STOCKPORT COUNTY 1, HARTLEPOOL UNITED 1
Paddy Madden’s spectacular late equaliser underlined why Stockport County splashed out a sizeable sum to lure the proven marksman from League One club Fleetwood Town to spearhead their promotion push.
The 31-year-old striker struck with 12 minutes left as fourth-placed Stockport appeared to be heading for a home defeat to Hartlepool United who remain second in National League following a 11-match unbeaten run.
That goal cancelled out the Gavin Holohan goal early in the second half which looked like being a matchwinner and cut Sutton United’s lead at the top.
The significance of this result is that Sutton and Hartlepool remain favourites to battle for the one automatic promotion spot while Stockport will probably contest the play offs.
This was a clash of two of the National League big-hitters, two teams desperate to regain their EFL status.
But to coin a boxing analogy is this hugely significant promotion race, they looked more light than heavyweight for much of the match.
Perhaps it was down to the organisational skills of respective managers Simon Rusk and Dave Challinor but both sides cancelled out each other for much of the match.
Neither goalkeeper had a save to make in the opening period which was disappointing as a spectacle.
The nearest to a goal came close to the break when Hartlepool’s Luke Armstrong fashioned an opening, but Mark Shelton was unable to connect with his low cross when it looked as though he could not miss.
The visitor made the breakthrough within two minutes of the restart when Holohan headed home a cross from right back Lewis Cass.
It was the fourth goal of the season from the 29-year-old midfielder who joined Hartlepool two years ago having had considerable experience in Ireland with Drogheda, Cork, Galway and Waterford.
The visitors had a couple more openings but were unable to build on their advantage.
It was a measure of how well Hartlepool defended that it was not until midway through the second half that they forced visiting goalkeeper Ben Killip into his first save of the match to keep out a far post header from Stockport substitute Macauley Southam-Hales.
That sparked Stockport to life belatedly in the match and moments later Killip produced what at the time looked a match-winning save low to his left to keep out a low strike from Alex Newby.
The equaliser came with 12 minutes left when Madden struck. Southam-Hales’ long throw was headed on and Madden, showing lightning reflexes, volleyed home with a strike out of nothing.
It was his 10th goal of the season, nine for Fleetwood and this was his first in four matches since his move.
Stockport might even have snatched victory in the fourth and final minute of added time when substitute Harry Cardwell contrived to head over from close range following a free kick.
The point extended the good runs from each club – Stockport have lost once in eight games – but does little to enhance either’s prospects of becoming champions.