Browse Sections

• Stockport County FC
• Sale Sharks
• Local football
• Local cricket

Stockport County 2 Manchester City 2

Simon Smedley
6/ 8/2008

ONLY a stoppage time penalty strike from City’s Welsh international striker Ched Evans prevented County from securing a deserved win on Saturday at Edgeley Park.

The Hatters rounded off their first-team’s pre-season campaign with a particularly effective second-half showing which saw them twice take the lead, through Anthony Pilkington and new Irish hit-man Peter Thompson.

County boss Jim Gannon named a strong starting XI as his side aimed to remain unbeaten throughout their pre-season games.

And although still not officially signed, Stephen Gleeson was given special dispensation to also start for the Hatters.

City, meanwhile, had millions of pounds worth of Premiership talent in their starting line-up. Included were the likes of new capture Tal Ben Haim, Dietmar Hamann, Rolando Bianchi and Stephen Ireland on a bright early afternoon.

City fans were packed into the Railway End and Pop side as the match kicked-off, but they were almost silenced after just 12 minutes.

The impressive Carl Baker curled in a great outswinging cross from the left, but Gleeson’s downward volley agonisingly hit both posts before being frantically gathered on the line by City ‘keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

County had made a hugely encouraging start, with Michael Raynes and Tommy Rowe also having efforts on goal, and City didn’t respond effectively until first half stoppage time when Bianchi saw a rasping 25-yard drive tipped round the post by Owain fon Williams.

Wembley hero Pilkington came on to replace Baker at the interval for County, but it was Rowe who had the hosts’ first half-chance of the second half when he turned inside Ben Mee before shooting straight at Schmeichel.

County finally broke through on 65 minutes though, with a smart goal from the substitute. Thompson threaded Pilkington in, and he tucked an angled shot under Schmeichel at the Cheadle End.

The home fans lapped up their opening goal, but it did rattle City into life. Fon Williams did well to deny Danny Sturridge and Gelson Fernandez, but the visitors did level matters on 76 minutes thanks to Valeri Bojinov’s well-directed header.

A dramatic climax to the game was then in store. Thompson’s smart finish, following an excellent cross from the right by Pilkington, put the Hatters back in front on 86 minutes, only for Evans to save City’s blushes in the dying seconds when he rammed home a spot-kick to make it 2-2 after he appeared to have been felled by Johnny Mullins.

Gaffer Gannon said after the game: "We looked a little flat in the first half, but in the second we were really sparring with each other. The game opened up and we had a right go. Don’t forget we were up against 11 top quality players, and seven more followed in the second half.

"I thought we acquitted ourselves well though, and we deserved to win.

"There were plenty of good signs out there for me, I was really pleased with our performance."

COUNTY: fon Williams, Mullins, Rose, Owen, McNulty, Dicker, Thompson (McSweeney, 89), Baker (Pilkington, 46), Rowe, Raynes, Gleeson.

Subs not used: Rigby, McNeil, Vincent, Tunnicliffe.

Attendance: 6,684

Click on the video window to see match highlights