THE GAME
James Wilson
Louie Barry and Kyle Wootton scored the goals that meant a first defeat for Rovers in their third league match of the season, while the hosts maintained their 100% start to the campaign.
Promise Omochere might have given Rovers a third minute lead, but headed wide of goal while at the other end Josh Griffiths saved well from Jack Diamond.
Rovers then went close on two occasions, both headers from corners. Taylor Moore’s attempt was touched over the bar by Corey Addai, while Bryant Bilongo’s effort was wide of goal.
After Griffiths had saved well from Barry, the Stockport man opened the scoring after he collected a clearance by Clinton Mola and hit a shot past Griffiths from the edge of the area.
Griffiths was in the thick of the action early in the second half when he touched Will Collar’s effort round the post. However, he was beaten for a second time just afterthe hour mark. Oliver Norwood’s corner was headed back across goal by Fraser Horsfall and Wootton had the simple task of scoring from close range.
Substitute Scott Sinclair volleyed over when well placed before the 90 minutes were up, but the final chance of the game fell to Stockport but Griffiths did well to save from Jayden Fevrier.
THEY SAID WHAT?
‘We started the game fantastically well and were in the ascendancy in the first half. There were some good attacking moments, but we should work the goalkeeper, or at least work the goalkeeper more.
‘Their first goal came out of nothing, really. One poor header, from our point of view, out of the back line and it fell to their best player who finished really well.
‘We have to improve and we will improve and we will spend more time together, undertake more trsining and more training under pressure and that will, I think, see us improve significantly.’ (Rovers manager Matt Taylor)
‘It was a tough game, but one in which I thought we started well. We had a few chances to score and probably didn’t capitalise on that.
Grant Ward
‘Then we made a little mistake and they got a lot of momentum from that and we found it hard to get back in the game from then on. We quietened the crowd a little bit at the start, but once they got that goal and the crowd behind them, it was tough.’ (Rovers midfielder Grant Ward)
‘It’s the perfect start for us, with maximum points after three games and without conceding a goal. It’s better than we hoped for, or expected from us, before the season began.
‘We have to maximise this run as best as possible and move on quickly to the next game. But, in fairness, we’ve defended well. In football you need to defend and get in your tackles and make blocks.
‘You need your goalkeeper to make saves and you need a little bit of luck and I think we’ve had that so now we have to run with it as best we can and continue working hard, getting men behind the ball and making sure we are well organised.’ (Stockport manager Dave Challinor)
