JEVONS OUT FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS

Phil Jevons - 3 weeks out of action?

Phil Jevons is likely to be out of action for Stockport County for between two and three weeks following his injury on the weekend.

Jevons limped off with a suspected hamstring injury after just 15 minutes of the shock FA Cup defeat to Evo-Stick league minnows Rushall Olympic at Edgeley Park on Saturday.

If the injury heals quickly, the striker, who has been banging them in for fun since Alan Lord was put in charge of the team following Ian Bogie's resignation, could be back as soon as the away game against high-flying Histon on October 26.

But club sources today said it was more likely he would return to first-team action in time for the home match against Telford on Saturday November 2nd.

FA CUP MATCH REPORT: COUNTY 0 - 1 Rushall Olympic

Phil Jevons: injured and his experience will be missed

By Chris Larkin

Caernarfon Town, Stevenage Borough, Staines Town and now Rushall Olympic - they have all knocked Stockport County out of the FA Cup against the odds and despite being from a lower league.

County lined up with more or less the same team that beat Barrow so convincingly in the week, and within five minutes, they had the first real chance;  Iain Howard trying to find in-form Rhys Turner with a pass across the back. Unfortunately for the Wiganer, his cross was cut out by the Rushall defence.

Again County pressured down the left hand side through Howard but once again his cross couldn't find anybody - a scenario that ended up being a bit of a theme for the day.

With about 15 minutes played Rushall had their first real chance of the game but, mercifully for the Hatters, the ball went sailing over Ormson's crossbar.

County and Rushall both continued to carve out half-chances but neither side could find the first goal though, the closest anyone came was a well struck free-kick from Phil Jevons that was well saved by the visiting goalkeeper.

With 25 minutes of the half played there was a worrying sign as in-form veteran striker, Phil Jevons, had to be replaced due to picking up a knock. The bright side was that he was replaced by Kristian Dennis, himself coming back from injury, with the former Curzon star looking to add to his goals so far this season.

As the half progressed and the crowd became more and more frustrated at County's lack of creativity,  Rushall had two free-kicks in decent positions but the County defence dealt with them comfortably and the game remained scoreless.

The next real chance didn't arrive until just before half-time when Dennis cut in from the right of the box and had a shot that sailed an inch over the crossbar. The final action of the first half really should have seen County at least force a save as some great work from Jacobs saw the ball land at the feet of Howard who blazed over by a couple of inches.

Half Time: County 0 - 0 Rushall Olympic

County made a substitution at half-time with Irish international, Stephen O'Halloran replacing youngster, Scott Duxbury, who just didn't seem to be at the races for the first 45 minutes.

Two great chances for either side in the opening five minutes saw County win a free-kick just outside the area. Dennis did manage to beat the wall but his effort was easily saved by the goalkeeper, before Rushall went up the other end and shot just wide of Ormson's post.

On the hour mark County gave away a free-kick 30 yards out and Rushall's Jimmy Turner stunned the 2,000+ crowd as he fired his strike beyond everyone dropping over a stranded Ian Ormson into the top right corner to give Rushall a 1-0 lead. More worrying for County, it wasn't particularly against the run of play.

For the next 20 minutes, the game was almost all Rushall, thankfully for County though the underdogs couldn't get a second goal to put the game to bed.

County didn't really have a sniff at goal until the last 10 minutes when they got their first corner of the game. Sadly though no-one could get on the end of it. Just two minutes later County had another corner, the ball falling to Ian Craney who couldn't get his shot away, much to the frustration of the crowd.

County had their final chance of the game with a minute to go from a corner but, yet again it went begging.

The minnows from the Evo-Stik league - who wouldn't have even been playing had Gainsborough not fielded an ineligible player in the the previous round - scored a thoroughly deserved victory in a game that County simply couldn't get hold of.

Line-up: Ormson, Jacobs, Charnock, Tunnicliffe, Duxbury (O'Halloran), Moses, Bateman (Craney), Lofthouse, Jevons (Dennis), Turner.

Unused subs: Jones, Fagbola, Windsor, Hand.

Attendance: 2,135 (55 Away fans)

HAVE COUNTY TURNERED THE CORNER?

Jevons is mobbed after notching County's fourth goal

By Adam Moss

BARROW 2 - 4 STOCKPORT COUNTY

We Won.

Again.

Rhys Turner scored two, as did co-striker Phil Jevons.

And we're up to 11th place in the league table.

Alan Lord is the new God.

Praise be the Lord.

(Our match reporters were too drunk to post a second-by-second account of the match minutiae and....for once...I can't really say I blame them).

PICTURE: Mike Petch

MATCH REPORT: COUNTY 4 - 0 Worcester City

County's new permanent gaffer - Alan Lord

By Chris Larkin

Every now and again a game will come along where everything goes right and proves to be a turning point in the season.

Today's 4 - 0 demolition of woeful Worcester City could well turn out to be just that.

In 1996 it was the 3-1 win over Plymouth; in 2007 it was the 6-0 win over Wycombe. And then today - the 4-0 win over Worcester City in a game that County comfortably controlled for every one of its 90 minutes.

From the off County were on the attack with Iain Howard forcing former Macclesfield stopper Veiga into a smart save after a mistake at the back from the City defence let Howard have a decent chance at goal.

Just a couple of minutes later and, after some great build up play, County had another wonderful chance - this time the ball landing to Oldham prospect Danny Gossett who unfortunately couldn't quite get a decent enough shot away after some great work from the impressive Howard to get the ball into the youngster.

County didn't have to wait long for the breakthrough though as one of the stand out players of the season so far, Kyle Jacobs, scored another lovely goal to make it two in two games.

Jacobs received the ball just outside the area on the right hand side and volleyed it beautifully beyond the goalkeeper into the top corner to give County a thoroughly deserved 1-0 lead.

It was almost two just a few seconds later as Rhys Turner couldn't quite latch onto a beautiful through ball from the impressive Bobby Lofthouse.

After  20 minutes, it was obvious the momentum was all with the home team and Scott Duxbury was looking very impressive and composed for a youngster at left-back - regularly supplying great balls down the line to the forwards.

County's domination paid off once again on 25 minutes as young Bobby Lofthouse won the ball in the midfield and played an exquisite ball through to the pacy Rhys Turner who delightfully dinked it over the on-rushing Veiga -his first league goal in County colours.

Rhys Turner notched his debut league goal for County

And the team didn't take its foot off the gas -  immediately pressing for a third, the confidence clearly flowing through the side. That pressure was rightfully rewarded on 45 minutes as a long range shot from Iain Howard was flicked into the net by in-form Phil Jevons to give County a 3-0 half-time lead.

The second half started and it wasn't long before County were back on the front foot with Gossett warming Veiga's gloves with a smart turn and shot from just outside the area.

Worcester's first shot on target came just before the hour mark when the visiting Midlanders won a free-kick in midfield. The set-piece delivery was flicked on by former Jim Gannon target, Exodus Geohagen, but the effort was comfortably caught by Ian Ormson looking for his 3rd consecutive clean sheet. Just a minute later, Worcester had another chance but it was very well saved by the quick reactions of Ormson.

Somewhat unfortunately for the visitors, Worcester's best spell of pressure resulted in the 4th goal for the home side on the hour mark. Phil Jevons' shot deflected back off a visiting defender and he made no mistake the second time as he swivelled on the edge of the box and curled an absolute beauty into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.

With 25 minutes to play, new signing Nicky Platt, formerly of FC United, made his County debut as he replaced the impressive Bobby Lofthouse.

The Hatters continued to pile on the pressure and created a hatful of chances despite being four up.

Two more substitutions saw Brandon Windsor replace Danny Gossett and Stephen O'Halloran come on for Scott Duxbury.

With a minute left to play they did their best to put their clean sheet at risk however, and gifted Worcester a soft penalty. Fortuntaley the resulting spot kick was blasted so wide of the left hand post that the front row of the main stand practically ducked in unison.

But County held on for a huge win and Ian Ormson's third consecutive clean sheet means the team is now undefeated in the last four at Edgeley Park in all competitions with 3 wins and one draw.

And with the victory came the news that stand-in boss Alan Lord has been given the manager's role permanently. Great news.

Attendance: 2,332.

County Line-up: Ormson, Jacobs, Tunnicliffe, Charnock, Duxbury (O'Halloran), Gossett (Windsor), Moses, Lofthouse (Platt), Howard, Turner, Jevons.

Unused Subs: Jones, Craney