DONCASTER ROVERS 2, STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
Stockport County suffered a third defeat from their first four league games since their long-awaited return to the EFL.
It has been a challenging start and their first visit to old rivals Doncaster Rovers in nearly 18 years was a case in point.
Dave Challinor’s side had to play 70 minutes with 10 players after having Macauley Southam-Hales sent off as their first-ever visit to the multi-purpose Eco-Power Stadium proved a disappointing one as they were edged out by the odd goal in three.
Southam-Hales’ dismissal left the Hatters with a mountain to climb, yet they so nearly left South Yorkshire with a point.
The hosts, whom County had not beaten in League action since 1990, scored late in the first half through George Miller, and although an equaliser from substitute Ryan Rydel within a minute of the restart got the Hatters back on terms, their subsequent rearguard action proved in vain as Kieran Agard hit an injury-time winner.
The Hatters showed one change from their starters against Colchester at Edgeley Park three days earlier with Kyle Wootton, who had scored the only goal of that game to secure County a first win back in League Two, replacing Ollie Crankshaw.
The hosts, managed by one-time County loanee Gary McSheffrey, included among their unchanged line-up another former Hatter, Tommy Rowe, who had plied his trade in SK3 as a youth, and subsequently a senior, player from 2003 to 2009.
Paddy Madden came close to scoring in outrageous style after spotting home goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell off his line – but the skipper’s half-volley, from just inside the home half, flew wide of the left post.
Ten minutes later, a chip into the County area by Lee Tomlin found Kyle Knoyle, although the onrushing right back was only able to apply a heavy touch that was safely intercepted by Vit Jaros.
It had been a benign enough start to the night’s proceedings, but as the first half approached its mid-point, the Hatters were reduced in number when Southam-Hales was shown a straight red card after shoving Rowe as the players jostled for position while awaiting James Brown’s throw-in from the right.
The Hatters, who had brought on Rydel for Ryan Croasdale shortly after the dismissal, responded to their setback in a positive manner initially – but 10 minutes ahead of the break, they fell behind to the unbeaten hosts when James Maxwell’s low delivery from the left teed up Miller to slot past Jaros.
As half-time approached, further damage was averted by the woodwork, as a curling effort from Tomlin struck County’s right post, and by the Jaros, whose legs kept out Knoyle’s follow-up shot.
County introduced Fraser Horsfall for Wootton upon the resumption but, having shored up the defence, the Hatters promptly and amazingly drew level. A run down the left flank by Myles Hippolyte eventually found Rydel, whose shot went through the legs of Mitchell and into the net.
Doncaster responded with forays towards the County goal that saw Jaros parry beyond the right post a shot from Rowe, Kyle Hurst fire wide of the opposite upright, and Tomlin, from 25 yards, let rip with a thunderbolt that struck the underside of the crossbar before bouncing clear.
Jaros palmed away two shots in quick succession from Hurst on the left, as the hosts kept up the pressure. And a shot from distance by Harrison Biggins struck the County keeper’s chest, before Jaros recovered to snatch the ball away from Miller on the rebound.
With less than 20 minutes left, Jaros intervened again to deny Rowe, after the ex-Hatter connected with Adam Clayton’s corner from the right to head goalwards. And within a minute of his introduction, substitute Agard drilled a shot from the right across the six-yard box and narrowly past the far post.
The supreme backs-to-the-wall effort – aided by three further County substitutions for the final quarter of an hour – continued, as Jaros tipped over a Tomlin free-kick that had been glanced on by Antoni Sarcevic, and Tom Anderson’s shot was deflected beyond the right post.
Alas, the Hatters could not hold out for what would have been a bravely fought point. As five minutes of added time were announced, Tomlin threaded through a ball from the middle for Agard to drill past Jaros for the late winner.
Goals: Miller (35) and Agard (90+1) for Doncaster. Rydel (46) for Stockport.
Stockport County (3-4-3): Jaros; Brown, Lewis, R Johnson; Southam-Hales, Croasdale (Rydel 27), Camps (Newby 75), Hippolyte (Crankshaw 75); Madden (Evans 75), Wootton (Horsfall 46), Sarcevic. Subs (unused): Hinchliffe, Quigley.
Attendance: 6,309 (1,115 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.