Match Information
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Stockport Georgians 1-1 Stafford Town
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When: Saturday 28th December 2024
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Cromley Road, Woodsmoor, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 7DT
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Competition: North West Counties League First Division South
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Attendance: 82
My final groundhop of the 2024 calendar year was potentially problematic due to a blanket of fog enveloping many regions of the country.
Yes, football pitches would no doubt be perfectly playable but poor visibility could lead to multiple late postponements across the Non-League fixture circuit.
Nevertheless, Stockport Georgians were always my first choice. They’ve hovered on my radar since gaining promotion out of the Manchester League Premier Division up to Step 6 of the National League System joining the North West Counties League First Division South in 2022.
The club’s distinctive name holds origins at St. George’s Church on Buxton Road, Stockport. However, I kept hearing extensive news reports announcing nearby Manchester Airport was closed owing to the murky weather conditions.
I had already tried to visit Georgians for an Isuzu FA Vase tie against Droylsden last season on Saturday 21st October 2023. Alas a waterlogged playing surface led to that game being called off at 10.30am when I was en route.
Fortunately I managed to re-divert and drove to a new ground elsewhere at Boro Rangers FC in Middlesbrough. Fast forward 14 months for another attempt to tick the Georgians’ seemingly elusive Cromley Road home!
This time, I was delighted to receive early morning messages from Georgians stating: “Fog free here… Forecast is dry and no mist around, we’re good to go.”
I also liked a club tweet reaching out to local football fans reading: “With no @StockportCounty, @ManCity or @ManUtd fixture today, we’d welcome the extra support as we look to pick up an important 3 points.”
Accordingly, I was able to set off on a 400 mile round trip via the M1, M6, M56 and M60 motorways confident my intended match was definitely going ahead. Indeed, the only fog I subsequently encountered was through the West Midlands.
Overall my journey to Stockport took an unexpectedly elongated four hours reflecting two major traffic delays on the M6.
Incidentally, I had been to this part of Cheshire on numerous prior occasions to attend EFL matches at Stockport County FC plus a separate North West Counties League game in 2004 at now-defunct Woodley Sports FC.
The expedition to Woodley sticks in my mind because I stayed overnight with my former girlfriend and we got stuck in the claustrophobic hotel lift for ages causing her to suffer a prolonged panic attack.
Ground Description
Cromley Road lies in the Woodsmoor suburb two miles south of Stockport town centre. A decent sized car park accommodating 150 vehicles is shared by the adjacent Stockport Georgians Cricket Club.
Inside the football ground, a 50-seater stand straddles one corner next to some sturdy covered overhang off the clubhouse building.
There is an impressive two year old glass fronted hospitality box called ‘1908 Suite’ too. At the very far end, covered terracing is provided in ‘The John Mannion Stand’.
Programme Details
A colourful 23 page online publication. Contents incorporated the welcome by Georgians chairman Andy Jenkins, details of club officials, manager’s notes, history of opponents Stafford Town, match reports, sponsorship particulars, fixtures & results, league table and the squad lists. In addition, up to date photocopied team sheets were distributed free of charge inside the bar area.
The Match
Despite plenty of shelter available within the ground, most spectators opted to stand out in the persistent drizzle which began after kick-off on a grey day.
It was 12th entertaining 1st in the North West Counties League First Division South standings so anyone possessing in-depth knowledge of football betting in the online betting stakes would have anticipated an away victory.
Ultimately, a really tight contest exploded into life late in second half proceedings.
Georgians opened the scoring on 73 minutes courtesy of Ollie McFadyen’s full length torpedo-like diving header.
But a frenetic 89th minute scramble saw Taylor Draper cross and Harry Lambert slice high into his own net for the Stafford Town equaliser.
The People
Aforementioned chairman Andy Jenkins and the hard-working band of club volunteers gave me an extremely friendly reception and spoke with great pride about their beloved Georgians.
Football grounds visited: 2,614.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
