STOCKPORT TOWN 4, MAINE ROAD 1
Stockport Town have clearly suffered no hangover after the disappointment of missing out on promotion by the cruellest of margins as they maintained the 100 per cent start to their league campaign.
Paul Turnbull’s side made it three wins on the bounce in division one south of the North West Counties League with a home victory in their top-of-the-table cash against Maine Road.
Town, who amassed 92 points last season to miss out on automatic promotion by only one point only to then lose in the play-offs, have certainly hit the ground running, though this was arguably not a 4-1 scoreline.
Road were 2-1 behind well into stoppage time only to be caught by two sucker punches as they took risks in pursuit of an equaliser.
The match was another great spectacle for the 10th tier of the football pyramid with goals which would not have been out of place at a higher level with former Premier League player Robbie Savage, watching incognito in a hoodie, impressed by the standard.
Road, with two wins and a draw from their first three league games, started well and went ahead in the ninth minute when Yasir Salim cut in from the right and fired low past goalkeeper Josh Schofield inside the near post.
Town were level within seven minutes following an outrageous solo effort from Jamie Walsh who ran from deep before walloping an unstoppable shot from distance high into then roof of the net.
Road would have finished the half ahead but for two brilliant saves from Schofield to keep out efforts from Salim and Yousif Addow.
Town were ahead just short of the hour when captain Sam Hare opened the visiting defence and squared a pass for left-back Michael Elstone to sweep home.
Road were in no mood to surrender their unbeaten record as they pressed for an equaliser and Town lived dangerously defensively on more than one occasion, none more so than when a dipping volley from Yousif Yousif struck the crossbar.
Town were hanging on in the last half hour of normal time only to seal victory with two goals deep into stoppage time.
Substitute Callum Gardner, never a scorer of ordinary goals, added another to his growing repertoire, an audacious chip from the centre circle after spotting goalkeeper Ryan Livesey had strayed off his line.
Gardner, who will be playing for England in futsal’s World Cup this autumn, also makes the news in another occupation as a part-time model.
The fourth goal in the 98th minute was also well worked as right-back Max Bardsley-Rowe played in Hare who slotted home a low shot.
There may even have been a fifth goal even late in stoppage time when Bardsley-Rowe cut inside and saw a drive strike the upright.
That would have been cruel on Road who contributed much to a game which was another excellent advertisement for non-league football.