Hatters grind Saints' march to a halt

STOCKPORT County denied Brackley Town a first-ever place in the FA Cup third round with a hard-fought victory at Edgeley Park.

- David Joyce

After coasting into a 2-0 lead inside 18 minutes, the League One side suffered a major second-half scare from their National League North opponents, lying 76 places below them in the pyramid.

And, in the end, it needed substitute’s Tanto Olaofe’s late strike to break the Saints’ resistance.

League One County appeared to have one foot in Monday’s third round draw after Will Collar and Kyle Wootton scored in three, first half minutes.

But a failure to take their chances and Callum Connolly’s bizarre second-half, long-range own goal gave Stockport’s National League North opponents hope of an upset.