Full time Saturday March 3rd (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Full time Saturday March 3rd

6:34pm Saturday 3rd March 2007 in Football By Dave Wallis

Match report from Stockport County

Coca Cola League Two

Stockport County 3 Swindon Town 0

Stockport's long-term defensive absentees Keith Briggs, Michael Bowler and Michael Raynes were still not available, while for Swindon, defender Sofiane Zaaboub was suspended and Aidy Williams' ongoing knee problems look likely to keep the defender sidelined for the rest of the season.

That led Paul Sturrock to move for Chester City defender Ashley Westwood who signed until the end of the season, and the new man took his place for his Swindon his debut.

After 12 minutes of the match, the first clear chance fell to Swindon. Christian Roberts' cross found Peacock whose header was pushed over the bar by on loan keeper Wayne Hennessey, but three minutes later Adam Proudlock's cross beat Jerel Ifil and Anthony Elding fired the home side into the lead from six yards.

Things could have got worse when Ifil mis-headed a backwards ball and Adam Griffin nipped in, but the midfielder put the ball well wide on 17 minutes.

Peacock had a good chance for Town on 26 minutes when he nicked the ball off Ashley Williams and ran on goal, but with Blair Sturrock available Peacock's strike was tame and easily claimed by Hennessey.

Two minutes before half time Ricky Shakes played a good through ball to Sturrock, but while his strike was on target it was straight at Hennessey who blocked with little trouble.

Town's re-shuffled rearguard looked shaky as half time approached as Westwood, Ifil and Michael Timlin all had chances to do better at the back but failed to clear their lines, but County were unable to capitalise.

Halftime Stockport County 1 Swindon Town 0

Manager Sturrock made a change at halftime when he switched Shakes for Aaron Brown on the right hand side of midfield, then five minutes into the second half came the second goal of the match.

Ifil was caught unable to deal with a ball played into the box under a challenge from Elding, then Elding reacted quickest to regain the loose ball and fired home from 12 yards out to complete his brace.

Ex-Yeovil defender Michael Rose then struck a free kick at Phil Smith as County continued to create most of the danger in front of goal.

With ten minutes of the second period gone, Lukas Jutkiewicz came on for Jack Smith. The change pushed debutant Patrick Noubisse, who had been playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role to right back, and Peacock back to midfield as Paul Sturrock changed the shape of his side.

With 65 minutes gone, Vincent placed a header wide from a Brown cross as Town wasted one of the best chances of the visitors' game so far.

County striker Elding then missed the opportunity for his hat-trick from a yard out after 71 minutes when newly introduced Dickinson skinned new Swindon man Westwood but the substitute's cross was screwed wide. Then with Pook on for Sturrock, the Town boss played his last card and forced another formational re-shuffle.

Almost immediately, Ifil missed his chance to head the ball out, then fouled Poole to see his second red card of the season leaving Town a mountain to climb.

Almost straight away Dickinson captitalised on a Westwood mistake to complete the scoring for County and leave Town on the end of the first three goals conceded in one match this season.

Even then, an Elding cross was meet by Dickinson's head but the ball went wide of a post.

With the job done County had little reason to press further, and with Town with the numerical disadvantage, there was no chance for Swindon to find anything from the match.

Phil Smith made an outstanding save from Dickinson as the game entered four minutes added time with Town still on the back foot.

The result gave Stockport County their ninth win in succession, each of which had been gained with a clean sheet, which brought County a Football League record.

As for Swindon, results elsewhere added to the three goal conceded and three point dropped, left Town fourth in the League Two table.

Manager Paul Sturrock responded by announcing that all of his fisrt team would be involved in the reserve team match with Bristol Rovers on Monday.