Dave Challinor pleased with Stockport win but admits he did not enjoy game

Jan 18, 2025 2 min read
Stockport manager Dave Challinor saw his side beat Reading but he did not enjoy the match (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Stockport manager Dave Challinor saw his side beat Reading but he did not enjoy the match (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Stockport manager Dave Challinor admitted he did not enjoy his side’s 3-1 victory at Reading despite the win moving County above their rivals into the League One play-off places.

County led 2-0 at half-time through goals from Isaac Olaofe and Callum Connolly.

Although Sam Smith reduced the deficit just past the hour mark, Jack Diamond restored Stockport’s two-goal advantage in the 68th minute.

“I don’t think I’d ever describe it as enjoyable,” Challinor said. “It’s not enjoyable at the best of times.

“Sure, it’s good to get three points and the way that we went about it.

“But we could have been better in the second half in terms of how we controlled things.

“Again, though, I suppose that it’s my job to be critical and try to make us better.

“But for large parts, we were very good, especially for an away performance.

“Maybe we should have had more goals. We’ve had a lot of good opportunities.

“We started the game really well and perhaps could have had more goals but for bad decision making in the final third.

“There were moments that if we were more clinical with our finishing, we potentially do get more.

“But I’m not going to pick fault there. If someone had offered me before the game that we’d get three (goals), I would have hoped that we win the game…and we have done.”

Reading slipped from sixth place to seventh in the League One table – on goal difference – after the defeat.

“We made it tough for ourselves. We didn’t start the game right,” Royals manager Noel Hunt said.

“We conceded two set-play goals and gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

“So we’re disappointed as a team, as a collective.

“It was a bit out of character for us at the start because, in terms of set-plays recently, we’ve been really good against them.

“So, after that, we came in at half-time and had a good talk and a conversation.

“We started the second half better and got the goal to get back into it.

“But then we forgot about the basics of the game. We just weren’t brave enough to play the ball forward.

“For their third goal, we played back, we don’t win the tackle, we don’t recover and react…and it cost us the game.

“We’re bitterly disappointed as a whole and we’ve just got to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

“We’ll do everything we can to ensure that, especially at home.

“It’s all about habits, good habits. It’s important that we all learn, not only the younger ones but the senior ones as well.

“We demand standards and hold ourselves accountable as a group and as a team.”

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