Dave Challinor hails Stockport’s attitude after battling win at Sutton

Posted Saturday, April 08, 2023 by PA

Dave Challinor was proud of his players after his first win at Sutton as a manager kept Stockport’s promotion charge on track.

Jack Stretton’s second-half effort earned a 1-0 victory to make it seven games without defeat for County.

The on-song Hatters have lost just once in their last 14 matches to leave them just two points off third-placed Carlisle.

“I spoke all week about attitude. I’ve never come here and won as a manager and that’s always a tough thing to do,” said Challinor.

“That was absolutely spot on. We knew what they would throw at us in terms of their physicality and we dealt with it. They’re a strong powerful team that ask you questions.

“Although it was a tight game, I thought we were justified winners in the end. We should have scored more. Jack should have got a hat-trick shouldn’t he?

“They have got to believe in the process. Some are playing in different roles and need to be disciplined in their new roles.

“Hopefully their getting the rewards for that in the end gives them the reinforcement that it was the right way to go with changing the shape.

“It’s another clean sheet and another win for us and we keep moving in the right direction.”

Sutton saw their own play-off hopes dealt a huge blow as they endured a fifth game without a win.

The defeat leaves Matt Gray’s charges seven points off the coveted top seven and all but spells the end of any real chance of a play-off place, while an injury to captain Craig Eastmond further added to the misery.

Gray said: “It was a tight first half and we made some tactical changes. I thought we were off it and Stockport did a bit of a job on us.

“It was a big blow for us losing Craig in the first half because he’s been such a big player for us.

“Then within seven or eight minutes of the second half we find ourselves 1-0 down. That was really disappointing because that’s not the way I wanted us to start the second half.

“We had a great couple of chances in one moment there in the box with a scramble and it was disappointing not to capitalise on that.

“We huffed and puffed and half threatened, but unfortunately we couldn’t get the goal.

“We certainly had moments to get that equaliser but it wasn’t to be in the end.”