Wanderers’ recent revival was stopped in its tracks on a bleak afternoon at Edgeley Park, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites had won six of their previous eight league games to climb into the top six but this was a step backwards as Stockport bounced back from their own 5-0 mid-week beating to hand Wanderers their heaviest defeat of the season.
Three goals in a quarter of an hour early in the second half – and the goal of the game in the last minute – made it a day to forget for Ian Evatt’s men, who conceded too easily and didn’t have an effort on target of their own in a sub-standard performance almost all over the pitch.
Will Collar had given County a half-time lead once they had seen off Wanderers’ best spell of the game and Kyle Wootton, Fraser Horsfall and Louie Barry all but completed the job after the break as the hosts moved into the play-off places themselves.
There was still time for a brilliant late strike from substitute Odin Bailey as Stockport matched the five goals they had leaked on Tuesday night and Wanderers will now have to re-group again and come back after the up-coming international break as they did the last if they are to get their campaign quickly back on track.
Wanderers had welcomed back fit-again goalkeeper Nathan Baxter after missing the last seven games as one of four changes to the side that had started last weekend’s FA Cup exit at Walsall.
It was a gentle reintroduction as Baxter was a spectator for much of the opening period as Wanderers made a bright start.
But the Whites were guilty of not testing County keeper Ben Hinchliffe, who was also recalled for a first league start of the season following the Hatters’ home drubbing to table-topping Wycombe.
And suddenly it was Baxter who had to step up as Stockport started to cause problems and bare their teeth. Horsfall forced the Wanderers’ number-one to beat away a close-range header from Ryan Rydel’s free-kick and he then made a better save to keep out an effort from Louie Barry after a mis-cued pass from Ricardo Almeida Santos.
But the momentum had swung County’s way and with a half-an-hour gone they made it count. Barry’s run into the box had the Whites on the stretch and when the on-loan Aston Villa youngster pulled the ball back, Collar side-footed home through a crowd of Wanderers’ bodies.
Wanderers – who were undermined by widespread sickness in the camp during the week – had lost their way as they struggled to cause the same sort of problems at the other end and two minutes into the second half it got worse as Stockport doubled their lead.
Baxter made a brilliant stop to keep out a close-range volley from Horsfall but was powerless to stop Wootton – who had been a real handful all afternoon – converting the follow-up to leave the Whites with everything to do.
Any thoughts of a possible fightback didn’t last long, though, as Stockport quickly added to the pain with another goal with just 55 minutes gone.
Horsfall again got himself free from a set-piece and this time the big defender took the chance to head in at the far post and make it 3-0.
It was unravelling badly for Wanderers and after Evatt had made a double change – giving Gethin Jones his first action of the season – they conceded again as Jay Matete lost the ball on the edge of his penalty area and Barry handed out further punishment with a simple finish.
Substitute Aaron Collins seemingly should have had a penalty when he was tripped in the box but a goal then would have been of no consolation for the Whites who were picked apart again in the final minute to allow Bailey to add a fitting finish with the goal of the game in the last minute of a chastening afternoon for Evatt’s men.
Wanderers: Baxter; Forrester, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Dacres-Cogley (Jones 58), Sheehan, Matete, Schön (Osei-Tutu 77); McAtee; Adeboyejo (Collins 58), Charles. Substitutes: Southwood, Lolos, Williams, Artfield.
Booked: None
Stockport County: Hinchcliffe; Connolly, Horsfall, Touray; Southam-Hales (Hughes 63), Norwood, Bate, Rydel (Adaramola 63); Collar (Fevrier 69), Wootton, Barry (Bailey 69). Substitutes: Addai, Diamond, Fiorini.
Booked: Collar
Referee: David Rock
Attendance: 10,342