Stockport manager Dave Challinor challenged his side to become record-breakers after claiming their 12th consecutive league victory.
The Hatters’ 2-0 triumph over Colchester was hard-fought but saw them equal the record for most successive wins in the fourth tier set by Luton in 2002.
County narrowly missed out on promotion to League One last season, falling at the last hurdle in a play-off final penalty shoot-out defeat to Carlisle, but they look determined to go up automatically this term after establishing a six-point lead at the top of the table.
And Challinor has his sights set high.
“The important thing is now that we have the opportunity to break a record in a week,” said the Stockport boss, whose team go to Newport next.
“I look further in terms of the record for most consecutive wins ever in the football league. We weren’t at our best today but we found a way which is pleasing.”
Stockport, who saw their 13-match winning streak in all competitions ended in midweek after losing to Bolton in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, had to wait to make the breakthrough against Colchester with Kyle Wootton putting them ahead on the stroke of half-time.
But they needed just a minute of the second half to double their advantage through substitute Callum Camps and Colchester could find no way back.
Challinor said: “I spoke in the sponsors lounge before the game and there is an expectancy to win easily but that’s never the case. You’ve got to earn the right.
“I was disappointed with our first-half performance, we could be prepared in a couple of ways around what their shape would be and how to deal with it.
“Many people played backwards, didn’t want to receive the ball or play forwards and that’s the disappointing thing for me. On the one occasion we did play forward we scored.
“Teams are going to make it difficult for us because of the position we are in. That’s always been the case. But you have to control what happens on the grass otherwise edginess sets in which it did.
“We try and be consistent with our messaging to the players and the performances we ask of them. But they’re very much accountable themselves and take plenty of ownership in the standards they set.”
Visitors Colchester had come into the came with 10 points from their previous four league matches and can take many positives from their performance, they frustrated the hosts physically but ultimately could not put away their chances.
Manager Matthew Etherington was only placed in permanent charge this week following a successful interim spell with the Essex-based side.
“The manner in which we conceded today is probably the biggest disappointment but we gave Stockport a real game and I was pleased with a lot of aspects of the performance,” Etherington said.
“When their keeper is getting man of the match at the end of the game you obviously know that you have threatened their team and there isn’t many teams that come here and do that.
“That was the pleasing thing. Yes we lost 2-0 but there are positives.
“We hit the woodwork in the first half and Jayden (Fevrier) does brilliant initially so yeah probably does deserve a goal.
“We played a different way to try to combat what they do and it worked well for large periods of the first half.
“It’s disappointing to concede right before half-time. It looked offside but it was tight so the attacker gets the benefit of the doubt.
“It’s a real uphill task after that but credit to the players their desire to keep going. Some of the football we played first and second half was really good.
“I’m liking what I’m seeing the past four league games and in the FA Cup.
“There were some real positives today, bravery on the ball, aggressive in and out of possession.”
Indonesia 0-4 Japan: Visitors stay unbeaten with rout
Japan continued their unbeaten start to World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 victory over Indonesia on Friday.
Two goals from the visitors in either half were enough to seal the three points and get them back to winning ways after a stalemate with Australia last time out.
Ragnar Oratmangoen should have put Indonesia ahead, but he hesitated one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and Japan did not look back after that. They got a bit of fortune with their first goal, Justin Hubner deflecting a cross into his own net in the 35th minute.
Takumi Minamino got their second just before the break, finishing off a pacy counter-attack by darting onto the end of Kaoru Mitoma’s cross to sweep it past Maarten Paes.
While there was not much the goalkeeper could do with that one, he was at fault for the third as he gifted the ball to Hidemasa Morita, who coolly picked out the bottom corner just after the break.
Yukinari Sugawara came off the bench to round off the scoring in the 69th minute. He raced down the right wing and instead of looking to his options, he rifled it in from a tight angle at the near post.
Japan are up to 13 points after five games, sitting top of Group C, while Indonesia are bottom, still in search of their first win.
Data Debrief: Clinically done
For a team still chasing their first win, Japan are probably not high on the list of opponents they would want to face, and Indonesia were undone by their visitors.
Hajime Moriyasu's side created 0.79 expected goals (xG) to Indonesia's 0.72, while they only had four more shots than their hosts (12 compared to eight).
Japan took their chances, and though the win margin may look harsh, they were deserving of the three points, having dominated throughout the game.
McTominay has no regrets over Man Utd exit
Scott McTominay says he has no regrets about leaving Manchester United to join Napoli after a lightning-quick start to life in Italy.
He has scored three goals in 10 appearances for the Italian club in all competitions, netting twice in Serie A to help them sit top of the table after 12 games.
Only Romelu Lukaku has scored more league goals for Napoli than him this season, while McTominay has also had the second-most big chances (four) among his team-mates, scoring two of them.
Before his transfer deadline day move, McTominay had spent 22 years at United, joining their academy aged five before making his debut in May 2017.
The Scotland international made 255 appearances for the senior team, scoring 29 goals, including 10 during his most prolific season in 2023-24, and providing eight assists.
While McTominay admitted leaving his boyhood club was not an easy choice, he is pleased with the outcome of the choice.
"Obviously, it's a big decision, there's no denying that. It was a huge decision for me and my family and my friends," he told The Times.
"At times like that in your life, you just have to say, 'Do I want to do it? Absolutely,' and go for it. There's no looking back. I've never had any regrets in my life, or my career and I continue that way to this day.
"I want my career to be successful, and I'm going to go out of my way to try and push myself to be the best football player and best person that I can possibly be."
Watkins start for England in Greece was 'no slight on Kane' - Carsley
Outgoing England interim manager Lee Carsley says his decision to start Ollie Watkins over Harry Kane against Greece was 'no slight' on his captain.
The Three Lions had suffered nine withdrawals from their initial squad announced last week, although Kane remained available for selection and came on for Watkins in the 66th minute.
But Carsley's decision paid off, with Watkins putting England ahead after just seven minutes, with his fifth international goal setting them on the way to a 3-0 win in Athens, with an own goal and Curtis Jones rounded off the scoring.
"It was brilliant for Ollie to get a goal," Carsley said. "It's important that I think if we are going to put these players in a position where we are going to go and win the World Cup, then these players need to have as many experiences as they can.
"So, it was no slight on Harry. He'll start the next game and I think there are a lot of positives to take from that performance."
When asked how the England captain reacted to not being named in the starting XI, Carsley explained that Kane had no issues with it.
"He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, like all top players do," he said.
"I think he understands that it's important that other players experience that kind of experience that we had tonight.
"He's a great example to the rest of the players and I expect him to start on Sunday and play well."
The decision to start Watkins over Kane came alongside other selection decisions, as Rico Lewis, Noni Madueke, Jones, Lewis Hall and Morgan Rogers all featured for a youthful England side, with the latter three making their senior debuts.
Despite Carsley's roots as England Under-21 coach, he assured the post-match media that there was no nepotism on his part to include the more inexperienced players.
"No, none at all, to be fair," the interim boss said. "None at all.
"I see the quality that the players have got. You're now seeing it in terms of the younger ones, that they're more than capable with the mentality and quality they've got to play in stages like tonight.
"I thought a lot of the players, especially the younger ones - well, all of the players, to be fair - played with such quality tonight.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
