CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2, STOCKPORT COUNTY 0
Stockport County’s third successive away-assignment saw their seven-game unbeaten run come to an end with a two-goal defeat at the hands of basement club Cambridge United.
Josh Stokes, who last season led County something of a merry dance with two outstanding FA Cup performances for Aldershot, scored twice in the first half to put the U’s in control of proceedings at the Abbey Stadium.
And, despite an improved second-half performance that saw them enjoy a greater share of chances, the Hatters were unable to trouble the scorers, before finishing the match with 10 men when Callum Connolly was shown a second yellow card.
The Hatters took to the field on an afternoon offering glimpses of late-winter sun over the ‘city of perspiring dreams’ showing four changes from their starting line-up for the fixture at Wigan a week previously.
Corey Addai, who had replaced the injured Ben Hinchliffe just before half-time in that match, continued between the sticks, while, in the outfield, skipper Lewis Bate, Brad Hills and Macauley Southam-Hales replaced Jack Diamond, Owen Moxon and Ethan Pye, the latter was ruled out due to illness.
Diamond and Moxon were named among the substitutes on a bench that also included goalkeeper Max Metcalfe, who, consequent upon Hinchliffe’s need for surgery, had been recalled by County from his loan spell at National League North outfit Marine.
Kyle Knoyle, for the second match running, started against one of his former clubs having spent two years with the U’s between 2019 and 2021.
The contest was, however, denied a reciprocal connection, following the departure of one-time County loanee Garry Monk from the Cambridge managerial hot-seat six days earlier.
The hosts, without a win in five games, and occupying bottom position – eight points from safety – had subsequently brought back Neil Harris for a second stint as head coach. And he would certainly have been pleased with their inaugural attack back under his charge, which gave them an eighth-minute lead, as Stokes connected with Liam Bennett’s cross from the right to head home.
A couple of minutes later at the other end, home goalkeeper Nathan Bishop impressed, too, blocking Kyle Wootton’s attempted lob, after the striker had been played through by Ollie Norwood.
As the half-hour approached, Cambridge captain Michael Morrison latched on to a lofted Stokes free kick and headed beyond the left post. And six minutes later, Ibby Touray and Norwood saw efforts deflected behind for County corners in quick succession before Touray turned provider with a cross from the left that Will Collar headed over.
But three minutes ahead of the break, the hosts put themselves more firmly in the driving seat, as Stokes struck with a shot from 20 yards that took a deflection into the bottom-right corner of County’s net.
The Hatters brought on Ryan Rydel upon the resumption and soon showed some attacking intent with Wootton nodding the ball from the left byline across to Collar, only for the latter to be denied in the six-yard box by an excellent last-ditch challenge from Elias Kachunga.
A triple-substitution followed shortly before the hour and, five minutes later, one of the most-recently-introduced Hatters, Sam Cosgrove, tried his luck with a half-volleyed effort from outside the area that fizzed past the left upright.
Bishop then tipped over a Wootton shot on the turn and, from the resulting corner on the right, Cosgrove headed past the far post, as County continued to try and reduce the arrears.
Two Wootton headers came next, with the first clearing the crossbar, and the second finding the Cambridge net but also producing a raised flag for offside. Moxon, who had set Wootton up for the disallowed attempt, then poked the ball past the near post, following a corner from the right. And Cosgrove saw a shot headed off the line by James Gibbons.
It was, for the Hatters, an afternoon to forget. And one well and truly compounded in added time, when Connolly, who had been booked shortly after the restart, saw yellow again for another foul and received his marching orders.
Goals: Stokes (8, 42) for Cambridge.
Stockport (3-5-2): Addai; Knoyle (Camps 59), Connolly, Hills; Southam-Hales (Rydel 46), Collar, Norwood (Moxon 76), Bate (Cosgrove 59), Touray (Diamond 59); Wootton, Olaofe. Subs (unused): Metcalfe, Hamilton.
Attendance: 6,905 (1,014 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.