WARRINGTON TOWN 1, STOCKPORT COUNTY 0
Stockport County’s Cheshire Senior Cup campaign began and ended in the second round with a single-goal defeat for a young side at Warrington Town.
The tie – which had been put back a week after wintry conditions rendered the Cantilever Park pitch unplayable on the previous Tuesday – was settled 11 minutes from time by a goal from home captain Matty McDonald after the National League North hosts had, during the course of the evening, hit the woodwork once in each half and seen a penalty saved on the hour.
The Hatters rang the changes completely on a rainy night with not one player taking to the field who had featured in their starting line-up at Reading three days earlier.
The starters included Che Gardner who had been a substitute for the League One fixture, but the remainder of the team, as well as the bench, entirely comprised players from the club’s Academy.
The hosting Yellows were missing two ex-Hatters on their books, Josh Amis and Bohan Dixon, who had both plied their trade at Edgeley Park – and for a while simultaneously – during County’s NLN days. But young Warrington right-back Murphy Bennett could claim a connection as grandson of 1960s and ‘70s left-winger and EP legend, the late Johnny Price.
Each team earned a corner apiece in the opening half a dozen minutes and, before 10 were on the clock, a low cross from the right by Chima Okoligan caused momentary panic in the home box before goalkeeper Daniel Atherton and defender Ollie Southern combined to scramble the ball away from danger.
At the other end, Joe Rodwell-Grant fired into the right side-netting for the hosts before County skipper Harry Johnson unleashed the tie’s first shot on target which Atherton dived to smother. And Atherton’s counterpart Max Metcalfe was called into action shortly afterwards, turning another Rodwell-Grant effort around the left post.
Around the first half’s mid-point, a Joe Hillary cross from the left found Marcus Kouam, who headed narrowly beyond the far upright. And, just before the half-hour, Bennett went closer still for Warrington courtesy of a delivery from the right that hit the top of the crossbar and bounced off behind.
The final attempt of note prior to the break saw Rodwell-Grant test Metcalfe again – with an outstretched leg of the County ‘keeper blocking the striker’s shot.
The hosts launched the first attack after the resumption leading to a corner on the left that culminated in a shot by McDonald against the near side-netting. And, shortly ahead of the hour mark, Metcalfe did well to parry a point-blank Elliot Morris header.
A minute or so later, Metcalfe was called upon again only to concede a penalty after impeding Rodwell-Grant. The referee pointed to the spot, and showed Metcalfe a yellow card, but the keeper atoned by diving the right way and repelling Rodwell-Grant’s penalty.
Metcalfe plucked a lofted shot out of the air to deny Rodwell-Grant once more, before Mikey O’Neill struck the left post as Warrington continued to press. And substitute Stephen Maylett struck an inaugural second-half effort for the Hatters, which was gathered up by the diving Atherton.
County went on the offensive again, as Hillary turned Bennett on the left by-line, before squaring for Lee Williams whose shot was cleared off the line by Jack Hont. But the next attack was on the Hatters’ goal, and saw the hosts break the deadlock, with McDonald breaking from midfield, advancing into the area and slotting past Metcalfe.
And that, despite a concerted effort over the 90 minutes by the young Hatters, brought an end to County’s interest in the competition while Warrington now advance to the last eight of the competition, where they will host Crewe.
Goal: McDonald (79) for Warrington.
Stockport County (3-4-3): Metcalfe; Williams-Lawless (Fowles 86), Atkinson, Watson; Okoligan (Redshaw 86), Johnson, Rawlinson (Dialundama 71), Hillary; Williams, Kouam, Gardner (Maylett 57). Sub (unused): Bove.
Attendance: 339.
Report: Gareth Evans.