellow Army, United did everything in their power to keep their noses in front, and when Madden clipped a near-post volley over the bar in the fourth minute of time added on, with it went County’s chance of parity.
After chalking up successive wins for the first time this season, not to mention showing this side can live with the most fancied in the division, there is certainly plenty of reasons to look ahead to the remainder of the campaign with optimism.
United: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin, 4. Tom Lapslie, 8. Asa Hall (c), 10. Armani Little, 19. Klaidi Lolos (7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 84′), 21. Dean Moxey, 28. Jack Sparkes (15. Harry Perritt, 73′), 25. Sinclair Armstrong (9. Danny Wright, 82′), 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 29. Joe Felix.
Yellow Card: Perritt 87′
Stockport County: 1. Ben Hinchliffe, 3. Mark Kitching (21. Tom Walker, 88′), 5. Ashley Palmer, 7. Macauley Southam-Hales, 9. Paddy Madden (c), 14. Will Collar (19. Alex Reid, 62′), 16. Jordan Keane (2. Sam Minihan, 62′), 17. Ryan Rydel, 18. Ryan Croasdale, 23. Antoni Sarcevic, 27. Oliver Crankshaw.
SUBS NOT USED: 6. Ben Barclay, 11. Connor Jennings.
Yellow Card: Madden 22′
Attendance: 2,156 (268 away)