Colchester 1 County 2
WE’RE (PRETTY MUCH) UP! Three points in Essex last night means County have got nine toes in League One next season, with one last little piggy set to follow on Saturday
Wednesday 10 April 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Morecambe – Saturday 13 April, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Notts County – Tuesday 16 April, 7.45pm
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Forget the market, forget staying at home, forget the roast beef, all ten of County’s little piggies are going on a League One tour! Nine of them are already tucking into the peanuts and miniature bottles of vodka on the plane. There’s one little piggy still having their passport checked, but they’ll be boarding any moment now.
In other words, we’re going up! It’s not mathematically done and dusted just yet, but County would have to lose all of their remaining games about 4-0, with MK Dons winning all of theirs by a similar scoreline. Even Stockport County couldn’t cock this up from here…
A hard-fought 2-1 victory at Colchester last night has all but sealed County’s return to the third tier next season, for the first time since 2009-10. Jon Waldron was at the match for the Daily Gazette, whilst Hannah Brown was one of the Hatters in the away end who got to experience a very special County moment at the final whistle.
Today’s edition is sponsored by APL Locksmiths. A big thank you to Anthony.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.
Total distance so far: 136.36 miles
Total steps so far: 217,174
Total raised so far: £1,666
Total completed streets so far: 271 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.
Des Junior
✍️ Tuesday’s match in one word
Jon: Eventful!
Hannah: Stressful.
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Jon: Was expecting a tough game for Colchester against a very good County side – which is how it turned out.
Hannah: Happy with recent form and the run we’re on, and well aware that one draw or loss won’t mean we’ve thrown it all away, but momentum is a powerful thing, as is confidence, and hitting form now is perfectly timed. That all said, the Cowleys have a fantastic reputation for a reason, and they’ve held Mansfield and played well against Wrexham recently. They also have a lot to lose.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
Jon: County showed why they’re going up to League One. They may not have completely have been at their best but they got the job done.
Hannah: Even a 2am return home (and well aware that that was still early compared to some) couldn’t take away the relief. Yes, it’s not in the bag, but let’s be honest, it kind of is. I’ve very much been in the ‘dare to dream’ camp, and zero chickens have been counted, but waking up this morning knowing we’re pretty much guaranteed League One football next season is an incredible feeling. Colchester went out of their way to make things difficult for us, and I sit firmly in the Karl Robinson camp in terms of feelings towards Atkinson (who is also going to be fourth official at MK v Mansfield this weekend… damage limitation?).
🔵 Verdict on Colchester
Jon: Battled hard and were competitive against the division’s best team but errors proved very costly for them.
Hannah: Some fantastic individual contributions and I can’t see them being relegated if they keep the pressure on like that. Having played the top three in the last couple of weeks they’ve definitely had their work cut out for them but they should leapfrog Sutton given their games in hand.
🟢 Verdict on County
Jon: Probably not the best they have played this season but showed the competitiveness and resilience needed to get over the line.
Hannah: Some incredibly frustrating incomplete passes but overall pleased with the tenacity and resilience and that no one’s emotions bubbled over despite their very best attempts. Game play was incredibly fast paced and frenetic and we held our own. And that penalty save…
🔵Top U
Jon: Jay Mingi was impressive again at centre-back. Cameron McGeehan was also impressive but will rue that missed penalty.
Hannah: Akinde. You can see the Cowley influence on the pitch with ties to previous clubs and Akinde is one. Chilvers, Read and Mingi also stood out. Incredible that they are where they are in the league.
🎩 Top Hatter
Jon: Paddy Madden. Showed all of his experience and was in the right place at the right time to score the winner.
Hannah: Ben. Facing three penalties in three games isn’t for everyone and we are so lucky to have him.
👂 Atmosphere
Jon: Decent considering it was a cold Tuesday night with Champions League on the TV. County fans were understandably buoyant.
Hannah: It was a bit muted at times but I think that was the stress getting to everyone. The last ten minutes were excruciating with Wembley seven minutes from League One flashbacks and I think we were lucky to only have to suffer five minutes of added time. All totally worth it for those moments after the final whistle though. So very special.
🙏 Hopes for the rest of the season
Jon: To avoid relegation! Colchester have five games to save their Football League status.
Hannah: Six more points would be amazing, wouldn’t it? I love that we have more things to look forward to – the official confirmation of promotion (even if we lose on Saturday, if MK drop any points we’re good), and then pushing on for the title. We still have players potentially returning from injury, we’re in form, we’re going to League One, what’s not to look forward to… apart from Plymouth away on a Tuesday night?!
😀 Best part of the day
Jon: From a Colchester point of view, McGeehan’s equaliser.
Hannah: The mutual love-in between fans and players at the final whistle. Incredibly special scenes and made the four hour drive home much more bearable. Other highlights included my brother Alex’s birthday shoutout (wrong name, wrong age, wrong team supported, not actually his birthday), and realising belatedly that Nick Powell had actually scored – it looked like a save from where we were and that the finger in the air was him appealing for something.
😡 Worst part of the day
Jon: Goodman’s error that allowed Powell’s shot to squirm past him and into the net.
Hannah: Paddy McPugface Madden suffered an injury recurrence ten minutes before scheduled departure (child vs stitches in his paw) which meant one of the group watched on iFollow with pizza to stay with the injured warrior. I am wishing him a speedy recovery, but during the course of his treatment the actual Paddy Madden has banged in four goals, so…
The British Library receives a copy of every single book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 2-1 victory at Colchester United on Tuesday 9 April 2024, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
8.16pm: 1-0, comedy goal! Powell, with a howler from their keeper.
8.18pm: “The goal that fires County into League One” is a bit premature from Jon Keighren!
8.29pm: 1-1.
8.32pm: Poor all round. Decent corner, whipped in, but Ben should be looking to punch, and Knoyle should not be letting their lad get a foot on that.
9.10pm: Madden! 2-1.
9.14pm: Penalty to them…
9.15pm: Saved!
9.19pm: I’m on a work trip (jolly) in Paris this week. I might have had a lot of wine with dinner. Hotel guests might have just looked at me oddly when I leapt out of my chair just now at Ben’s save. Oh well.
9.46pm: Get in. Job done. Sounds like it wasn’t pretty but at this stage of the season, honestly who cares?
10.01pm: What's the crack for going up?
10.06pm: Cigar time.
10.15pm: Jon Keighren describing that game as a “munter” was spot on.
10.17pm: It was that bad, I fully expect Des Junior to bring it home after a night out!
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Photo of the day
Edgeley Park, Stockport
Mark Stott in the Edgeley Park boardroom at approximately 5pm this Saturday.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG) at 1.30pm and 3.45pm, followed by Wicked Little Letters (15) at 6pm. Click here for tickets.
🍺 Food and drink
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have a great range of offers throughout the week, including £4.50 for drinks off the Doubles Bar, a comprehensive range of shots for £2, and 3 for £6 on Jägerbombs.
If you find yourself in Stockport today, pop into The Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a pint or two.
Pie Meal Deal at The Friary (SK3). Any pie or pudding and chips with peas, curry or gravy. Plus tea or coffee. £7.95. (Greenhalgh’s Pies £1 extra.)
❓ Quiz nights
Flying Coach (SK7). 9pm. (Chicken wings available for just 25p before the quiz!)
The Rectory (SK8). £2 per person (maximum of five on a team). £35 bar tab for the winners! 8pm.
Random County fan of the day #92 – Robin Boardman!
One final thing before you go… if you’d like a spring clean for your car, carpets, house, oven or even your windows, get in touch with our brilliant bunch of sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: A Star Clean Ltd
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🏠 Chimney Sweep: Three Shires Chimney Services
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
👟 Fitness: G Thomas Training
🍏 Greengrocers: Waterhouse’s Quality Food
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🌳 Landscaping: PR Landscapes
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
📸 Photography: Holly Dwyer Photography
🎹 Piano Tutor: Sophie Grace Piano and Keyboard Tuition
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
🦶 Podiatry: SK Podiatry
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🤳 Social Media Management: Believe Media
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga