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Three minutes later and five minutes into the match Crewe opened the scoring after much pressur eon the County defence. Jack picked up the ball on the right, ran at the defence into the area where he tried to pull it back and hit a hard low ball to Jones on his far right but Lunt ran into the path of the ball and while closley marked by County ran into the box to the far right hand post where he sweetly fired home from close range. County started to take on the possesion but with noreal pressure Crewe were happy for them to try and get at them when Crewe looked the dangerous side. Some woeful refereeing was going to County's favour - the slightest tug on a Stockport player got seen to yet when hulse was being pulled and pushed over again and again there was no reaction from the referee Graham Laws or his assistants. The Hatters hffed and puffed as they tried to get past Foster, Sodje, Walker and Wright, who was amazing, in defence but with no luck. They tried going from the left and right but every ball that floated in was gavered by imressive Ince, even 'throwin expert' Challinors throw ins didn't cause that mcuh trouble. The Alex started to regain the possesion and created something from it, something Stockport must envy, the Alex extended the scored with Hulsey getting his 9th of the season when Lunt brought down a bouncing all to the left of the goal, slid past his marker to hit across the face of the goal where Hulse easily tapped in. Hulse's celebration was cut short after a slip onto his arse.(Thought we would add that).
Another patient build up led to pressure on the County goal with the Alex charging forward Jack had the ball on the edge of the area and with his back to the goal he gently tapped the ball to his left turned a smacked a shot which was going into the top of the net but the County keeper pulled off a one handed save to stop Rodders from collecting his 6th goal of the season. Walker then had a header registered on target from the corner when a header out came to him, with Hulse unmarked infront of goal a simple header down would have done but he fired a rocket header at goal but straight at the keeper.
Half time came and went with a few mad moments from the old Stockport mascot.
Palmer's team came back out almost totally different, three changes, tactics had changed but one thing hadn't, they were still crap.
The Alex were put under massive pressure and Wright will tell you that as a scramble in the box saw many shots going in and many shots bouncing back before Wright found himself having to turn away a ball on the right post. From the resulting corner saw a header accross the gaol which saw Ince struggling to get to it as he stumbled accross the goal line but it went wide. then Crewe rounded it off. Jack was sent free down the right and into the box where he crossed low into Hulse who tapped a (very) low header to Jones just inside the box who turned the ball into the bottom corner. Three nil it was all wrapped up, Stockport had failed to register a worthy shot on goal all afternoon. However to their credit they did take one chance, all be it luck. It was a strange goal, Daly fund himself with just Ince to beat but Fostergave him a push, on rush Ince slid in at him, the ref told everyone to play on, Daly stook the ball in the net, there wasn't a single cheer from Stockport(HONEST!!!) and with all the confusion the Alex just got on with it. After a couple of efforts from County it was never going to be their day as the Pride of Cheshire sailed to a comfortable 3-1 victory - so we thought, until Sorvel knocked a Hulse clear on goal beating the offside trap he had all the time in the world to curl past a stranded keeper for his 10th goal of the season. Four one and the game was out of reach for County - the fans flooded out and few were remaining for the full time whistle.