MATCH REPORT: Harrogate Town 3 - 1 COUNTY

Bogie - The Geordie quit at the final whistle

By Chris Larkin

Stockport County fans had an overwhelming feeling of deja vu on Saturday as the team reached a new low - losing another match and another manager in a mad 90 minutes.

Ian Bogie resigned just minutes after County slumped to a 3-1 loss in North Yorkshire.

County were on the backfoot right fromthe kick off, as Harrogate wasted a good opportunity by blasting over the bar, soon after winning the first corner of the game.

But almost immediately, County were on the break as young Rhys Turner bombed down the wing, winning County a corner which Fagbola did connect with but couldn't turn into the net.

County continued the momentum with Turner once again involved and desperately unlucky not give  the Hatters the lead with a header following some excellent work down the left from fan favourite, Adriano Moke.

County were almost made to pay for their profligacy within two minutes as Ian Ormson had to be alert to a cross-cum-shot from the Harrogate wing.

County were soon back on the front foot winning two free-kicks in a short space of time before the best chance of the match fell to Aman Verma - a lovely team move ending in a Verma run on goal. But in trying to place the ball around the goalie, he instead placed it wide of the net. And his luck didn't improve a couple of minutes later as he had a header acrobatically tipped over by the impressive Harrogate goalkeeper.

Verma squandered yet another opportunity10 minutes before the break - played in by Rhys Turner, Verma had another crack but again pulled the ball wide of the post.

It was clearly not going to be County's day despite playing well in the first half - a feeling which was compounded in five minutes of madness just before half-time, as Harrogate caught County flat footed and fired a long range shot beyond Ian Ormson. 1-0. Heads down.

And just a minute or so later it was 2-0 as Town once again broke through the Hatters backline to give them a 2-0 cushion. Then,  just two minutes later it was 3-0 as sloppy play from County gave the ball away cheaply for a simple tap-in and the end of County's day.


Domination to defeat in five disastrously amateur minutes. Story of the season so far.


The Second half started like the first half ended, with the Yorkshire hosts on the attack.

County's first sub of the game saw the hugely disappointing Ian Craney being replaced by youngster Bobby Lofthouse for his competitive first team debut - and the youngster's impact was instant as he laid the ball off to Jevons who just couldn't connect well enough and blazed it over the bar.


There was just no way back from this point on.

What turned out to be Ian Bogie's last action as Stockport County manager was to bring on Ian Howard and Brandon Windsor for Phil Jevons and Adriano Moke.

But County finally got on the scoresheet with a late consolation goal after Jacobs did well down the right and crossed the ball for sub Howard who turned and shot well beyond the reach of the keeper.

Despite playing well for periods,  lack of goals and defensive concentration cost County once again on the pitch.

Who knows what exactly caused Ian Bogie to walk out on the club just minutes after the final whistle but those looking for reasons  for the seemingly endless slide towards non league oblivion don't need to look much further than their own boardroom for the start and continuation of the disastrous domino effect.

Attendance: 918

County Line-up: Ian Ormson, Kyle Jacobs, Stephen O'Halloran, Keiran Charnock, Jordan Fagbola, Aman Verma, Ian Craney (Bobby Lofthouse) , Adriano Moke (Iain Howard), James Tunnicliffe, Phil Jevons (Brandon Windsor), Rhys Turner.

Unused Subs: Jamie Hand, Scott Duxbury.