Stockport boss Dave Challinor ‘takes a pop’ at players after defeat to Wrexham

Stockport County boss Dave Challinor ‘takes a pop’ at players after defeat to Wrexham, who got top of the National League table.

The Welsh outfit kept alive their title hopes alive with an impressive win thanks to Ollie Palmer’s brace and Paul Mullin’s strike, who replace the Hatters into first place on goal difference.

Stockport have a game in hand however and four points from home games against Torquay on Wednesday and Halifax Town next Sunday would see them win the title.

Wrexham visit playoff hopeful Dagenham & Redbridge in their final league fixture.

Sound on. Sound on. Sound ON!!!!!

Just listen to the Racecourse erupt 🤯😮🤯😮@Wrexham_AFC take the lead! pic.twitter.com/iyhEAOkh60

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 8, 2022

To the final day we go 😍@Wrexham_AFC defeat Stockport to send the National League title race to the wire!

Book your flights over @VancityReynolds @RMcElhenney 🐲 pic.twitter.com/TgYyz2B5pd

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 8, 2022

Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham have clawed back an 11-point gap which had separated them and the league leaders at the start of April thanks to a 15-game unbeaten run alongside three defeats for County.

But defeat at Woking and a draw at Boreham Wood for Parkinson’s men meant County went into Sunday’s game three points ahead.

The two teams made a committed start in what was a frantic and physical opening 15 minutes at a packed and noisy Racecourse Stadium, with both sides well aware of what was at stake.

Miles Hippolyte had the first chance for the visitors and Christian Dibble had to stretch to stop his low shot, gathering at the second attempt.

Dave Challinor’s men enjoyed a good spell after that with Max Cleworth having to head away Antoni Sarcevic’s goalbound attempt before the striker had an effort saved by Dibble.

On his assessment of the performance, Dave Challinor said: “Very good for 25 minutes, I thought we played the game, and maybe they played the atmosphere, played the occasion a little bit and we have really really good moments and opportunities where we should be in front.

“I thought from that point on you flipped the switch, they played the game, we lost our composure, went away from what we’ve been doing for 25 minutes, people not doing jobs, and ultimately didn’t do the basics. a minute before half time I said we need to get them in to try and settle down, regain that composure, and you can see another goal, a poor goal, from our perspective, really really poor.

“Based on what we’ve been showing them, we’ve given them like I say all the tools in terms of what Wrexham are and how they score their goals or how they’re a threat.

“The back three have been nowhere near good enough today, and second half, it is unacceptable from my side of things because I think you can talk about character, resilience all those things, it’s easy to say yeah I’ve got good resilience, I’ve got good character in an environment where it’s not tested, out there in that second half is where you see that ultimate character and resilience also wanted to not so much get something out the game because you’re in the game, but being resolute, being determined, and making sure nothing’s easy.

“I don’t think we did that well enough second half, and now we will see what characters there are within the dressing room because it’s still in our hands, the positive side of it says we need four points from two games and we’ll do everything we can.

“But disappointed because we’ve given ourselves an opportunity, that opportunity passes us by, as I say the only positives to come from it is that we have other opportunities.

When asked about the reaction to the first goal and how disappointing it was, he replied: “Not so much the reaction to the first goal, I say I think for 25 minutes we were very good and we had this place edgy, you need to score, and we’ve had at least three really really good opportunities, two for Sarc when he’s clean through on goal if he has a better touch then he’s well, he still ends up one leaving with the keeper and one for Paddy, but again in Paddy’s perspective the incident down here after 25 minutes, him and Quigs has stopped doing what we asked them to do in terms of the middle of the pitch, we weren’t picking balls on upwards in transition and we lost our composure from that point and we started making poor decisions.

“Can’t concede the goal we conceded, really really poor regardless of what strengths they have with long throws, it’s not expected if you like, we dealt with that really really well in the first game the FA Trophy game, we didn’t today, if you don’t defence that piece, don’t quite defend set pieces then it’s going to be a tough task regardless.

Dave said that injuries were no excuse whatsoever: “Every player would show and tell that they want to be in that team, of course it unsettles what happens, Jonno not too serious, hopefully will be fine,

“Courtney, bit more serious, huge blow for him.”

He adds that he was needed as some players struggled to hold the ball well. Quigs ain’t in a great space at the minute, things bounce off him, too many turnovers, when the ball’s forward.

“We’ve spoke to him about that, listen I’ve got true belief in him but at the moment, things aren’t going for him, likewise when we change it didn’t really make a huge, a great deal of difference, we need to be better, as I say, that doesn’t affect the outcome of the game ultimately with a level on that pitch and 16 of the squad hat could come with that game, the first 25 minutes showed that, we didn’t do enough.”

When asked how does he lift players going into this week, he replied: “They shouldn’t be lifted, should be if anything, I should need lifting, our supporters need lifting because we’ve got to I support watch that, if players can’t get themselves up for games like this and they can’t deal with the magnitude of games then ultimately it’s going to dictate where they play, let’s say we have a huge opportunity, it’s really easy to sort of play under no pressure, well this part of the season isn’t about no pressure, this really finds out the true character of people, what I would say within that is that the first 25 minutes shows that, there is the character there, you have to deal with adversity though and adversity might come after two minutes against Torquay on Wednesday, might not, but you’ve gotta show that.

“When you’re out there on the pitch, there’s not a huge amount that we could do from the sides, you’ve gotta go and play the game, we’re going to have to play the game Wednesday, we’ll have to play the game on Sunday, I have real confidence that we have enough to win both of those games and thats easy for me to say, players need to go and prove it, and we’ll be a little bit grumpy today and tomorrow, but we’ll move on and focus on those games.”

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said the pressure is on National League title rivals Stockport as the season enters it final week.

“We believed we could claw it back and we’ve done it,” Parkinson said.

“The job isn’t done yet but it’s great to be in the title race going down to Dagenham next Sunday. Let’s see what happens.”

“It increases the pressure on Stockport going into the game on Wednesday night,” Parkinson added.

“If they’re going to win it they’ve got to earn it and if they slip up, we’ve got to be the team ready and waiting.

“There’s two important games for them, Torquay and Halifax, and we’ve got a tough one ourselves, but if we play like we did today, we’ll have a great chance.

“We’ve got to stay calm, get the week’s preparation right and go down there all guns blazing.

“The last thing Wrexham supporters wanted to see was Stockport celebrate on our pitch and we couldn’t let that happen,” Parkinson said.

“I’m so pleased for the lads. When the big games come and the TV cameras are here and there’s a lot on it, the big players and experienced players have got to stand strong. I felt they did that today.”

Social media users reacted as Stockport boss Dave Challinor ‘takes a pop’ at players after defeat to Wrexham…

@Acrosby_sl6: Maidenhead fan here — been willing you lads on for pretty much half the season, you CAN do this. Nothing would give me greater joy than Wr£xham missing automatic promotion and then crumbling in the play-offs. So, next job is beat Torquay.

@Rconnor_94: Made it too 1:25! Cheers thankyou Dave exactly my thoughts! Watch anymore I’ll be snapping again

@ShaunCo56085755: Quigs totally out of form and can’t be played on Wednesday. Jennings just not good enough. Is Alex reid the answer we need a striker and we have no one else. We played well for 20 but we didn’t test there keeper. Really poor

@fearlessidzine: I’ve got a lot of time for Dave Challinor digging out his back 3 and Quigley. Some might say it’s reverse psychology….I think he’s being too honest at the worst possible time for him to be so.

@dannykay8: Needs to drop quiggs he’s been poor, Jennings isn’t the answer either he’s not good enough. Dont take your chances they come back to haunt you Simple. Still believe

@WrxLewis: Wheels falling off? Chesterfield have them three points last week as well. They were clearly throwing their manager under the bus. We’ve seen what an inferior team can do with no pressure in them in Dover. If Torquay win…

@ChairmanBryn: Threw them under the bus big style

@rexham: Pretty accurate summary which will do wonders for team morale- not

@beardywxm: Nerves are jangling and they are turning on each other slowly.

@sam_jeffs: Don’t think he is being too honest. He could have said something after Yeovil, he didn’t. Could have said something after BW. He didn’t. Third time he two weeks where doing the basics right have gone well out of the window

@DarrenL45037001: He is very very negative stockport county deserve a better manager

@Jamie_SCFC1986: I’m very hurt but optimistic not sure if there is a word for that but I’m sure we can work this out as we need something from these next two games

the last einherjar: Fully deserved win by Wrexham today, they showed us that they are the better team. We will be lucky to come out on top but I am still hopeful we can get a win and a draw from our last two matches. I think Challinor has to change the lineup, we are really missing MSH, the lineup as it is just isn’t working. We need to start Crankshaw and find our form again. Go all out attack, we have nothing to lose now, we need the wins. We have already squandered a 15 PT lead we cannot afford to have anything but the very best efforts from every single player if we are to do this. If we don’t, it’s wrexhams league, and we have failed at the final hurdle.

The truth will out!: Cracking game. Not gonna lie, it’s gonna be hard getting too spot. Stockport were much the better side the first 25 but couldn’t finish a beer. Fucking brilliant atmosphere from both sets of fans.

Andrew Hopwood: Not really heard him have a pop at the players before. Move on now, big games on Weds and Sun, 4 pts required. We can do it.

Zander_1989 _: Outplayed, out-thought and, more worryingly, outfought today. Madden has to take that chance at 0-0. The second goal just before half time was devastating time to concede. Gotta pick ourselves up QUICK for Wednesday!

clj.: Unusual for a manager too call out players by name as basically being shi* today. ( quigley ) Also dissapointing he did not give wrexham any credit for controlling the game after 30 mins, nd stopping stockport playing also. Wrexham made them look poor also. Luckily for stockport wrexham blew their chance against boreham wood or the pressure would really have been on.

Dan Williams: Interesting management publicly having a go at the players. That interview could backfire on him massively

Robert Ravenscroft: Quigley needs to do as he is told and stick to his job, can’t knock him for effort but he has been a big disappointment this season overall, expect a lot more from a player with his experience . Torquay are playing well,

Jamie Willis: I was hurt but optimistic as we NEED something out of these last two games 3 points against Torquay are not getting playoffs so they will be wanting to take 3pts from us and Halifax they’re already guaranteed in the playoffs I’d rather 3pts on Wednesday and 3 on Sunday or am I being too greedy here? cheers (but hurt), thank you