HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1, STOCKPORT COUNTY 0
Stockport County began their festive programme with a trip to fellow play-off position occupants Huddersfield Town but returned home across the Pennines without anything to show for it after a frustrating single-goal defeat.
In what was a first competitive match between the clubs for over 14 years – and the inaugural instalment of a three-game trilogy against sides relegated from the Championship (with County’s trip to Rotherham and hosting of Birmingham to follow over the next half a dozen days) – a Lewis Bate own goal shortly after kick-off gave the Terriers a very early advantage that turned out regrettably to be decisive.
The morning fog had lifted, but a little rain had arrived, to produce mizzly Boxing Day conditions in West Yorkshire as the Hatters took to the field, showing three changes from their starting line-up at Edgeley Park against Peterborough six days earlier. Callum Connolly, Tanto Olaofe and Ryan Rydel made up the recalled trio, replacing Callum Camps, Ibby Touray and Kyle Wootton, all of whom were named among the substitutes.
County reverted to a three-player defence having fielded four there for the pre-Christmas Peterborough fixture – with a Huddersfield-born centre-back in the middle of it. Fraser Horsfall had also started off with his hometown club as a seven-year-old, before graduating through the academy and signing professional forms for 2016/17 albeit, in the event, without making a senior appearance as a Terrier.
The afternoon could hardly have got off to a worse start when, with less than a minute gone, the hosts, sitting one position and three points above fifth-placed County at the start of play, went ahead.
A Huddersfield break on the left found Callum Marshall whose delivery into the box fell to Brodie Spencer on the opposite flank – with Spencer’s subsequent, half-volleyed ball back towards the six-yard box deflecting off the unfortunate Bate and past the wrong-footed Ben Hinchliffe into the Hatters’ net.
With 10 minutes on the clock, there were vociferous home shouts for a penalty after Josh Koroma went to ground in the County box under a challenge from Macauley Southam-Hales, but play was waved on by referee Will Finnie.
But the Hatters had responded well since going behind so early and went close to equalising just after the quarter-hour mark when Odin Bailey’s effort took a deflection on to the left post from the outstretched foot of visiting captain and Polish international Michał Helik.
Top scorer Louie Barry curled from the left past the far upright and, around the half-hour, saw a lofted effort on the opposite side of goal tipped clear by goalkeeper Jacob Chapman. At the other end, in between Barry’s two attempts, Herbie Kane blasted into the stand housing the travelling Hatters, a David Kasumu drive was smothered by Hinchliffe, and Marshall’s low shot deflected past the left post.
With a little over three minutes of the half to go, Ben Wiles sent a free-kick wide of the left post from just outside the box as the scorers remained untroubled following those opening seconds.
The Hatters made a double-substitution, introducing Jack Diamond and Wootton upon the resumption and, within a couple of minutes or so, they were agonisingly near to levelling, as Will Collar surged through on goal only to have his shot blocked by Chapman.
After the hour, Bate – having collected the ball on the halfway-line – tried his luck from distance with a low drive to which Chapman held on at the second attempt. And, at the other end, Hinchliffe caught an effort by Kane after the midfielder had weaved his way into the County box.
The remaining three permitted County substitutes were brought on with 19 minutes left – and one of them, Ollie Norwood, soon produced a tempting delivery towards the box that Wootton headed into Chapman’s arms. But despite enjoying plenty of possession late on, the Hatters found clear-cut chances to be at a premium, as they suffered their first Boxing Day loss since 2015.
Goal: Bate (1 og) for Huddersfield.
Stockport (3-4-3): Hinchliffe; Connolly (Diamond 46), Horsfall, Pye; Southam-Hales (Knoyle 71), Collar, Bate (Norwood 71), Rydel; Bailey (Wootton 46), Olaofe (Camps 71), Barry. Subs (unused): Addai, Touray.
Attendance: 21,657 (2,199 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.