Stockport County manager Jimmy McNulty insisted his team deserved to win their goalless draw at Sheffield Wednesday. The Hatters had 18 shots and hit the post in front of 32,000 fans at Hillsborough on Saturday, a performance their boss believes should have yielded three points. The team's recent form shows they have taken 10 points from a possible 21, averaging 1.43 points per game over their first seven matches.
"It's a good point, and a clean sheet is welcome for sure," McNulty said. "I believe most people in the stadium believe we should have won today."
The manager described the occasion as a dream, having aspired to lead a team at the famous ground since childhood. "Sheffield Wednesday, huge gargantuan club. The atmosphere is amazing, but we dreamed of playing here when we were boys. I dreamed of managing here," he said. He stressed, however, that his players should not feel like imposters at this level and that the display showed courage and personality. He praised the team's defensive organization and their ability to restrict a powerful Wednesday side to few clear chances.
McNulty argued that with more belief, his side could have turned their dominance into a comprehensive victory. He pointed to the shot count, where Stockport had three times as many attempts as their hosts, but was not overly critical of his players. The draw leaves Stockport County ninth in League One with 10 points from their opening seven games. Their next fixture is at home against Peterborough United, who are struggling in 23rd place. McNulty highlighted the importance of capitalizing on such opportunities to climb the table, especially with top scorer Jack Diamond, who has four goals this season, leading the line.
Attention now turns fully to that home match against Peterborough United this Saturday. Peterborough's current position presents a clear opportunity for Stockport to build on their solid away point and improve their points per game average. The Hatters will look to Diamond to provide the cutting edge they lacked in South Yorkshire, aiming to convert their goal minutes into actual goals. Check the latest standings to see how the table shapes up.
Read the full report at thestar.co.uk
