STOCKPORT COUNTY 2, PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1
Friday night was County night in the best possible way, as the Hatters completed their final pre-Christmas assignment with a win under the Edgeley Park lights against Peterborough United.
In what was a first league meeting between the clubs for over 15 years, Odin Bailey struck early for County, before Posh equalised shortly following the half-hour and substitute Tanto Olaofe notched the winner just over a quarter of an hour from time, giving the Hatters their fourth successive home League One victory, as well as a first triumph over Peterborough at EP in two decades.
The Hatters took to the field in mild conditions on the eve of the Shortest Day, showing one change from their starting line-up at Stevenage six days previously with Bailey replacing Callum Connolly who was named among the substitutes.
The County bench also featured a most welcome sight in the form of the returning Kyle Knoyle who was back in the squad for the first time during the campaign-proper after suffering a pre-season injury against Blackburn around the beginning of August.
With just over eight minutes played, a testing delivery from Louie Barry on the left lacked a final County touch in the box, but ran on to Macauley Southam-Hales whose cross back in from the opposite flank was headed narrowly shy of the near post by Kyle Wootton.
Two minutes later, the Hatters went ahead with the recalled Bailey latching on to Barry’s free kick from the left of the area and converting into the far-bottom corner at close range for his third goal of the season in all competitions.
Lewis Bate fired past the right post, and Barry stung the hands of visiting goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic before curling another effort wide as County continued to press in the opening half-hour.
The mid-table visitors, currently with the second-highest tally of goals scored in the third tier, took until the 34th minute to create their first chance of note. When they did, they got themselves back on level terms, as Joel Randall turned the ball in from the edge of the six-yard box, following good work on the right by Cian Hayes.
A couple of minutes later, the Posh almost had a second, after skipper Hector Kyprianou picked out Ricky-Jade Jones on the right. The striker rounded Ben Hinchliffe to cut in towards goal but his angled shot was scrambled beyond the near post by Fraser Horsfall.
With the game opening up, both sides had further opportunities ahead of the break as Barry drilled just shy of the right post, and Hayes blasted into County’s side-netting.
A first half with plenty of attacking intent on show was followed by a second that initially struggled to entertain, at least until just after the hour-mark when a good County move on the left involving Barry and Ibby Touray eventually led to Bate’s shot from the edge of the box clearing the crossbar.
Then, at the other end, Hinchliffe took a heavy touch under pressure from Jones to produce pandemonium in the Hatters’ area with Horsfall and Ethan Pye blocking, in front of an empty net, shots from Malik Mothersille and Ryan De Havilland respectively.
With 16 minutes remaining, and only five after his introduction, Olaofe was in the right place at the right time connecting at the far post with Barry’s low delivery from the left, after Will Collar had stepped over it, and firing home to put County back in front.
With the advantage still restricted on 90 minutes to the odd goal in three, an announcement of seven to be added on did little for the nerves of around 9,000 Hatters in attendance, but the extra time was well managed to ensure that fifth-placed County will go into Christmas occupying a play-off position.
Goals: Bailey (10), Olaofe (74) for Stockport. Randall (34) for Peterborough.
Stockport County (4-3-3): Hinchliffe; Southam-Hales, Horsfall, Pye, Touray; Collar (Connolly 81), Bate, Camps (Olaofe 69); Bailey (Norwood 86), Wootton, Barry (Knoyle 86). Subs (unused): Addai, Diamond, Rydel.
Attendance: 9,745 (765 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.