County 6 (SIX) Cardiff City 4 (FOUR)

Stockport County gave Sir Danny Bergara something to smile about on an emotional afternoon at Edgeley Park today.

With the club mourning the loss of the great man in an emotional ceremony before the game, the team put in a performance to be proud of as they tonked Championship side Cardiff 6-4.

At about 2:50 the proceedings got underway, when all of the Stockport County staff lined up on the touchline as the County and Cardiff fans rose to their feet. ‘My way’ by Frank Sinatra was then played as requested by Sir Danny’s family, who were in attendance at the ground. Both County and Cardiff’s team then made their way onto the pitch and formed a guard of honour, whilst Chief Executive Mark McGuire read out a statement from Sir Danny’s family. A minute`s silence was held, as County legends Dave Jones (Cardiff manager) and Jim Gannon (County manager) along with Danny’s grandchild brought a flower arrangement and two County scarves to the Cheadle End. The referee blew his final whistle indicating two minutes applause, in which fans were to sing ‘Danny Bergara`s Blue N White Army’. All County fans were stood up singing it, Jim Gannon was singing, as were the Cardiff City fans who were a credit to their club on an emotional day. The Cardiff City players had turned and faced the Cheadle End, as both sets of players clapped along. The two minutes was brought to an end by the referee whilst the County fans continued into the game, and carried the chant on for the rest of the afternoon.

County lined up 4-4-2, and went with something that may look like the team for the first day of the season. Adamson, Briggs, Williams, Owen, Tierney, Poole, Tansey, Taylor, Griffin, Elding, McNeil.

Cardiff City took the lead after about 15 minutes, Gavin Rae broke through the defence into the box on the left hand side and hammered a shot past Adamson. 1-0 to Cardiff.

It was soon 2-0, much the same for Cardiff as slick passing opened up County. Trevor Sinclair this time got the final ball and hammered home into the bottom corner. 2-0 to Cardiff.

However, County were determined to find a way back into the game. Anthony Elding got the ball at the halfway line and looked for McNeil going long. The ball was too long for McNeil, but caused confusion between Rae and the Cardiff keeper. Rae headed the ball towards where the keeper would be stood, but he had come to collect the ball meaning Rae headed into an empty Cardiff net. 2-1, game on.

Soon after it was 2-2, David Poole got the ball on the right wing and hit a low cross across the face of goal. Darren Purse mistimed his clearance and kicked it into the roof of his own goal, 2-2! Two own goals.

Was the drama to stop there? No chance. A County attack was cleared to the edge of the box and there was Jason Taylor to let rip with a wonderful left foot volley into the top corner. Unstoppable for any keeper in the world, and that made it 3-2 to County.

Anthony Elding was then involved in a bit of a tangle with Darren Purse, and he ended up tripping up Purse. It would have seen him been at least booked in a league game, but Jim Gannon was having none of it and took Elding off straight away. He then gave him a public rollicking in front of the Main Stand.

Dickinson replaced Elding and soon got himself involved in the fun, he broke away down the left, crossed the ball for David Poole, who placed his volley well and made it 4-2 to County.

Just before half time Steve Mclean got a goal back for Cardiff to make the second half interesting. A Cardiff player headed against the bar, something that had Adamson all over the place. The ball rebounded out and Mclean placed his header into the bottom corner, Adamson should have done better but he ended up getting nowhere near it.

County made changes just after half time, Adam Proudlock, Anthony Pilkington and Tony Dinning were brought on in place of David Poole, Matty McNeil and Greg Tansey.

Straight away Proudlock got involved, he broke through on the left but a poor touch took him to the left. He crossed for Dickinson, but Purse beat Dickinson to the ball. His clearance hit the Cardiff keeper and Dickinson volleyed home from two-yards, a really comical goal and poor defending from the Championship side. 5-3 to County.

Anthony Pilkington then scored an absolute wonder goal; he brought the ball down with his right foot on the right hand side. Turned inside with his left at the top right hand corner of the area, then curled a wonderful shot into the top corner of the net. Absolutely wonderful are the only words to describe it, 6-3 to County.

Peter Whittingham got a late consolation goal for the Cardiff fans; a mix up in the defence left Whittingham an easy finish from six yards out.

6-4 to County was the final score, an absolutely wonderful spectacle for the fans of both teams on an emotional day at Edgeley Park. It will be something that won’t be forgotten by the County and Cardiff fans because of the emotional occasion.

The Cardiff fans were an absolute credit to their club, who joined in with all of the different ways of showing respect to Sir Danny.

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