The Hatters made it three victories from as many League One matches in an early Saturday afternoon two-goal triumph at Edgeley Park over Bristol Rovers.
In what was a first meeting with Rovers in more than 14 years, a first County victory against them for nearly 16 was achieved courtesy of a late first-half strike by Louie Barry and one from Kyle Wootton just after the hour, as the Hatters maintained a perfect winning start to the campaign, as well as a third clean sheet, to remain at the top of the table.
Bank holiday weekend conditions, following a wet night and an overcast morning, were taking a slight turn for the better with some brief glimpses of sunshine as County took to the field for a lunchtime start to accommodate live television coverage, and with a starting line-up showing one change from that at Blackpool a week earlier. Lewis Bate was ruled out with a knock – and, the day after arriving at EP, newly-signed Hatter Ollie Norwood went straight into the team in place of the skipper.
Fraser Horsfall, meanwhile, was given the captain’s armband for the afternoon – and there were places on the bench for two Academy Scholars, Bruno Cina and Nathan Mapengu, who had made their first-team debuts in the League Cup against Blackburn earlier during the month.
The visiting ‘Gas’ – sharing with County (and Coventry) origins as a current Football League club founded in 1883, as well as the distinction (along with Charlton) of not having conceded a third-tier goal to date during the new campaign – fashioned the first chance of the contest with three minutes on the clock, when Promise Omochere latched on to a Luke Thomas free-kick from the left and headed wide of the far post.
After 10 minutes, and with sun beginning to give way to a short, sharp shower, the Hatters created their inaugural opportunity – with Wootton, from the left, finding Jack Diamond, whose low drive was tipped beyond the far upright by goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
Rovers then twice went close with headers from corners in quick succession – as Corey Addai tipped over the unmarked Taylor Moore’s attempt, and Byrant Bilongo nodded wide, following respective deliveries by Isaac Hutchinson and Thomas on the left and right. And just after the half’s mid-point, Horsfall, from a Norwood corner, used his head to force Griffiths into a save in front of the visitors’ right post.
Ten minutes ahead of the break, Barry cut in from the left – albeit without repeating his wonder-goal against Blackpool, as the eventual shot was comfortably gathered up by Griffiths. But a couple of minutes later, he made no mistake – opening the scoring for the third game in a row, as he half-volleyed home from the edge of the box, after defender Clinton Mola had headed into the air Addai’s long ball forward.
Diamond almost doubled the advantage shortly afterwards, when his goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by visiting captain James Wilson – before Griffiths denied Wootton on the follow-up. And a subsequent save by Addai from Moore ensured that the Hatters went in at the interval with both their lead and a clean sheet preserved.
HALF-TIME: County 1 (Barry, 38), Bristol Rovers 0.
Three minutes into the new half, Rovers lost the services of their leading goal-scorer from the previous season, Chris Martin – but were able to replace the injured striker with Cypriot international Ruel Sotiriou, who had been netted most for Leyton Orient in 2023/24.
The Hatters, however, were first to launch an attempt on goal after the resumption – with Will Collar, teed up by Wootton, seeing his snap-shot parried around the right post by Griffiths at full stretch.
Three minutes after the hour, the Hatters extended their lead. Norwood’s deep corner from the left found Horsfall, who headed back into the six-yard box from beyond the far post for Wootton – fresh from signing a new three-year deal with County 24 hours earlier – to convert from close range his second goal of the campaign.
Wootton almost bagged a second, and County a third, eight minutes later, after Horsfall chested down for him to half-volley just shy of the left upright. And at the other end, Connor Taylor – one of three Gas replacements brought on in the immediate wake of Wootton’s goal – prodded beyond the right post.
Another, later visiting substitute was presented with a great chance to reduce the arrears shortly after his introduction, but the experienced Scott Sinclair, having run on to a lofted ball from Joel Senior, fired over from six yards with County’s goal at his mercy.
County substitute Jayden Fevrier turned in another of his customary high-impact cameos – stinging the hands of Griffiths with a venomous drive, before setting up a half-chance for Wootton who drilled wide.
Addai dived at the feet of Omochere, and smothered a low shot from Sinclair, before the Hatters, in added time, went close to re-creating their second goal. But on this occasion, after Norwood’s corner had been headed back by Horsfall, Griffiths tipped over a well-struck Fevrier volley.
FULL-TIME: County 2 (Barry, 38; Wootton, 63), Bristol Rovers 0.
Team (3-4-3): Addai; Mingi, Horsfall (Capt.), Pye; Diamond (Fevrier, 57), Norwood, Camps, Touray; Collar (Bailey, 89), Wootton (Onyango, 89), Barry (Olaofe, 72).
[Debut for Ollie Norwood, with a unique SCAN [Stockport County Appearance Number] of 1486.]
Unused Subs: Hinchliffe, Cina, Mapengu.
Man of the Match: Wootton.
Attendance: 9,423 (768 away).
Reporter: Gareth Evans.
Photographer: Phil Oldham.
