STOCKPORT COUNTY 1, SHREWSBURY TOWN 0
Stockport County’s second match at home in quick succession saw them enjoy a single-goal win at the expense of bottom-placed Shrewsbury Town on a drizzly evening under the Edgeley Park lights.
In what was a first league meeting between the clubs at EP for just under 15 years (although they had faced each other there for an EFL Trophy-tie rather more recently, during the autumn of 2022), County took a first-half lead courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Ollie Norwood which, in the event, and despite some nervous moments caused by the resurgent visitors late on, settled the contest.
It gave the Hatters their first home league triumph over Salop for nearly 19 years and, more pertinently, a third successive win, a second clean sheet in a row, and a second double of the season that further cemented their hold on fifth position as well as closing the gap on teams above them.
Manager Dave Challinor named an unchanged starting line-up for the third match running and the Hatters’ bench also remained the same as that for their most recent assignment against Crawley in SK3 three days previously.
County earned a first corner of the night after three minutes, although the only two attempts during the first 10 were long-range, looping efforts for both sides, from Norwood and Shrewsbury’s Dominic Gape, that were comfortably caught by visiting goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and Ben Hinchliffe between the respective sets of sticks.
On the half-hour, there was a little more to become enthralled about as first Ibby Touray’s well-struck shot was deflected past the left post by Morgan Feeney and then, from the ensuing corner taken by Touray, Blackman tipped over the unmarked Callum Connolly’s header.
Half a dozen minutes later, County broke the deadlock, and in some style as Norwood’s free kick – for a foul by Funso Ojo on Connolly around the edge of the box – curled sweetly beyond the flailing Blackman and into the top-left corner of the net for the midfielder’s first league goal as a Hatter.
The second half got off to as quiet a start as the first had done with no chances of note until the hour when skipper Kyle Wootton saw a shot and a header from the corner that followed, deflected past the right post by Morgan Feeney and Blackman, respectively.
Feeney, unfortunately, was to play virtually no further part in proceedings, as a collision in the visitors’ area with his captain John Marquis led to a lengthy delay before he had to be stretchered off. His replacement, Taylor Perry, however, forced a save from Hinchliffe drilling a low shot from outside the Hatters’ box that County’s keeper smothered.
County, meanwhile, brought on Odin Bailey and Lewis Bate to help manage the game and, with seven minutes of normal time left, owed Hinchliffe a huge debt of gratitude for brilliantly keeping out a point-blank header from Marquis, as Salop exerted some late pressure.
A whopping 12 minutes were added on – primarily for Feeney’s treatment – but the Hatters, with relief, held on to secure the three points and move within a point of fourth-placed Huddersfield.
Goal: Norwood (36) for Stockport.
Stockport County (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Knoyle (Diamond 84), Connolly, Pye; Southam-Hales, Collar, Norwood (Rydel 90+10), Camps (Bate 76), Touray; Wootton, Olaofe (Bailey 76). Subs (unused): Addai, Andrésson, Hamilton.
Attendance: 8,862 (705 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.