Stockport manager Dave Challinor hailed his side’s eight-game winning run as “an amazing achievement” after they fought hard for a 3-2 win over Grimsby in Sky Bet League Two.
Two goals inside the first 10 minutes from Louie Barry and Tanto Olaofe put them in control.
Olaofe missed a chance to make it three from the penalty spot and Grimsby grabbed a goal just before the break through Donovan Wilson.
The visitors equalised from Gavan Holohan’s spot-kick in the second period but another goal from Barry clinched three points for the Hatters.
“I’m always going to be critical where I need to be. I can’t ask for a better start, but the game should have been over at half-time,” said Challinor.
“I spoke about this last week, how missing a big chance is a mood killer, and that’s exactly what the second penalty was.
“That last 10 minutes, the decision for Tanto to take it and conceding, I was raging at half-time.
“The game should have been won, then it would have allowed us to do different things in the second half.
“In terms of positives, we made the changes and altered the system because we couldn’t deal with their runners and it paid off. The win is an amazing acheivement.
“The winning run is great, it puts us in a really good place going into Tuesday’s game.
“I trust the players have got to be able to play 55 games a season, they’re athletes and sometimes you can expect too little of them almost.
“We want to use the squad but not in a way that will harm momentum.”
Grimsby manager Paul Hurst was frustrated with some of the decisions from officials during the game but commended his team for how they got back into it.
“From our point of view, there was a bit extra there, a lot of character there, we had them on the ropes, especially in periods of that second half.
“I haven’t had a chance to look at all of the decisions in detail, but looking at some of the footage I thought some of those decisions were really poor today.
“I felt the home crowd influenced the decision for the first penalty, they were both at it pulling each other.
“The second goal was poor from our point of view in terms of positioning and then you feel like you’re going to be really up against it.
“I felt a lot of things went against us rather than for us, but at 2-0 down against the league leaders, who were flying so early in the game, I think you’ve got to give credit to our players for getting back into it.
“I don’t think we’ve got what we deserved today against what is obviously a top team.”
Mourinho in 'negotiations' with Fenerbahce over head coach vacancy
Jose Mourinho has "started negotiations" with Fenerbahce over becoming their new head coach, the Turkish Super Lig side has confirmed.
The 61-year-old is reportedly nearing a return to management, five months after he was sacked by Roma.
Fenerbahce are searching for a new boss after parting company with Ismail Kartal on Friday, after he guided them to a second-place finish behind Galatasaray - amassing an impressive 99 points.
And the Yellow Canaries revealed on public disclosure platform KAP - as part of a legal process to alert investors - they are in talks with the decorated Portuguese coach.
"Our company has started negotiations with Jose Mario Dos Santos Mourinho Felix for the post of Football A team coach," the Fenerbahce post read.
Turkey would be the fifth different country in which Mourinho has managed, with the former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter coach winning eight domestic titles across four different nations.
He has also won five major European competitions during his managerial career - including two Champions League crowns with Porto and Inter - while guiding Roma to their maiden continental triumph in the inaugural Europa Conference League two years ago.
Al-Hilal 1-1 Al-Nassr (5-4 pens): Ronaldo and company lose chaotic King's Cup final
Al-Nassr lost a dramatic Kings' Cup final featuring three red cards against Al-Hilal on Friday, with the Saudi Pro League champions claiming the treble with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win.
Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic peeled away to the back post to head home the opener after just seven minutes, before Cristiano Ronaldo was denied by Yassine Bounou.
Al-Nassr looked to be imploding when David Ospina was sent off for a wild lunge on Malcom outside his penalty area shortly after half-time, but it was 10 versus 10 when Ali Al Bulayhi received his second yellow card late on.
Aiman Yahya took advantage to equalise in stoppage time, before Al-Hilal lost a second centre-back to a red card, Kalidou Koulibaly receiving his marching orders when he clattered into substitute goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah.
Neither team could find an extra-time winner, though, and it was Bounou who came up with the goods in the shoot-out.
He pushed Meshari Al Nemer's tame kick onto the post after Ali Al Hassan and Saud Abdulhamid had traded misses, claiming the trophy for Al-Hilal.
Data Debrief: Domestic sweep for Al-Hilal
Having also won the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League, going unbeaten throughout their league campaign, Al-Hilal capped a perfect domestic season with their 11th King's Cup. Only Al-Ahli (13) have won the competition more often.
Al-Nassr, meanwhile, have now gone four seasons without a domestic trophy, with August's Arab Club Champions Cup all they have to show for their efforts in 2023-24.
Bayern Munich confirm shock appointment of Kompany
Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of Vincent Kompany as their new head coach.
Kompany has joined Bayern on a three-year deal, and comes in as Thomas Tuchel's replacement.
The former Manchester City captain, who began his coaching career in Belgium with Anderlecht, could not keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.
Indeed, the Clarets were relegated following a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Turf Moor in their penultimate match of the season.
Yet, less than two weeks after the campaign's conclusion, Kompany has been installed as boss of one of Europe's biggest clubs.
The 38-year-old joins Bayern after Tuchel confirmed talks over potentially reversing the decision for him and the club to part ways, which came in February, had ended.
Bayern lost their last game of the Bundesliga season to finish in third place, having failed to win any of the four trophies they were in contention for, seeing their dominance of Germany's top tier ended by Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen team.
Alonso had been Bayern's primary target, but their former midfielder has elected to stay at Leverkusen for next season.
Bayern were also linked with Roberto De Zerbi, who has just left Brighton, and Brentford coach Thomas Frank, while they were turned down by Austria coach Ralf Rangnick. Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea on Monday, was also rumoured as a potential option.
Kompany, then, is a surprise pick, but Bayern will be hoping he rediscovers the magic touch he had during his first season at Turf Moor in 2022-23, when he guided the Clarets to promotion from the Championship, earning 101 points in the process.
However, Kompany's possession-based, front-foot approach was badly exposed in the Premier League, with Burnley winning just five games on their way to taking 24 points as they finished 19th, going back down alongside Luton Town and Sheffield United.
He leaves Burnley having managed 96 games, winning 41 (42.7 per cent) of those matches.
In a statement, Burnley said they were "initially confident" of keeping Kompany at the club, but claimed "the changing dynamics of the situation made this impossible".
"We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent's ambition to explore new opportunities," the statement continued.
"We wish only the best for Vincent and would like to put on record our appreciation for his dedication every single day he was a part of this football club.
"Our priority remains the stability and success of Burnley, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that our ambition is realised, namely our return to the Premier League."
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