Battling DCFC just lose out in Cheshire Derby
DCFC 2 vs Stockport AEF 3
Edgely Park in Stockport may not have been playable due to the weather but DCFC's pitch in clifton drive was in great condition and saw a cracking game of football.
Thomas and Allen Jones were again on the scoresheet for DCFC who had battled back from 2-0 down only to lose out to a cruel winner in the last 10 minutes.
Stockport certainly started the brighter, the number 16 had an effort after a half cleared corner fell kindly for him and his powerful shot hit Gardner's bar before being cleared.
Stockport continued to push and did take the lead in the 10th minute. After a neat move thier striker produced a fine finsih to beat Gardner in goal.
Frustratingly it was an all-to-familiar story for DCFC who must have conceded first in their last 5 games. On each of the previous occasions it was the catalyst for DCFC to start to play much better and this game was no exception.
Ash Dolan had 2 glorious opportunities to level proceedings as DCFC started to really get a foot in the game.
The first, neat link up play between Thomas and Allen Jones on the left lead to the latter crossing and finding Dolan in the 6 yard area. Dolan beat the defender to the ball but could only find the 'keeper.
The second had Dolan with his head in his hands as a similar move involving Hutchinson and Andy Evans saw evans Crossing from the right and again dolan doing brilliantly to beat the defender in the 6-yard area. The Cross was supurb but again the header was straight at the 'keeper.
As the half wore on both teams were playing good football and creating chances. Stockport has a string of Corners which were excellently defended, including watling clearing an effort of the line, despite his 'keeper was directly behind him.
At the other end Allen Jones created a chance for himself racing between the rightback and the centre half before firing an effort into the side-netting. Andy Evans had made an excellent run, and had the pass come square he would have had a tap in. Unfortunately despite the rest of the team shouting for the pass Andy Evans didn't and Allen Jones didn't see him.
HT 0-1
The second half started much as the first with Stockport pressing with good flowing football. The extended their lead as a clinical pass put their striker through one-on-one with Chris Rixham in goal who got down to the effort and fruistratingly got a strong hand to it only for the power to take the ball under his body and into the net.
DCFC were not beaten however and almost straight from the kick off clawed a goal back.
Hutchinson received the ball on the half way line and hit an angled ball over the top of a high defence which Allen Jones caught napping and met the ball with his head, looping his header over the advancing 'keeper.
Finally DCFC had the goal their play had deserved and they contnued to press hard for an equaliser. In fact it came much quicker than expected, as only 5 minutes had passed before the excellent Joneses combined again resulting in Thomas Jones hitting an effort into the top corner from outside the box.
Not satisfied with the equaliser, DCFC pushed on for more. Allen Jones had another fine cross just elude Andy Evans at the far post. Andy Evans then did supurbly well to out-pace the left back and fired his shot just wide. Andy Holliday also had an effort fly wide as well and James O'Neill who stormed up from right back to hit an effort that flew over.
DCFC then suffered a critical injury blow. having lost central defender Mace early on with a hamstring strain, they lost another defender as the impressing (later man of the match) O'Neill was carried off in a human stretcher with ankle damage following a cinical challenge in his own box.
This caused left back Daniel Watling to have to move over to right back as Nathan Auty took to the field at left back. With 15 minutes to go Stockport were starting to push for the winner also. The Stockport Number 5 dribbled into the area and will feel he should have done better after dragging his shot winde and the stockport right back has a great header from a corner fly just wide.
The killer goal came with just under 10 minutes to go, a corner was half-cleared and the ball richoched around the area before finding a Stockport player who lashed it home from close range.
DCFC still did not give up however and again fought for the equaliser. Watling had a corner cleared off the line and Chris Rixham, after venturing into the area for the watling corner had a free-kick from the half-way line which found Mark Ephgrave free in the 6 yard area. had ephgrave been 6 feet tall, he may have scored, alas, he's not.
Ephgrave had the final chance of the game and it was a chance he was unfortunately going to relive throughout the rest of the weekend. A pass from Dolan in the Stockport area fell on the half-volley for ephgrave whop struck his shot first time only for the Stockport Kepper to make an unbelivable save. Despite efforts from his team-mates that he had done all he could, Ephgrave could not be consoled.
FT 2 - 3
Team
4-3-3
Gardner (Rixham 45)
O'Neill (Auty 75)
Mace (Dutton 15)
Graham
Watling
Andy Holliday
Hutchinson
Thomas Jones (Salmon 80)
Evans (Ephgrave 60)
Dolan
Allen Jones
Man of the Match: James O'Neill