LEYTON ORIENT 0, STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
Stockport County began a new month with a trip down to East London and kept up their winning run with an accomplished single-goal win at in-form Leyton Orient.
The first third-tier meeting in 15 years between the most recent pair of League Two champions saw Kyle Wootton end his personal two-month goal famine with an early strike that, in the event, secured for County a fourth successive victory that also avenged a 4-1 reverse at Edgeley Park against the O’s back in September.
The result also gave the Hatters a third clean sheet running, and lifted them up a further place in League One to fourth.
The Hatters took to the field on a cloudy afternoon in the Capital showing one change from their starting line-up in SK3 against Shrewsbury four days earlier. Callum Camps was ruled out with a minor injury and replaced in midfield by returning club captain Lewis Bate.
County earned the contest’s inaugural corner and fashioned its first chance inside the opening four minutes with Ibby Touray’s delivery from the left cleared to the edge of the area from where Ollie Norwood blazed over the crossbar.
Ten minutes later, the Hatters took the lead as Ethan Pye’s shot from just inside the box was only half-blocked by Jordan Brown and Wootton reacted quickest to stab home for his first goal since November and ninth of the season in all competitions.
Around the first half’s midpoint, another County attack saw a Bate delivery from the left deflected behind. Tanto Olaofe cut in from the same flank before firing into the side netting five minutes later as the Hatters continued to enjoy the better of proceedings.
Olaofe went close again just after the half-hour when, following a deft lay-off from Wootton on his right, he fired towards goal only to be denied by the legs of home goalkeeper Josh Keeley. And Keeley was literally on hand a few minutes later to gather up Callum Connolly’s downward header from an in-swinging Norwood corner.
The hosts, occupying the final play-off position at kick-off, one place and three points behind County, as well as topping the current form table courtesy of their 11-match unbeaten league run – fashioned their first opportunity of note four minutes before half-time when Dilan Markanday’s low shot took a deflection into the waiting arms of a grateful Ben Hinchliffe.
The O’s began the second half with ominously more attacking intent than they had shown during the first, although each side won a corner apiece in the 10 minutes immediately following the resumption. And clear-cut chances were at a premium for both teams as the Hatters moved to a back five with the aim of preserving their advantage.
That pretty much remained the case until eight minutes from time when, with the hitherto-untested Hinchliffe beaten, Charlie Kelman glanced wide of the far post after latching on to Jack Currie’s cross from the left.
As added time approached, home shouts for a Touray handball in the area were waved away by referee Matthew Russell and Hinchliffe’s clean catch of a Tom James delivery from the left towards the end of the three extra minutes were acclaimed by the travelling contingent almost as if it were a second goal before the final whistle sounded and the Hatters’ celebrations could truly begin in earnest.
Goal: Wootton (14) for Stockport.
Stockport County (4-3-3): Hinchliffe; Knoyle, Connolly, Pye, Touray; Collar (Hamilton 74), Norwood, Bate (Bailey 63); Southam-Hales, Wootton, Olaofe (Diamond 63). Subs (unused): Addai, Andrésson, Rydel, Gardner.
Attendance: 8,485 (853 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.