By Nathan Jackson
December 5 2007

A brace from Ben Wright and Lenell John-Lewis's first professional goal saw City beat a poor Stockport side just days after seemingly everyone in Stockport said "there's only one way this result will go." After going into the break even at half time, the Imps dominated the second half and eventually winning 3-1 against 10 Stockport (at least you have your own match video this time Jim)

For the last week I've been browsing around Stockport websites and you'd be hard pushed to find someone who did didn't effectively write off the Imps chances of winning. The Stockport Rivals site even said "Prediction : Stockport 2 Lincoln 0 - There's only one way this game is going to go." Even the assistant manager of Stockport was believed to have said he was looking forward to getting 6 points from ourselves and Wycombe.

So the Imps seemingly wasting a journey as defeat was apparantly inevitable lined up against the guaranteed winning team of Stockport. Infact, it was the uncrowned champions that kicked off the game and they even create the game's first chance, but to the world's surprise they didn't score and only won a corner. And much to the football world's disgust, Ben Smith caught the corner and didn't allow the Brazilian like Hatters to simply take the lead.

Wright and Forrester dared to win the ball for City and somehow managed to get past the best defence that the planet has ever seen, but Owain Warlow obviously realised who he was playing against and his tamely gave the ball to Conrad Logan.

The footballing world were up-in-arms a minute later as Stockport had a goal disallowed. This came when Liam Dickinson ran onto a punt forward and fired it beyond Smith, the referee however defied the footballing gods and disalllowed it for a challenge on Danny Hone.

This obviously stunned Gareth Own, the Stockport County skipper couldn't believe it to the extent that he had to require treatment to a head injury. The referee soon did justice to the world when he didn't give the Imps a free kick when N'Guessan was tripped by Rose. A jolly good show from Conrad Logan saw him tip a N'Guessan shot around the post, obviously no-one had told the Frenchman that this game WAS going to end 2-0 to Stockport.

City's defence somehow failed to realise we were playing a team who were destined to win, with Bencharif denying both Dickinson and former City trainee Elding in quick succession. The Imps produced an attack that saw N'Guessan hit the ball against the chest of Michael Rose, how very dare he.

Stockport were unfortunately not able to replicate their footballing equivalents AC Milan or Barcelona when they wasted an easy chance to take that supposed guaranteed lead, this time in the former of a corner and then the referee clearly didn't realise he was at Edgeley Park as he booked Griffin, although I'm going to abandon the sarcasm for this little bit. The decision to book Griffin was a bit strange due to it being for taking a free kick to quickly despite the ref blowing his whilst to start play again, very odd.

Infact, enough of the sarcasm because you get the idea by now. Frecklington was trying to score a wonder goal as he sent several long range efforts into the stand. However, the Imps were thankful to Smith a few minutes later when he saved a seemingly goalbound header from Dickinson.

City won a free kick just on the right but Kerr's inswinger went just over everyone and that was the final chance of a half that was probably just shaded by the hosts.

Kerr's weak shot at the beginning of the second half trickled over the line for a goalkick but it wasn't long before City were in the lead. It came as a good ball out to N'Guessan saw him swing a shot in from the right, Logan parried it straight to Ben Wright and the striker had an easy time parrying it into the empty net to give City their first League goal on the road since October 2nd and only the 5th League goal away from home in the League.

Stockport tried for a quick responce but the Imps produced a counter attack from the corner and took a 2-0 lead. This time a brilliant cross from the left from Warlow was volleyed in by Ben Wright and the Imps were now in full control.

Stockport responded to this with something that you don't see that often, 3 subs coming on at the same time. Tansey, Elding and Rose went off for Briggs, Proudlock and Rowe. Frecklington headed in Logan's gloves and the hosts were seemingly falling apart. Dickinson spurned a good chance to pull on back when Dickinson found himself free on goal but daudled and was disposesed by Bencharif.

Just over 10 minutes after coming out Proudlock was heading off again. The striker seemingly won a 50-50 ball but was sent off for apparantly double footed tackling with studs showing. This was met by anger from the STOCKPORT FANS.

N'Guessan was replaced by John-Lewis and the youngster quickly got involved by playing a brilliant ball to Warlow. The Welshman was one-on-one with Logan but sent his shot into the side netting and within a minute Stockport had pulled one back. Stockport's midfielders created a chance for Poole, his shot was palmed by Smith before the ball fell to Dickinson and he tapped into the empty net.

Having seen City throw away many 2 goal leads in recent years, City fans could have been forgiven for thinking the worst but John-Lewis displaced those fears when he was released by Kerr and the teenager became the second youth team member in under 20 months to score their first professional goal at Stockport, chipping neatly over an on-rushing Logan. Kerr was replaced by Hand.

Injury time went without a noteworthy addition and the Imps moved out of the relegation zone and up to 20th, above Grimsby, Dagenham and Redbridge and Mansfield Town.

FOR AN UNOFFICIAL STOCKPORT COUNTY SLANT ON THE MATCH, PLEASE VISIT WWW.COUNTY4LIFE.COM