Port Vale 3 Stockport 1

Rob Dawson

October 06, 2009

Gary Ablett

STOCKPORT County were dumped out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tonight after conceding three times in the opening 13 minutes against Port Vale.

Louis Dodds had already flashed a warning shot wide before Lewis Haldane cut in from the left and smashed his shot past Paul Gerrard via the inside the post to open the scoring after four minutes.

And four minutes later it was 2-0, Marc Richards robbing Gianluca Havern before cutting the ball back to Dodds to side-foot home.

Richards almost extended Port Vale’s lead with an acrobatic volley that skidded just wide, but he was on the scoresheet moments later when Tommy Fraser’s pass caught Danny Pilkington napping and Kris Taylor crossed from the byline for Richards to stab the ball into the net.

A shell-shocked County did pull a goal back after 22 minutes when Liam Bridcutt’s 25-yard drive crept inside the post while Adam Griffin and Carl Baker both had chances to further reduce the deficit before half-time.

Both goalkeepers were forced into good saves soon after the break with Chris Martin tipping Baker’s effort round the post and Gerrard denying Dodds and then Haldane.

Gary Ablett made three changes in an attempt to get back into the game but despite having the better chances as the game wore on, County’s road to Wembley came to an abrupt end at Vale Park.

County (4-5-1): Gerrard 6, Mullins 6, Rose 6, Havern 6, Raynes 6, Pilkington 5 (Vincent 74, 6), Griffin 5 (Poole 74, 6), Turnbull 5, Bridcutt 6 (Tansey 74, 6), Baker 6, Thompson 5.

What did you think of County's display? Tell us your comments

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Alan Hornsby (07/10/2009 at 13:21)

This (Port Vale) is a side so bad that all the players are up for sale and no one wants them. What does that say about us then? County are in desperate trouble, certs for relegation, still in administration, no ground, an unsuccessful manager (Liverpool at the bottom of the reserves league) and a woeful squad of players with the exception of the 2 loan players, Baker, Mullins, the keeper and possibly Raynes. The fans are drifting away if the gaps even in the top tier of the cheadle end are anything to go by. Where is Melrose and his party? What is going on? Something needs doing to stop the rot now!

bluephil, Stoke-on-Trent (07/10/2009 at 13:57)

Following a nice pint in the Leopard (keep a note of this pub for next year's league 2 away fixture at Vale), the season hit a new low for me as I got drenched during the five minute walk to the ground and found myself watching county 3-0 down inside the first 15 minutes. To their credit county did stem the flood of goals without really looking like getting back into the game. Once again, county showed some nice passing in midfield but with no-one running into spaces up front. I also agree with other posts here saying that one up front doesn't work. I am losing patience with Thompson - he looks disinterested and his miss from virtually the goal line (it was ten times harder to put it over the bar compared with scoring and yet he managed it) was the final straw for me. We knew this season was a "backs to the wall" job with virtually no chance of staying up, so there's no surprises. My gut feeling tells me Ablett is doing the best job he can - his loan signing are inspired - and we should support him and the players all we can. My worry is that, if I'm wrong, we could be well on our way to the conference next season before we've sussed our demise is less about the players and more about the manager!

hulme hatter, M15 (07/10/2009 at 16:34)

Ablett is being asked to do an impossible job - limit on signings, forced to play kids who should be 2 or 3 years away from first team football, no certainty as to who is in charge of the club etc. He can clearly pick a player - as the loan signings show - and I'm sure given the chance to actually build a new side, he would do a good job. If the club does not come out of administration soon it will slowly die, and relegation does look a possibility this season, but that isn't Ablett's fault. The fact that we are not bottom of the table with the team that he has been forced to put out is a minor miracle.

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