Dave Challinor hails ‘amazing achievement’ from in-form Stockport

Stockport manager Dave Challinor hailed his side’s eight-game winning run as “an amazing achievement” after they fought hard for a 3-2 win over Grimsby in Sky Bet League Two.

Two goals inside the first 10 minutes from Louie Barry and Tanto Olaofe put them in control.

Olaofe missed a chance to make it three from the penalty spot and Grimsby grabbed a goal just before the break through Donovan Wilson.

The visitors equalised from Gavan Holohan’s spot-kick in the second period but another goal from Barry clinched three points for the Hatters.

“I’m always going to be critical where I need to be. I can’t ask for a better start, but the game should have been over at half-time,” said Challinor.

“I spoke about this last week, how missing a big chance is a mood killer, and that’s exactly what the second penalty was.

“That last 10 minutes, the decision for Tanto to take it and conceding, I was raging at half-time.

“The game should have been won, then it would have allowed us to do different things in the second half.

“In terms of positives, we made the changes and altered the system because we couldn’t deal with their runners and it paid off. The win is an amazing acheivement.

“The winning run is great, it puts us in a really good place going into Tuesday’s game.

“I trust the players have got to be able to play 55 games a season, they’re athletes and sometimes you can expect too little of them almost.

“We want to use the squad but not in a way that will harm momentum.”

Grimsby manager Paul Hurst was frustrated with some of the decisions from officials during the game but commended his team for how they got back into it.

“From our point of view, there was a bit extra there, a lot of character there, we had them on the ropes, especially in periods of that second half.

“I haven’t had a chance to look at all of the decisions in detail, but looking at some of the footage I thought some of those decisions were really poor today.

“I felt the home crowd influenced the decision for the first penalty, they were both at it pulling each other.

“The second goal was poor from our point of view in terms of positioning and then you feel like you’re going to be really up against it.

“I felt a lot of things went against us rather than for us, but at 2-0 down against the league leaders, who were flying so early in the game, I think you’ve got to give credit to our players for getting back into it.

“I don’t think we’ve got what we deserved today against what is obviously a top team.”