Stockport County survived a spirited fight back from fellow strugglers Wycombe Wanderers to claim a much-needed three points at Edgeley Park.

They had led 4-0 midway through the first half, but three Wycombe goals in 15 minutes left the Hatters fans with their hearts in their mouths during a nervy finale.

County’s centre forward pairing of George Donnelly and Jabo Ibehre both went close inside the first five minutes – Wycombe keeper Tom Heaton denying Donnelly before Ibehre toe-poked wide after jinking past Alan Bennett in the box.

And James Vincent, Richie Partridge and Ibehre all had efforts saved by Heaton, before he was finally beaten after 22 minutes when Partridge reacted to a loose ball in the box and shot through a crowd of players to give County the lead.

And just 30 seconds later it was 2-0. Jemal Johnson’s stunning 30-yard effort was tipped over the bar by Heaton, and from the resulting corner, Donnelly’s snapshot on the turn found the bottom corner.

Danny Swailes’ mistake let in JP Pittman on the brink of half-time but Owain Fon Williams saved well with his legs to preserve County’s two-goal advantage.

The Hatters increased that advantage eight minutes after the restart when Ibehre sprayed a pass out wide to Johnson, and the on-loan winger cut in from the right and smashed the ball inside the far post.

Ibehre was then the creator again as County added a fourth on the hour-mark, when he escaped down the left and pulled the ball back for Donnelly to tap home his second of the afternoon.

But after 67 minutes, Wycombe pulled a goal back through substitute Matt Phillips’ close-range volley and three minutes he rose unmarked at the near post to head home Dean Keates’ corner to make it 4-2.

A goalmouth scramble led to a Fon Williams own goal five minutes from time to set up a frantic finish but County hung on – surviving seven minutes of injury time –to record their second win in three games.