Stockport County held by Reading

Stockport County 1 - 1 Reading

Jack Marriott struck midway through the second half to earn Reading a 1-1 draw at Stockport after Kyle Wootton had given the hosts an early lead.

Author | Alan White

Stadium | Edgeley Park

View from The Cheadle End

Stockport started with intent and came close within four minutes when Brad Hills’ header from a corner rattled the top of the crossbar. Reading soon carved out an opening of their own but Daniel Kyerewaa, clean through on goal, failed to bring the ball under control.

The home side’s physical approach unsettled Reading, and they went ahead on 22 minutes, Ben Osborn delivering a cross that Tyler Onyango headed across goal for Wootton to turn in from close range. Matty Jacob went close with a fierce strike while Jeriel Dorsett forced Ben Hinchcliffe into a fine save as the visitors grew into the game after the break.

READ MORE | Stockport move closer to play-offs after hard-fought win

Their pressure told on 73 minutes when Marriott finished a sweeping counterattack to level. 

Ben Hinchliffe denied Marriott a second soon after his equaliser, before Joel Pereira was called into action at the other end to block Wootton’s left-footed strike. Substitute Jayden Fevrier then threatened for Stockport, cutting in from the right and curling an effort just wide of the far post.

View from the away end

Neither side could find a decisive breakthrough, and Reading closed out the match to secure their first point at Edgeley Park in 31 years.

Best reaction

After the match, Stockport County boss Dave Challinor told the media: “I think we should have won the game but we, again, have not taken the chances we created and have missed out on getting three points. We have taken the lead in eight of our last 10 games and only won four of them.

“In the past, we haven’t been overly creative in terms of the chances we were making, but we were really efficient at putting the ball in the net. But this season, even though we have scored in every game, we should have scored more.”

One Stockport fan commented on this Facebook post: “I’m growing tired of this. Why is it that we cannot put away teams who are clearly struggling? We should have been four goals to the good by half-time. Instead, we give away the softest of goals after the break. There is no urgency, no fight, no spark. It is desperately poor.”

Another fan told us: “Not sure the manager knows his best team even now. Hope he can sort out the team between now and the end of the season. I fear that if we don’t win promotion this season, we will not do so in the future.”