Big Damien Spencer capped his 350th career appearance and his return to the Shots team with a late late 93rd minute winner, to rescue his side from what was stumbling towards an embarrassing draw with the League's bottom side.
With the inspirational and hard working Luke Guttridge missing ill, Shots manager Dean Holdsworth turned to Ben Harding to partner John Halls in centre midfield. Jermaine McGlashan, often reduced to a place on the bench in recent weeks due to an onging problem with shin splints, was fit to start and replaced young Adam Mekki on the right side.
The game got off to a quiet start with no real chances in the first fifteen minutes, other than a free kick to County 25 yards out, which hit the Shots wall. Shots then finally began to get into their stride and broke away down both flanks on a few occasions, but on all of them, suffered from a lack of numbers going forward. Twice in five minutes Danny Hylton had half chances, but his first effort was blocked and his second was blazed high over the bar. Shots flattered to deceive. Against opponents who have struggled all season, they barely threatened throughout what, was fairly dire first half fare.
The first fifteen minutes of the second half was no better and Holdsworth turned to Alex Rodman and Adam Mekki to try and brighten the proceedings. Shots at least gained control of the match. Vincenti fired over, Hylton finally forced the visitors keeper into a save, but still the stalemate remained. Rodman gave Stockport plenty to think about and deal with, twice forcing their keeper into saves.
Spencer came on for Harding with ten minutes left. Shots stuttered forward, but with no real conviction and the game trickled toward a goalless stalemate. They lacked thrust, they had no real cutting edge and although they kept plugging away, in all truth, it didn't look like they would score until Spencer's late intervention.
And so, what in all honesty, was a pretty dire afternoon of football, between two sides that both struggle to score goals, suddenly sprang to life in the 93rd minute.....Spencer rose to head home Rodman's cross from 10 yards. Well done the big fella! As Holdsworth quipped afterwards, "If anyone had dreamt that finish last night, then it would be Damo".
So, another one of Holdsworth's favourites....1-0 victories. This was Shots third win on the bounce and it movesthem back up to 14th in League Two and ever closer to safety.
Shots: Young 6 Herd 7 Jones 7 Charles 7 Straker 6 McGlashan 6 (Mekki 5) Halls 5 Harding 5 (Spencer 7) Hylton 6 Vincenti 7 Sills 5 (Rodman 7). Att: 2263 (209 visiting fans)