Dave Challinor praises ‘ruthless nature’ as Stockport tighten grip on play-offs

Stockport manager Dave Challinor praised his side’s “ruthless nature” after they strengthened their grip on a League One play-off spot with a 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.

Adama Sidibeh opened the scoring very early on before suffering an injury and making way for leading marksmen Kyle Wootton, who added a second goal in the 39th minute.

And despite a strong effort from the visitors to make their way back into the game, Ollie Norwood sealed victory in second-half stoppage-time.

The Hatters are now three points clear of seventh-placed Stevenage in fifth spot and Challinor was pleased with his team’s performance at both ends of the pitch.

“I think we’ve played better this season and lost or not won the game, but you have to have that ruthless nature about you,” he said.

“And I’ve said before, there’s far too many times this season where we’ve been really good between the boxes and not good enough in both boxes.

“Well, that includes defending and I think parts of our general defending weren’t good enough, but our emergency defending was really good in terms of blocks.

“Obviously, outside of that, you rely on your goalkeeper making saves and he’s done that.

“Two really good moments in the first half – one, obviously, early in the game and one when Woots (Wootton) has come onto the pitch in transition and (produced) a clinical finish.”

Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson could not fathom the final scoreline, having seen his side force some brilliant saves out of Stockport goalkeeper Corey Addai.

“It’s a bit strange really, frustrating because we’ve lost the game 3-0,” he said.

“On the face of it, that’ll look like a routine, comfortable victory for Stockport, but I don’t think it was that at all.

“I think we’ve come here and for the most part played really well, dominated the ball, had a number of chances.

“Their keeper’s pulled off some unbelievable saves and how we haven’t scored a goal is beyond me, but that’s the hardest bit.

“We’ve probably dominated most metrics – shots, possession, crosses, stuff like that – but they got the better of us on the important one, goals.

“I think they’ve just been more ruthless than us in front of goal.”

Jackson was also left to rue his team’s slow start, having conceded the opening goal inside two minutes.

“Yeah I’m disappointed with their goal, especially at the start,” he added.

“You can’t start a game like that, especially here, it gives you too much to do.

“We switched off. I thought we were probably at our worse (from a defensive perspective) when we were attacking today and they’ve hit us on the counter-attack (for the second goal).”