Date published: 07/03/2010

Stockport County’s predilection for conceding unfortunate goals continued on Saturday at the Valley, where they lost 2-0 to promotion-chasing Charlton Athletic. Both goals came in the opening ten minutes, and the first typified County's bad luck in recent weeks, when, after seven minutes, Danny Swailes headed a speculative cross against Paul Huntingdon and the ball ended up in the back of the County net.

Just three minutes later, County went further behind as Akpo Sodje headed home a Frazer Richardson cross past the despairing Owen Fon Williams. 2-0 down after ten minutes and County seemed to be heading for a thrashing.

But Gary Ablett’s team are built of sterner stuff these days and, having weathered the early storm, they began some counter-attacking of their own in the second half, with Jabo Ibehere working tirelessly up front and narrowly missing with two chances. In fact, County were the better side after the break but could not force that goal which might have brought them back into the game.

Before the game, there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence for Keith Alexander. The former Hatter, who was manager at Macclesfield Town, tragically died mid-week.