Stockport County 0 Shrewsbury Town 3

Last updated : 13 September 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Stockport started the game brightly but a much improved performance after the break saw Shrewsbury record a comfortable 3-0 win at Edgeley Park.

A powerful header from Andy Cooke gave Shrewsbury a half-time lead they barely deserved. With neither side having been able to impose itself on the game Stockport were the side to create the majority of the game's few first-half chances.

In fact County could have taken the lead as early as the second minute when Glenn Murray was played in behind the visiting defence only to snatch at his shot and send it wide.

Good approach work from Ryan Crowther seemed to have been wasted when the cross was over-hit, but the ball was retrieved giving Michael Malcolm the chance to hit a low shot from 25 yards that produced a sprawling save from Chris McKenzie.

McKenzie then got himself in all sorts of bother as he misjudged a bouncing ball but eventually managed to scramble it away.

The crucial strike came from a Ben Davies in swinging corner. The County defence, unsettled by injury to Tony Dinning, allowed Cooke to get free and head powerfully home.

Stockport started the second half brightly but Adam Le Fondre was given too much to do by Mark Robinson's deep ball.

However, it was the visitors who looked the more potent.

A loose ball from Ashley Williams was picked up by Derek Asamoah whose deft ball released Davies. His shot was deflected wide for a corner from which Stewart Drummond headed wide.

The Hatters paid the price for their inability to clear its lines shortly afterwards. The ball bobbed around the area and eventually made its way to Cooke whose volley from the edge of the area flew past the keeper to give the Shrews a stranglehold on the game.

Stockport's miserable night was completed when Cooke finished off his hat-trick by taking advantage of a woeful attempted clearance. The number nine advanced on the home goal to hit a shot across the face of goal and in off the far post.