Stockport manager Dave Challinor slammed his team’s slow start after the League Two leaders were held to a draw at home to in-form Harrogate.
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans’ goal on the half-hour mark cancelled out Dean Cornelius’ 17th-minute opener for the visitors, but County were unable to find the winner against a side now unbeaten in five matches.
A draw for the Hatters sees their lead at the top of the table reduced to four points and Challinor felt his side’s failure to get out of the blocks early proved pivotal in the final outcome.
“Ultimately, our start to the game cost us the game,” he said.
“You can argue that we got back into it with an hour still to go, but we didn’t do enough to then win the game.
“Our first 15 minutes were terrible. I said to the players, as much as we have to take the pats on the back when we start really well, then expect to get the wrath when we don’t start the game well.
“In the first 15 minutes we were absolutely miles off it. The back four was too deep. There was no intensity about the midfield. We looked leggy as anything and we had no threat.
“It culminated in us conceding a goal, putting us onto the back foot.
“From 20 to 25 minutes on, the game looked like how I imagined the game would look, so us with plenty of the ball. But even then in moments, I knew technically we’d need to be good because if you give simple passes away, they’re compact but have threats on the counter-attack.
“We didn’t do enough in the final third in the last hour of the game to go from a losing position to a winning position.”
Harrogate went ahead when Matty Daly turned brilliantly on a pass played into him before crossing to Cornelius for a tap-in.
The Hatters drew level, though, with Lemonheigh-Evans finishing from close range from Macauley Southam-Hales’ pull-back for his second goal in as many games.
Substitute Ibou Touray’s glancing header from Odin Bailey’s delivery forced an impressive save out of visiting goalkeeper James Belshaw just after the restart.
Lemonheigh-Evans came agonisingly close to putting County in front in the 71st minute, with his shot deflecting narrowly wide.
The home side continued to push for the winner, with Akil Wright’s effort in the dying moments deflecting just wide, but Harrogate held on to secure a valuable point.
Town boss Simon Weaver was full of praise for his side, who are now just separated from the play-off places by goal difference.
“I’m really pleased with the performance,” he said.
“I thought from start to finish we were fully committed – committed to the way we were trying to play, but also in our box we had to defend for some spells as well, which you’d expect at the league leaders.
“I think they’re a terrific team with a really good squad, and they can freshen it up as well with the subs they bring on.
“You know you’re going to be under siege at some points but I do feel proud of the overall performance.
“It wasn’t just backs to the wall. We showed that we’re very competent with a good style of play.”
Harrogate are also now unbeaten in five matches on the road.
“We just say to the lads it’s another good away performance, and with each good performance it gives you an extra bit of confidence moving forwards,” Weaver added.
“We know when you come here, the crowd give their team great backing and you have to handle that noise. So we thought the best way to handle it is to continue in the same vein we’ve been playing recently and try and be as calm.”
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku and McTominay on target to extend hosts' Serie A lead
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera in the box, with Lukaku stepping up from 12 yards to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) with three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
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
