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Stockport County 0 Scunthorpe United 3

Simon Smedley
1/ 9/2008

SCUNTHORPE hit newly-promoted County with a stern reality check at Edgeley Park.

Granted, the Hatters were hindered by yet more worrying injuries to key players, but on the day the hosts were pretty much second best in all departments.

Injuries took their toll again at the weekend, as already without the likes of Johnny Mullins, Matty McNeil and Jason Taylor, Tommy Rowe and Dominic Blizzard were ruled out with hamstring injuries.

Although Peter Thompson did return from his thigh injury, the County new boy rarely looked like bagging his first goal in English League football.

Strangely, considering County had won in such thrilling style at Hartlepool in their previous outing, the Edgeley Park atmosphere at kick-off time on Saturday was distinctly flat.

It was almost as if the home faithful knew their team was set to lose even before the game, a point manager Jim Gannon touched on after the final whistle.

Maybe the revelations about the problems with the training ground had touched a nerve, or the lack of any news regarding Gannon’s proposed contract talks was on people’s minds.

Whatever it was, it seemed to filter through to the County players who seemed to struggle to get out of first gear.

There were chances with Owain fon Williams brilliantly denying Gary Thompson and Leon McSweeney going close for County, but it was the Iron who went into a 30th minute lead.

Grant McCann nudged the ball to Gary Hooper, and he shrugged off Gareth Owen’s attentions before sliding a low shot into the far corner.

Gary Dicker sidefooted over as County responded before Anthony Pilkington’s deflected shot was saved at the near post.

However, Scunthorpe were to get a second goal barely a minute after the restart.

Paul Hayes’ miscued shot fell kindly for Hooper, who fired the loose ball into the roof of the net.

Jimmy McNulty forced another save out of Joe Murphy and Stephen Gleeson’s shot was deflected behind, but Scunthorpe went three clear just before the hour mark.

McNulty fouled Thompson on the edge of the box, and up stepped McCann who curled home a free-kick despite Fon Williams getting a finger to his shot.

To give them some credit, County did not give up the ghost, but they could not register a consolation goal.

Michael Raynes headed wide, McSweeney struck an effort into the side-netting and Pilkington was denied by a goalline clearance in stoppage time, but this had been a real wake-up call for County.