FC United of Manchester’s first competitive match at Broadhurst Park ended in disappointment last night, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Stockport County.
The Rebels had taken the lead in the first half, when the impressive Rory Fallon fired home from outside the box, but a Calum Dyson screamer levelled it in the second-half, before ex-Nigeria international Kayode Odejayi rose highest to head from a corner.
The result means that FC United are still searching for their first point in the National League North, after their opening day defeat away to Gloucester.
But manager Karl Marginson remained upbeat after the match, whilst highlighting the fantastic support that his side continues to receive, with 3199 fans turning Broadhurst Park into a cauldron of noise on its competitive debut.
He said: “We just want to keep doing what we are doing, which is giving fans a voice at football, and over 3,000 again here tonight shows that we are successful in that.
“It’s a great start to our competitive campaign here.”
FC had controlled a scrappy first-half, and deserved their lead at the halfway point, although County ‘keeper Danny Hurst should have done better with Fallon’s 20-yard drive.
But County took control of an increasingly fractious second period, which the referee at times struggled to contain, whilst tensions threatened to spread from the pitch to the stands.
Dyson restored parity midway through the second period, beating his man near the byline, before cutting inside and fizzing a curling effort beyond Dave Carnell into the the top right corner.
And County sealed the three points ten minutes later, when Odejayi – who looked sharp and will surely prove a real handful at this level – thumped a header home.
FC pushed for an equaliser until the final whistle, and Marginson was keen to draw on the positives from a spirited display against a Stockport side who many are tipping for promotion this year.
“There’s loads of positives to take – it’s early days and it was a better performance all round than Saturday,” said Marginson.
“They had a 10-minute spell where they’ve scored an absolute worldy.
“Then we’ve switched off from a corner and been punished and on another day we get something from the game.
“Stockport will be up there challenging at the end of the season.
“Over the course of the season things will even themselves out and we will be fine.”
Main image courtesy of Stockport County via YouTube, with thanks.
