Stockport County secured a 1-0 victory over Preston North End at Edgeley Park as Jack Diamond’s second-half finish decided the penultimate warm-up match ahead of the new season. The fixture, staged as part of former academy graduate Ben Hinchliffe’s testimonial, provided running and fine-tuning for both sides a week before competitive action resumes.
Match overview
After a cautious opening, the contest remained tight for long periods. Daniel Iversen was called into action early and produced another smart stop later in the first half, while Preston created several half-chances but found Stockport’s defence difficult to break down.
- Decisive moment: Jack Diamond angled a low shot into the bottom-right corner on 71 minutes to give Stockport the lead.
- Defensive test: Iversen made notable saves, including one from Kyle Wootton’s early header which was guided away after Diamond’s dinked pass.
- Substitutions and injuries: Andrija Vukcevic left the field after 24 minutes, replaced by Liam Lindsay; Ed Nolan came on later and struck the crossbar just before half-time.
Notable moments and performances
Preston’s forwards had opportunities to test the home keeper. A move in the opening five minutes saw Iversen make a good save following a tame backpass to Andrew Hughes which Diamond picked up, then fed Kyle Wootton. In the closing stages of the first half, Ed Nolan — introduced from the bench — supplied a cross that clipped the crossbar, while Jusef Erabi had a blocked effort inside the area just before the break.
| Preston starting XI | Position |
|---|---|
| Daniel Iversen | Goalkeeper |
| Odel Offiah, Lewis Gibson, Andrew Hughes, Pol Valentin | Defenders |
| Ali McCann, Jordan Thompson, Alfie Devine | Midfield |
| Andrew Moran, Andrija Vukcevic, Jusef Erabi | Attack |
Substitutes used included Liam Lindsay, Ed Nolan, Callum Lang, Max Wilson and George Gryba. Gryba tested the keeper late on with an effort that went narrowly wide.
What comes next
Preston travel to St George’s Park on Monday for a behind-closed-doors match against FC Barcelona as they complete their pre-season schedule. For Stockport, the win offers momentum and a morale boost as they head into the competitive fixtures.
The fixture also served as an occasion to honour Ben Hinchliffe and gave supporters one more chance to see their teams match-fit in front of a local crowd.
Reporting from Edgeley Park, the game suggested both teams still have work to do on finishing and defensive coordination, but also underlined the value of these friendlies to sharpen match fitness ahead of the new campaign.
