STOCKPORT COUNTY 1, DOVER ATHLETIC 0
Stockport County chalked up their eighth straight National League win – and their fifth in succession without conceding to remain top – but not without an almighty fright against bottom-of-the-table Dover Athletic at Edgeley Park.
It had been frustrating until Paddy Madden’s 11th league strike of the campaign ultimately proved the difference – albeit not until the 84th minute, and after the struggling visitors had played with 10 men for more than half of a game that County had dominated.
County took to the field on a wet and wintry afternoon, showing one change from the starting line-up at Barnet seven days previously with Ollie Crankshaw replacing the injured Antoni Sarcevic. Winger Myles Hippolyte, who had arrived from Scunthorpe at the beginning of the week, was named among the substitutes.
Within three minutes, the Hatters were on the attack and setting up their first scoring chance, but Scott Quigley failed to connect and convert from close range, following a cross by Macauley Southam-Hales from the right.
The visitors’ first chance saw Koby Arthur played through towards goal, only to scuff his shot off target.
Another Southam-Hales cross from the right was met by Crankshaw who glanced a header wide of the far post.
And just before the half-hour, Ryan Rydel’s free kick cleared the crossbar after Will Collar had been felled outside the box by Dover skipper Ryan Hanson.
Visiting goalkeeper Adam Parkes’ kick was picked up by Collar whose through ball to Madden led to a shot that Parkes deflected into the path of Quigley, but Jake Goodman arrived just in time to turn the ball around the right post for a corner.
While the visitors’ support was bolstered by Carlisle fans whose match at Rochdale had been called off, their number on the pitch went down by one with seven minutes of the half remaining when Myles Judd received a straight red card for a late challenge on Southam-Hales.
County introduced Elliot Newby at the restart and the substitute immediately released Rydel whose cross was volleyed narrowly wide by Crankshaw.
The Hatters, with the numerical advantage, proceeded to lay siege to the visitors’ goal with Parkes keeping out a Madden header before a flag was raised for offside, Southam-Hales drilling an effort wide of the left post, and Collar meeting a Rydel corner from the right with a header that the Dover keeper smothered on the line.
Newby was next to try his luck with a low shot from just inside the area, before Ash Palmer twice and Southam-Hales fired efforts over, and another Rydel free-kick was parried behind by Parkes.
For all the Hatters’ dominance, time was running out until Madden finally found the net with six minutes left.
Crankshaw delivered the fifth corner of the half which was headed towards Collar for Madden to apply the finishing touch from close range that secured for County the precious three points and continued leadership of the table.
Stockport: (3-4-1-2): Hinchliffe; Hogan (Newby 46), Palmer, Johnson; Southam-Hales, Collar, Croasdale (Hippolyte 79), Rydel; Crankshaw; Quigley (Jennings 70), Madden. Subs (unused) Minihan, Kitching.
Attendance: 7,269 (59 visitors)
Report by Gareth Evans