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It certainly girded us and we got much tighter at the back, firing in some firm challenges. We were not testing the opposition keeper though and perhaps a little frustration started to show. We were dominating the play but our final ball often let us down. Matt Lomas was booked, and perhaps lucky to only receive a yellow, for a bad lunge on the Stockport left winger.
Our visitors had some nice touches in their play but were in truth were no match for our power and drive. Alex-Ray Harvey looked to have squeezed the ball in at the far post following a poor corner, but his sliding effort spun narrowly wide. We finally made a breakthrough five minutes before the break though. Michael King broke down the left and won a throw near the corner. It was quickly taken to the feet of Wes Fletcher, who shimmied past the covering defender and jinked into the box. His cut back was fired into the shins of the big centre half and he couldn't help but equalise for us, giving him the ignominy of scoring at both ends.
The first half ended with us level but having been much the better side. According to spectators it was reminiscent of the early season game against County, in terms of our domination without just rewards.
The second half kicked off and was around 10 seconds old when we went into overdrive. Fletcher gained possession on the left side of midfield and quickly sized up his angles before beautifully curling in from 20+ yards, past the despairing dive of the keeper.
Ten minutes later and we'd extended the lead. The ball fell to King on the edge of the box and he struck it well, but wayward. Fortunately it smacked against the hip of Fletcher and wrong footed the goalie, before nestling in the back of the net for Fletcher's second. Two minutes more elapsed and a free kick routine in a central position led to an Alex-Ray Harvey special bulging the net from 30 yards.
At 4-1 we took our foot off the gas a little. We continued to probe but with less urgency. Just after the hour mark we made a double change as Harvey and King made way for Dil Chaggar and Oliver Devenney. As the two lads settled into the game we saw the first hat-trick of the season. Chaggar crossed from the right wing, but it was a touch too high and flicked off the head of Dom Knowles. James Craggs though arrived at the far post and instead of shooting he clipped it back in to the waiting Fletcher to head in off the bar.
Dan Brown replaced Nik Kudiersky in the aftermath of the goal after another typically solid display from the big lad. With Fletcher's hat-trick in the bag it was the turn of his strike partner to get in on the act. A square ball from the right found Knowles unmarked in a central position. He looked up and struck the ball cleanly into the bottom corner from 25 yards. The County defence were at 6s and 7s, unable to cope with our movement and pace.
A little pride though was restored by our visitors with around five minutes remaining. The left winger got in ahead of Matt Lomas in the six yard box and gave McDonald no chance from point blank range.
To ensure the game didn't finish on a sour note we grabbed another goal as the clock wound down. Craggs was fed on the left wing and he roasted his marker before sweeping in a fantastic cross to the far post. Devenney, running in, met it sweetly and thrashed it into the net, meaning the game finished 7-2.
Wes will rightly get the plaudits for his triple but special mention must be made for some lads who played 90 minutes on Wednesday. Captain Lynch was as dominating as ever but Harvey in the middle was exceptional. The second years are supposed to stand out and today they really did.
Team:- Danny McDonald, Matt Lomas, Jake McEneaney, Nik Kudiersky (Dan Brown), Chris Lynch, Alex-Ray Harvey (Oliver Devenney), Michael King (Dil Chaggar), James Craggs, Wes Fletcher, Dom Knowles.
Not used:- Ben Woodhead.