Stockport County defeated Reading 3-1 to move level at the top of League One alongside Huddersfield.
Jack Diamond’s 52nd-minute finish settled an entertaining contest at Edgeley Park in which Ethan Ennis restored their lead with a 32nd-minute strike.
Kyle Wootton initially fired the Hatters in front with a sixth-minute rebound effort after his initial shot ricocheted off the left post, only for Jack Marriott to fire Reading level with a 11th-minute shot.
In the league standings, Stockport stay second on goal difference but are level on 29 points with leaders, Huddersfield.
Reading meanwhile slipped to seventh after Sheffield Wednesday beat Plymouth Argyle 3-0 at Hillsborough to climb into fifth above the Pilgrims who rounded out the top six, with Billy Mitchell, David Keillor-Dunn and Di’Shon Bernard on the scoresheet for the Owls.
Having had a chance to go top of the table if they delivered a big winning margin, Stockport began the match on the front foot as Harry Wood forced Joel Pereira into a fourth-minute save of his low shot.
The Hatters’ early pressure paid off just two minutes later as Ennis whipped a low cross into the box which Wootton flicked onto the left post, yet was crucially alert to tuck away his second shot on the rebound to put the hosts in front.
Reading however refused to quickly cave in and pulled level in the 11th minute through Kyreece Lisbie’s low cross from the right, which was smashed into the bottom left corner by Marriott from the edge of the box.
Stockport subsequently upped their intensity and almost reclaimed the lead in the 27th minute after Wootton nodded Lewis Bate’s cross in, but he was adjudged to had been offside and the goal was disallowed.
Reading’s defence eventually was broken again five minutes later as Ethan Pye swung a direct cross forward, which Wootton nodded on to Diamond, but the latter laid the ball off for Wood who opted to play the incoming Ennis forward to smash their second goal into the left corner.
Stockport almost extended their lead further in the 43rd minute as Wood curled a tightly-angled finish wide of the far-bottom right corner, before Wootton fired over the bar a minute later.
Pereira then saved a tightly-angled dinking shot towards the far-top left corner from Oliver Norwood in first-half injury time, much to the Royals’ relief as they limited the Hatters to an one-goal lead at half time.
Stockport though continued to terrorise Reading’s defence as soon as the second half commenced as Wood saw a shot tipped behind by Pereira, who then tipped Diamond’s 49th-minute header over the bar.
Stockport eventually found their third goal in the 52nd minute after a move up the left flank fell for Wootton who teed up Diamond to slot into the bottom right corner.
Diamond almost claimed a second goal in the 59th minute but Pereira blocked his shot, before Ethan Pye headed over from the subsequent corner.
Stockport eventually controlled the last 30 minutes plus injury time comfortably to record their fifth consecutive league win at home, with their promotion challenge now firmly consolidated as only goal difference kept them off the summit.
What’s Next?
Stockport County face a tricky trip to Cambridge United in their next outing on Saturday 21 November at 3pm.
Reading are in action earlier that day at 12:30pm as they host strugglers, Bromley at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Teams
Stockport County: Oliver Whatmuff, Kyron Gordon (Jobe 82′), Eoghan O’Connell, Ethan Pye, Ben Osborn (Dacres-Cogley 74′), Lewis Bate, Oliver Norwood (Fiorini 62′), Ethan Ennis (Glover 62′), Jack Diamon, Kyle Wootton, Harry Wood (Adigun 74′)
Substitutes: Jason Adigun, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Tayo Edun, Lewis Fiorini, Ryan Glover, Mamadou Jobe, Mikael Mandron
Reading: Joel Pereira, Udoka Godwin-Malife, Josh Knight, Conor Masterson (Williams 67′), Haydon Roberts, Liam Fraser, Charlie Savage (Jones 82′), Kyreece Lisbie, Lewis Wing, Daniel Kyerewaa (Stokes 74′), Jack Marriott (Reid 82′)
Substitutes: Ashqar Ahmed, Jerae Jones, Sean Patton, Jamie Reid, Jack Stevens, Josh Stokes, Randell Williams
Referee – Robert Madley
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