Stockport County 2-1 Leyton Orient

This game was tipped a must-win game for both team heading into the afternoons preceedings at Edgeley Park. With Gary Ablett banished to the stands it was left to Stockport's new Assistant Manager Hugh McAuley to rally Stockport.

The game itself was very scrappy in the opening stages of the game. The only telling part of the opening 30 minutes was Leyton Orient right-back Stephen Purches being strechered off with, what looked like, a nasty head injury. With the referee wanting to be centre of attention, Mr Haines, the game couldn't really flow.

Mid-way through the first half, the magican that is Carl Baker carved out an opportunity which Jamie Jones did very well to keep out.

This was the only shot of the first half, one telling part was Stockport skipper Michael Raynes being booked for a foul on Ryan Jarvis but the foul look very plain and Jarvis did well not to be booked for diving

The second half burst into life Stockport were playing really good flowing football and presurising the Orient defence.

On the 49th minute Baker place a qulaity through ball into the path of Nicholas Bignall and after a tussel with Ben Chorley, Bignall placed the ball between Jones' legs in the Orient goal and hit the mark for his first league goal for Stockport.

The Hatters continued to play free flowing football and with Man of the Match Carl Baker linking up very well with On-Loan duo Bignall and Liam Bridcutt, Stockport continued to dominate the game but their final ball seemed to lack penitration .

Stockport then added to their lead, Baker fed the ball to Greg Tansey and his 20 yard shot flew into the bottom right of the goal, this was Tansey's second career goal and one he will have to do well to better.

Still Stockport pressed after this to try and get a third goal, with a chance falling to David Poole, he had a free header but the little winger needed an extra inch on his height to get to the ball, unfortunatly after Baker's mazy run and cross the ball went over Poole's head

Stockport's defence held out pretty strong with Johnny Mullins popping up at the right time a few times to clear headers from on coming attackers.

But Stockport's clean sheet was scuppered with a very neat finish from Orient Center-Half Tamika Mkandawire, his finish past Owain Fon Williams turned out to be just a conselation as Stockport held on for a well deserved 3 points, and Gary Ablett could look on at a very good performance by his young squad.

Man of the Match: Carl Baker.