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Stockport County 1 MK Dons 2

Simon Smedley
25/ 4/2007

COUNTY'S patched-up team put in a brave effort at Edgeley Park on Saturday, but once they'd gone two goals behind shortly after half-time it was always going to be an uphill battle.

The Hatters did strike late on thanks to a sweet finish from Anthony Pilkington, but a deserved equaliser just wouldn't come.

Although they slipped a place in the League Two table, County remain in pole position in the race for the play-offs, but one more win will still probably be required from the two games that are now left.

With injuries and a suspension for Liam Dickinson severely limiting Jim Gannon's options ahead of the game, the manager was forced into a few changes and teenager Greg Tansey came in for his full League debut.

He had a great game as it turned out, the young midfielder hustled and harried all afternoon, but it was the Dons who threatened first when Adam Griffin had to clear Leon Knight's looping header off the County line.

Anthony Elding hit back when his shot was blocked by Adam Watts, then Pilkington shot narrowly over after playing a neat one-two with David Poole.

A minute after that the Dons took the lead when Gary Smith turned in a low cross from the bye-line on the right, and there was the dangerous Clive Platt who rifled home into the roof of the net from eight yards.

County were stunned, but Elding was unlucky when he just couldn't manage to direct a stooping header from Griffin's cross.

The Dons signalled their intentions early in the second half when Ashley Williams was called upon to clear a shot from Watts off the line.

The visitors showed good purpose, and they went further in front on 54 minutes when the unmarked Keith Andrews guided home a header from Knight's excellent cross.

Seconds later Platt should have made it three when he blazed over from 12 yards.

However, the final half-hour of the game belonged to County.

Elding headed over at the far post, then Tansey was extremely unlucky when his brilliant curling 20-yard free-kick bounced out off the Dons crossbar.

The Hatters finally got their goal on 80 minutes when substitute Tommy Rowe drilled in a cross from the left and Pilkington chested the ball down before smashing it into the roof of the net from an acute angle.

Skipper Tony Dinning curled a shot narrowly over and Tansey did likewise with another great effort from a free-kick, but in the end County ran out of time and the fans were to go home disappointed.

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