Stockport away

After the exhausting journey to Gateshead in midweek, the last thing I or the City players wanted or needed was another long away day. However, the fixture list decreed that City were to play at Stockport County.

So despite my body calling out for sleep I dragged myself out of bed at 7:10 washed, dressed and drove to Odd Down (via Palmers Combe Down abode) to catch the supporters coach for the first time since Kettering.

On the way we learned of a crash involving a coach which we thought would shut the M5, luckily for us the closure was cleared, but we passed the scene of the crash and the insignificance of our problems in the world of football were rammed home (this has become even clearer given two people have died in the accident.)

We arrived in Stockport at 1, and a few of us broke off from the main group to visit the Crown Inn. The Crown is situated in an impressive position below the railway viaduct that traverses Stockport.  I learnt from an old sign in the pub that the viaduct is a full 111 feet above the river, an impressive fact, and looking back probably my best bit of the trip.

Super pub, superb setting

A few ales were supped, before we headed back up the hill to Edgeley Park, given my success getting in for a student at Gateshead on Tuesday, I tried my luck and for the second time in a week succeeded in getting in for a student price. A victory in every sense of the word!

Edgeley Park is an impressive looking old ground, which has been ruined somewhat with its conversion to all seater. A few times the stewards told us City fans to sit down, but I think they realised there was no trouble to be had with 50 fans so left us to our own devices.

Stockport have been having their own miserable season, and after Dietmar Hamann left, they have returned to Jim Gannon who led them to the third tier of English football in his first spell at the club. Despite the fact of the return of a manager who is clearly very capable, they have been getting hammered left, right and centre and currently are only in 17th, which must be painful for a team who had been football league for so long. So it was with a tiny bit of hope that we waited for the game to start against a team who lost 5-0 to Southport last week.

Shielding my eyes from the glorious spring sunshine the game started, and almost instantaneously City's defence parted like the Red Sea and multiple chances kept appearing with a few desperate saves by Garner and a couple of last ditch tackles were all that kept the score even. Then on 14 minutes Danny Hattersley again broke through the middle and despite Garner getting a decent hand to it, the ball dribbled into the bottom corner.

I could write about the rest of the game, but to be honest I am trying to wipe it from my memory. City were awful, pathetic, no spark, no fight, no desire almost. Stockport scored 3 unanswered second half goals, and when the third went in on 61 minutes some fans left to go back to the pub, I was half tempted to join them, but instead stayed to watch the end.

It was a terrible performance, and the mood on the coach was quiet and miserable frankly. I managed to get home just after 9pm, and my 1,000 mile epic journey in the course of a week to watch the men in black and white was over. I will still go to Twerton Park for the rest of the season, but that is my last away until next season, when its the likes of Salisbury, Truro, Boreham Wood and Tonbridge Angels I will be visiting.