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.”
Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa: Delap's double earns hosts a point
Liam Delap scored twice as Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town claimed a confidence-boosting 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Villa looked set to forge another comeback win when Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins propelled them into the lead.
But Delap, who had opened the scoring in the eighth minute at Portman Road, had other ideas.
At the end of a rapid counter-attack, Delap brilliantly bamboozled Diego Carlos before firing a left-footed effort into the bottom-right corner in the 72nd minute.
It might have been a hat-trick for Delap if not for Emiliano Martinez, who had made a fantastic save in a one-v-one with Ipswich's forward in the first half.
Pau Torres preserved a point for Villa with a brilliant last-ditch block from Wes Burns, while both goalkeepers were also called into action – by Ross Barkley and Jack Taylor respectively – late on.
Data Debrief: Delap's double delight
Delap became the first Ipswich player to score a double in a Premier League match since Marcus Bent in March 2002 (v Newcastle United), and the youngest to do so in the competition for the Tractor Boys, at the age of 21 years and 234 days.
It was also his first career double in a league match.
At the opposite end, Watkins – who headed in from a Leon Bailey cross after teeing up Rogers' equaliser – continued his fine form in front of goal. The England striker has now scored and assisted in eight Premier League matches in his career, which is the joint-most of any player for Villa (matching Dwight Yorke and Gabriel Agbonlahor).
Celta Vigo 1-1 Girona: Aspas scores late as visitors' winless run goes on
Girona's are now without a win in four LaLiga matches after Iago Aspas' late goal held them to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Girona, surprise third-place finishers last season, dominated possession in the early stages before taking the lead in the 38th minute when Yangel Herrera rose high to head in Daley Blind's cross.
Celta responded well but initially struggled to test Paulo Gazzaniga in their search for an equaliser, with Girona offering little in terms of threat at the other end.
The hosts eventually found a way through in the 81st minute - Williot Swedberg laid the ball off to Aspas, who made no mistake with his composed finish.
Girona sit 12th in the LaLiga table on nine points from eight games, while Celta moved to ninth place with 10 points ahead of the remaining weekend fixtures.
Data Debrief: Girona stumble again
Girona may have had fewer shots than their hosts (nine compared to Celta's 12), but they looked set to end their winless run despite that. In the first half, they had three big chances, of which they took one.
In the end, Celta's push for an equaliser paid off, with Aspas netting the winner with their first shot on target. They only had two overall, with the other coming just seconds before the final whistle.
It was the Celta captain's fourth goal in LaLiga this campaign, and his 160th in the competition overall (365 appearances).
Al Kholood 2-4 Al-Hilal: Koulibaly on target as champions move to summit
Al-Hilal withstood a late Al Kholood rally to move top of the Saudi Pro League following a 4-2 victory at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
The damage was done during a late first-half surge by the reigning champions, who leapfrogged Al-Ittihad to the summit of the table.
Al-Hilal broke the deadlock in the 38th minute through former Napoli and Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who finished after Renan Lodi initially struck the woodwork.
Malcom doubled the lead four minutes later, then Ali Al Bulayhi made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Former Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest defender Lodi then got in the act to make it four within three minutes of the restart.
The hosts finished the contest the stronger of the two sides with Hammam Al Hammami and a William Troost-Ekong penalty halving the deficit, but that rally could not prevent the visitors from remaining perfect after their first five games.
Data Debrief: Al-Hilal remain perfect
Al-Hilal have won each of their opening five games in a Saudi Pro League season for the third time in their history, also achieving the feat in 2010-11 and 2018-19.
Jorge Jesus' side also continued their dominant record against newly promoted clubs, having now won each of their last nine such matches.
Despite their late surge, Al Kholood suffered their third defeat of the season, though there was individual cause for celebration, as former Al-Hilal player Mohammed Jahfali came on for his 200th Saudi Pro League appearance.
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