COLCHESTER UNITED 0, STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
Stockport County made the long trip to Essex and made a welcome return to winning ways at Colchester that saw them further consolidate their position in the play-off places.
County’s leading League Two scorer Kyle Wootton’s late first-half header proved the difference between the two sides as well as ending a goal-drought which had extended beyond five-and-a-half hours, completing a first double of the season for the Hatters, and their very first double over the U’s who they had not beaten in Britain’s first Roman city since 1990.
County took to the field under a sky full of white clouds showing three changes from the starting line-up at Edgeley Park against Gillingham four days earlier. Ryan Croasdale, Myles Hippolyte and captain Paddy Madden were the recalled trio replacing Jacob Davenport, Tanto Olaofe and Ryan Rydel.
The hosts, who themselves had not scored in four matches, began proceedings with a declaration of intent as Junior Tchamadeu within 30 seconds of kick-off, advanced to, and went to ground in, the County area but referee Declan Bourne promptly waved away any penalty appeals.
County’s first chance arrived after seven minutes when Colchester failed to clear a Chris Hussey free-kick and Will Collar got a touch on the loose ball before home goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara, who had played once for the Hatters while on loan in 2015, gathered it up.
Shortly after the first half’s mid-point, County lost the services of Fraser Horsfall who limped off to be replaced by Ryan Johnson.
Half a dozen or so minutes later, the hosts went close when a corner from Noah Chilvers on the right fell to Ossama Ashley whose shot was deflected off Antoni Sarcevic and on to the roof of the net. Either side of that, and up the other end, Hippolyte and Hussey fired respective shots wide of the left and right posts.
Nine minutes before the break, Collar fed Wootton from the right only for the striker’s touch to take a deflection and bobble just shy of the right post. But from the resulting corner, delivered by Hussey, Johnson, beyond the far upright, headed across the six-yard box for Wootton to nod home his 12th goal of the campaign as well as a first one ever for County in three attempts since 2009 at Colchester’s Community Stadium.
Wootton had an opportunity to double his and County’s tallies in added time, after being played through by Madden, but O’Hara narrowed the angle to parry around the right post.
Having ended the first half by going close to doubling their advantage, the Hatters did likewise early in the second, as, within three minutes of the re-start, a free kick from Sarcevic, awarded for a foul on Hippolyte by Fiacre Kelleher, struck the inside of the left post.
Shortly after the hour-mark, the hosts enjoyed a bright spell as first a header from skipper Luke Chambers was turned around the right post by Croasdale and, a minute or two later, Tchamadeu’s cross from the right found Connor Wood, who fired beyond the far upright.
With just under 10 minutes left, Kyle Knoyle burst into the away area before blasting high into the end housing the vociferous County faithful. And a brave Kelleher block denied substitute Callum Camps following a break by the Hatters.
Six minutes were added on during which County stood firm in the face of some flurries home pressure to make sure of the points and inch up another place to fifth.
Goal: Wootton (37) for Stockport County.
Stockport County (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Byrne, Horsfall (R Johnson 26), Hussey; Knoyle, Collar (Camps 84), Croasdale, Sarcevic (Wright 67), Hippolyte; Madden (Olaofe 67), Wootton. Subs (unused): Jaros, Stretton, Rydel.
Attendance: 3,530 (473 visitors).