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Stockport 1 Wycombe 0 (County win 2-1 on agg)

Simon Smedley
21/ 5/2008

BRAVE, brave County defended like Trojans on Saturday evening as they earned themselves a dream trip to Wembley next Monday.

In front of the watching nation, and after taking a brilliant lead after just seven minutes, Jim Gannon’s battling Hatters preserved their advantage to secure their promotion shoot-out with Greater Manchester neighbours Rochdale next week.

The County fans, who have been so heroic themselves in backing their team so brilliantly throughout the last few seasons, celebrated long into the night after initially spilling onto the Edgeley Park pitch after Andy D’Urso’s final whistle eventually blew after five long minutes of stoppage time.

Despite some intense pressure from gutsy Wycombe in the second half, over the two play-off semi-final legs it has to be said that it is County who deserve to be going to Wembley, with the whole town now set to lap it up at the jaw-dropping new stadium.

Gannon was forced to make changes for Saturday’s return leg.

Michael Raynes and Dominic Blizzard didn’t make it so were replaced by Jim McNulty and the previous Sunday’s goal hero Stephen Gleeson, while Leon McSweeney came in at the expense of Anthony Pilkington and Conrad Logan replaced John Ruddy between the sticks.

The Hatters were on fire in the opening minutes. Michael Rose curled a 25-yard shot just over, then McSweeney drove in a low effort which flew narrowly wide.

The hosts then took a dream lead on seven minutes.

The awesome Gary Dicker played the ball forward, and as Liam Dickinson beat Wycombe skipper Mike Williamson in a tackle just inside the County half, the ball broke loose and the big former Woodley Sports striker was away.

He powered on, leaving Leon Johnson trailing in his wake, before coolly slipping the ball past Frank Fielding for his 20th goal of the season.

Edgeley Park erupted, but it was stunned Wycombe who then started to claw themselves back into the game.

A cagey spell ensued, before Williamson’s header from a long Delroy Facey throw-in, bounced into the Cheadle End off the top of the crossbar.

Logan saved a Tommy Doherty shot well, but County’s lead remained intact at half-time.

The second half saw the Chairboys looking more and more desperate to grab that all-important header, and although they did create plenty of chances, Logan wasn’t overly troubled.

Danger man Scott McGleish headed over, before County hit back with McSweeney seeing a shot blocked and Dickinson being denied by a Frank Fielding stop.

Logan was agile and strong as he beat away an angled header from Gary Holt then, with time running out, Hatters skipper Gareth Owen was well placed to hack a Williamson header off the line.

Wycombe sub Leon Knight wasted his side’s best chance of a goal with minutes left when he shinned a volley right in amongst the travelling support, but from then on County managed to survive, and almost grabbed themselves a killer second goal.

Rose found himself all alone and bearing down on goal, but Johnson got back to make a last-ditch lunging tackle so the score remained at 1-0.

WEMBLEY HERE WE COME!