Stockport County 5-0 Truro City: Warburton hits four for the Hatters

Matty Warburton. Stockport County FC 5-0 Truro City FC. Buildbase FA Trophy. 12.1.19

Stockport County produced a dominant performance at Edgeley Park to dispatch Truro City, from the National League South, from the FA Trophy.

The Hatters’ record five-goal victory in the competition came thanks to four goals for Matty Warburton and a second strike in as many matches from Darren Stephenson.

Jim Gannon named an unchanged starting line-up and Warburton, who had opened the scoring after five minutes on that occasion, was even quicker off the mark seven days later.

With just three minutes gone, the leading scorer latched on to Stephenson’s pass from the edge of the box, before unleashing a low, left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner of the net.

The Hatters continued to dominate – winning five corners within the first 11 minutes, and doubling their lead after 17 had passed when teenage goalkeeper William Buse could only parry Adam Thomas’ shot, following a low Stephenson cross from the left, and Warburton fired in the rebound.

The Cornish visitors, halfway through their 650-mile round trip, were enjoying little sight of County’s goal with only a Tyler Harvey effort from distance, that was comfortably held by Ben Hinchliffe, to show for their first-half endeavours.

And by the half-hour mark, the Hatters were effectively out of sight with four to their name. Jordan Keane’s flick into the area was converted by Warburton for his hat-trick, before Stephenson drilled home a low cross from Thomas on the right two minutes later.

Matty Warburton. Stockport County FC 5-0 Truro City FC. Buildbase FA Trophy. 12.1.19
Stockport County players celebrate with Matty Warburton (www.mphotographic.co.uk)

Warburton blasted over another Thomas cross before the break – and Thomas himself had a golden opportunity to add to the tally, although failed to connect, after Buse fumbled.

But the  visiting ‘keeper did well on the stroke of half-time to tip a Keane pile-driver around the left post.

The one-way traffic resumed after the interval, as County earned four further corners within the opening five minutes.

From the fourth of them, delivered by Paul Turnbull on the left towards the near post, Mulhern glanced his header across the goalmouth and just wide of the far upright.

The two goal-scorers fired attempts beyond the left post either side of the hour-mark – but, with 25 minutes remaining, Stephenson and Warburton combined to great effect again, as the former’s through-ball was slotted in by the latter for his 18th goal of the campaign in all competitions.

The visitors had their best chance to salvage some pride after 78 minutes, when Jared Lewington was played through on goal, only for Hinchliffe to stand tall and block.

Hinchliffe’s opposite number was forced to work much the harder in the closing stages with Buse doing well to parry away one shot from the left by substitute Jake Kirby, and even better to tip over another at closer range courtesy of Mulhern, who had connected first time with Scott Duxbury’s cross on the left.