Stockport Town 0 Sandbach United 2

After losing to FC Oswestry on Saturday, United travelled to Stockport to try and get back to winning ways, writes Jack Beresford.

Sandbach conceded after four minutes in Saturday, however this time they went one better and conceded after three minutes! Elliot Ledwards was dispossessed in his own half by Callum Dolan, who was then allowed to drive through the middle of the midfield on his way into the box, he then curled a left footed shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, past Ryan Moss who was at full stretch but couldn’t get near it.

Sandbach have been guilty of conceding some poor and needless goals in recent weeks, so to concede in the fashion that they did would have frustrated Sandbach manager Andy Hockenhull who must be sick of seeing his side concede early goals.

Callum Dolan was causing the Sandbach defence some real concern. The former Man United scholar almost helped his team double their lead as he got to the by-line down the left wing and sent in a low cross towards the back post, the ball cannoned off Ledwards and somehow went over the bar and out for a corner.

United were very lucky to only be one down, Dolan came close again as he looked to find the far-right corner with his right foot, but Ryan Moss was on hand to tip the ball around the post and out for a corner. Sandbach were really struggling to find their feet in the first half, but eventually they had their first shot on target with just 5 minutes of the half to go, as Billy Buckley who was making his return to the starting eleven played a superb ball in behind to Jordan Davies who found himself in on goal, he got into the box and looked to find the bottom right corner of the goal from the left side of the box but it was brilliantly saved by the keeper Andrei Stinca who palmed it away to safety.

At half time Sandbach found themselves a goal down with It all to play for in the second half.

The second half began, and both sides knew that the next goal would be vital, for Stockport it would double their lead and give Sandbach a mountain to climb, but if Sandbach were to score they would be level and then they’d have the momentum to go on and score another.

With half an hour of the game to go it was Sandbach who scored the all-important second goal of the game as Aaron Knight glided through the Stockport midfield before shooting towards the bottom right corner, however Andrei Stinca made a save but he parried it into the path of Jordan Davies who was on hand to tap home the rebound, levelling the scores for his side.

With a third of the match still to go the game was very much in the balance, however five minutes later Sandbach had ever-reliable keeper Ryan Moss to thank for keeping the scores level as Skelton’s deflected pass fell into the path of Mottram who found himself in a lot of space on the edge of the box, he got into the box and looked to place the ball into the bottom right corner but somehow Moss managed to deflect the ball onto the bar and away to safety, it was a stunning save from the Sandbach keeper.

Sandbach were pushing to find the winner and they came agonisingly close in the 77th minute as a deep free kick was sent into the box and met by Davies who saw his header loop over the keeper, but it bounced off the bar and eventually went out for a goal kick.

The away side finally made their pressure count as they took the lead with ten minutes to go as good work down the left from Knight allowed him to send in an in-swinging cross towards Davies at the back post who got in front of his man and managed to poke the ball past the keeper and into the bottom the left corner, the Stockport defence were adamant that Davies had come from an offside position but the referee ignored their appeals and allowed the goal to stand.

Sandbach managed to hold on for the last ten minutes to earn themselves a valuable three points against a very good Stockport side. Next up for United his a home game against local rivals Alsager Town on Saturday.

Match Report: Jack Beresford