Stockport boss Dave Challinor keen to cut out ‘habit’ of conceding first
Posted Sunday, May 04, 2025 by PA
Stockport manager Dave Challinor wants his side to stop the ‘beautiful habit’ of going a goal down before securing victory following their 3-1 win at Wycombe.
Garath McCleary put the home side ahead but Luke Leahy then saw his penalty saved by Stockport goalkeeper Corey Addai around the hour mark.
The visitors capitalised when Benony Andresson levelled with 20 minutes left before Oliver Norwood, from the penalty spot, and Will Collar scored in quick succession to win it for County.
Stockport ended their first year back in League One in third place and will face Leyton Orient in the play-offs while Wycombe take on Charlton after finishing fifth and fourth respectively.
Challinor said: “When you get to this stage of the season, games are defined by moments.
“I’ll be clear, if their goal is not disallowed and if they don’t miss the penalty we’re dead and we can’t afford to do that as we were flat in the first half.
“I know going into the game it was warm, parts of the pitch were sticky and dry, and there was an end-of-season feeling to it.
“There wasn’t a lot on the game but it was an opportunity for us to end the season strongly as we wanted to finish third despite, for some stages, the game was like a testimonial.
“We set ourselves up to try and win the game but I had to make changes at half-time as the dynamic wasn’t there in the first half.
“But after the penalty save and the first goal we went on to win the game and we looked comfortable. We showed resilience to come back from behind and win.
“When we have conceded the first goal we have won 25 of our games, so the stats are there to be seen, but we have to stop this brilliant habit of going a goal down to win.”
Wycombe head coach Mike Dodds was frustrated by the performances and felt his team could have defended better for two of Stockport’s goals.
Dodds, whose side have now lost three league games in a row, said: “It’s a bitter pill to swallow and I can feel the fans’ frustration.
“I don’t know where I sit with it because for the first 65 minutes, only one team was going to win it.
“The penalty miss was a big momentum swing in the game but the other side is that two of the three goals were avoidable.
“If you defend like that, you get what you deserve. I’m hurting and I’m hurting for the fans.”
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