County 1-0 Mansfield

Stockport County extended their winning streak to six games and six straight clean sheets with a 1-0 win over Mansfield.

Anthony Pilkington and Adam Proudlock came into the team in place of Adam Griffin and the injured Tes Bramble.

Matty Hamshaw started for Mansfield on the left hand side, and was greeted with a chorus of boo’s every time he touched the ball.

Martin Gritton should have given Mansfield the lead, but only a fantastic save from Wayne Hennessey could stop Gritton. Hennessey got down well with his left hand to pull of a wonderful save.

And from the counter attack County nearly scored as David Poole and Adam Proudlock found themselves two on one with the Mansfield defender. However Poole could only find the defenders foot and the cross was blocked off.

But County were ahead when Anthony Elding was first to react after a bad clearance from a corner and hammered his shot into the net from five yards out, County 1-0 Mansfield.

County had the chance to double the lead just before halftime, when they were awarded a penalty for, what looked like, a fair challenge. Adam Proudlock and Michael Rose had a discussion and it was decided that Proudlock would be the one to take the penalty. However, he didn’t take the chance and took a poor penalty which was easily saved by Jason White. Still County 1-0 Mansfield.

Going into the second half Adam Proudlock, who hadn’t been playing well, was taken off and Adam Griffin was brought on. Anthony Pilkington went upfront, with Griffin going on the left wing.

Pilkington nearly scored with his first attempt upfront, but Jason White kept the ball out with a fine save.

Adam Griffin then had a back post header, but he was just too small to direct it goalwards – Brett Angell would have scored it.

And from a County free kick Gareth Owen somehow found himself one on one with Jason White, however being a defender he didn’t have a clue what to do and just hammered it towards goal, Jason White saved it with his face and County wasted the resulting corner.

Adam Griffin then hit the cross bar with an attempt at an overhead scissor kick, before Anthony Elding completely messed up his attempt and his overhead shot went wide.

However Mansfield weren’t giving up and Michael Boulding nearly equaliser but his shot crashed against the bar, and then Adam Griffin managed to beat Matt Hamshaw to the ball infront of the open goal.

Some late Mansfield pressure came to nothing though, and County ran out 1-0 winners and recorded their six successive win and their six successive clean sheet.

Who’s up for Accrington? It’s going to be fantastic!