STOCKPORT COUNTY 1, NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Two late goals marked Stockport County’s first midweek home match of their League One campaign as they were held to a draw under the Edgeley Park lights by Northampton Town.
In what was also the first of four successive competitive Tuesday night games in SK3, County had to settle for a third share of the points in a row.
Top scorer Louie Barry’s penalty four minutes from the end looked to have secured victory – only for the visitors to level during time added on, leaving the Hatters rooted in ninth place.
A sunny autumn day had given way to a clear and dry evening as the Hatters took to the field showing four changes from their starting line-up at Charlton three days previously.
Odin Bailey, Jayden Fevrier, Sam Hughes – making his first league start for County – and Tanto Olaofe were the players brought in, replacing the suspended Fraser Horsfall and the injured Jay Mingi, as well as Ollie Norwood and Kyle Wootton, both of whom featured among the County substitutes.
Horsfall’s enforced absence, courtesy of a one-match ban for his dismissal, following two yellow-card transgressions in South East London at the weekend – denied the defender and ex-Cobbler an opportunity of facing the visitors, for whom he had, before joining County, turned out exactly 100 times, and on many occasions as captain, between 2020 and 2022.
With five minutes played, Fevrier was presented with County’s and the evening’s first chance in the form of a free kick that he fired beyond the right post. And a minute or so later, a deflection off Bailey fizzed past the opposite upright after good work by Olaofe on the left.
The visitors, who had last enjoyed a victory at EP 38 Octobers ago, created their inaugural opportunity shortly afterwards, when Mitch Pinnock’s delivery from the left found Tom Eaves who headed wide of the near post.
Just ahead of the 20-minute mark, County went closer when Fevrier darted across from the right to unleash a dipping, left-footed shot that struck the top of the Railway End crossbar. And 10 minutes following that, Ibby Touray’s pacy cross from the left was glanced past the far post by Olaofe.
Despite the relative openness of the contest, neither goalkeeper had been forced into a save until shortly after the half-hour – when Corey Addai’s hands were stung by a low Pinnock shot from distance.
Five minutes before the break, Olaofe, fed by Barry, broke into the visitors’ box – only for his shot to be deflected behind by a well-timed Nesta Guinness-Walker block.
Barry executed the first attempt of the new half, three minutes following the resumption – when, having been picked out by Touray on the left, he cut in before curling a low shot narrowly shy of the far upright.
The Aston Villa loanee then turned provider from the left by-line – setting up Fevrier, whose first-time shot flew just past the near post – before Barry once more tried his own luck with an effort from outside the area that cleared the bar. And Bailey fired high and wide past the left post, as County continued to press.
It was, then, against the run of play when Northampton, midway through the half, struck the woodwork with a low shot from substitute Tyler Roberts pinging against the inside of the Hatters’ left post and directly into the arms of a grateful Addai. Another recent visiting replacement, Tariqe Fosu, subsequently saw an attempt from the left cleared in front of goal by Hughes.
With just under 21 minutes remaining, County looked to refresh the attacking effort with a quadruple-substitution that included a competitive debut for Michael Mellon – on loan from Burnley – and a flurry of corners followed, as the Hatters strove to make a late breakthrough.
Then, half a dozen minutes from time, and directly consequent upon a Lewis Bate corner from the right, Wootton was brought down in the box by Cameron McGeehan, Referee Jacob Miles pointed to the spot without hesitation, and Barry, for the second successive game, stepped up to fire home from 12 yards.
County’s advantage, alas, lasted only until the second minute of added time – when a Fosu free-kick from the right was met by fellow substitute Tyler Magloire, who headed home the equalizer from close range.
Goals: Barry (86 pen) for Stockport County. Magloire (90+2) for Northampton.
Stockport (4-3-2-1): Addai; Connolly, Hughes, Pye, Touray; Powell (Norwood 71), Bate; Fevrier (Mellon 71), Bailey (Diamond 71), Barry (Fiorini 88); Olaofe (Wootton 71). Subs (unused): Hinchliffe, Onyango.
Attendance: 8,585 (304 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.