‘We will come back stronger’
Stockport County fans say they are still positive about the future despite their heartbreaking play-off defeat.
The Hatters missed out on a trip to Wembley and a shot at promotion to the Championship after losing to Leyton Orient on penalties in the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final.
After a 2-2 draw at Brisbane Road on Saturday, it finished 1-1 after normal time at Edgeley Park. Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe ‘s clever 74th minute goal cancelled out Ollie O’Neills early strike to take it to extra time and penalties.
County spurned several chances to win it. Olaofe blazed over in stoppage time of normal time. And Odin Bailey almost won it for the hosts with practically the last kick of the game, but his placed finish when through on goal cannoned away off the post.
And they were to pay the price when it went to penalties. After misses by Jack Diamond and Ryan Rydel, Ethan Galbraith fired home Orient’s fourth spot-kick to send them to Wembley.
Promotion would have seen Stockport back in the second tier for the first time since 2002. However, they are in the midst of a remarkable turnaround under owner Mark Stott, having been in the sixth tier as recently as 2019, and only returning to the football league in 2022.
And fans making their way home through the streets of Edgeley last night said despite the disappointment, they had to reflect on where they’d come from.
Shaun Hanley, 67, from Offerton, a regular at Edgeley Park since 1967, said: “I am absolutely gutted. I thought we were the better team.
“We just missed too many chances. And I thought to myself ‘its just not going to be our night.’ But it’s been a fantastic season. Back in League One, to finish where we have. Next season we will come back stronger.
“There’s some big teams coming down, but I’m confident. We’re definitely a club on the up. We played the better football, but as soon as it went to penalties, it wasn’t going to be.”
Edward Lake, 21, said: “I thought the early goal off-set us a bit. But we have so much character, and we have so much faith in this team. When we went behind I thought ‘we can definitely come back, we’ve done it so many times.’
“We picked up in the second half, and I think, ultimately, we were quite unlucky to lose in the end. We had some very clear chances.
“But it is what is. Everyone is really gutted, because we were in a really good position. But we have got a lot of time to prepare for next season. And in terms of next season, there’s no reason for any of us not to be confident.
“We have shown this season that we can compete with the likes of Birmingham, Wrexham, Wycombe, Charlton. Stockport have showed they are a team to be feared next season. I think they will do well.”
Paul Condon., 53, from Rochdale, said: “It’s the best thing that could have happened to us. Rebuild next season, and win the league, how does that sound? We will be the Birmingham of next season.”
Asked what made him so optimistic, he said: “How can we not be? To have come from the National League to where we are now.
“If we had finished mid-table, everyone would have been happy. We’ve just missed out on Wembley. And I thought we were the better team over the two games.”
County boss Dave Challinor had described the decision to award Charlie Kelman’s opening goal for Orient in the first leg on Saturday, despite him being two yards offside, as “the worst I’ve seen in 15 years of management”.
Paul said: “My mate was saying they had cheated their way through, in both games. In the end, I think luck evens itself out. We don’t have Wrexham’s money. But what we do have is (owner) Mark Stott. We’ll do well next year.”
County boss Challinor told Sky Sports after the game: “Of course, it is tough. Especially in the manner you end up losing the game, on penalties.
“I’m super proud of what we’ve done. Moments can decide. We’ll be disappointed with the goal we conceded early in the game, which was a sloppy one from us.
“We’ve had the two big moments, in the 91st minute and 120th minute, where we have to take one of those chances.
“Whether that is then a bit of a hangover going to the penalties, I’m not sure.”
He added: “I told the players right at the end, ‘no one’s to blame.’ We’ve done brilliant to be in this situation. Of course, it’s a bitter one to swallow, because we can all think ‘we deserve to do this or deserve to do that.’ But ultimately we haven’t.
“We dust ourselves down, and we’ll be back at it next season.”