Stockport County 0
Bristol Rovers 2
Kuffour (3), Coles (8)
Referee: Mr D Webb
Attendance: 4,084
Bristol Rovers picked up their first points of the season with a comfortable win at Edgeley Park this afternoon.
First half goals from Jo Kuffour and Danny Coles were enough to give Paul Trollope's side all three points against an inexperienced Stockport County side.
Rovers started the game explosively,and were to goals ahead with just eight minutes on the clock.
Kuffour, who had fired a shot over the bar in Rovers first attack, was on the scoresheet after just three minutes when he took advantage of a dreadful mix up in the Stockport defence to put register his first goal of the season.
Defender Michael Raynes tried to head the ball back to Own fon Williams but succeeded only in lifting it over the head of keeper Owen fon Williams and Kuffour pounced on the loose ball and rolled in into the unguarded net.
A shell shocked Stockport fell further behind on eight minutes when Danny Coles rose to head home Stuart Campbell's corner from the right. Coles celebrated by rushing to Rovers' bench to embrace physiotherapist Phil Kite who has been at his side as he worked to return to action following a serious knee injury.
"He's seen more of me than he has his wife in the last nine months!" said Kite afterwards "and always said that he'd celebrate with me when he next scored."
As Rovers comfortably held on to their lead, Jeff Hughes saw a shot blocked by Raynes and Coles went close to scoring his second of the afternoon when his volley following another Campbell corner was cleared off the line by Johnny Mullins in the final minute of the half.
Stockport's only goal attempts came from a hat trick of long range efforts from Greg Tansy which all flew wide of the target.
Kuffour went close scoring again early in the second half, when he saw one shot blocked by a defender and another hit the inside of the post.
The home side's two best chances came within a minute of each other, just before the hour mark, when Peter Thompson fired into the side netting and Greg Tansy hit a shot just wide of the upright.
That was as good as it got for the home fans, though, as their side never really threatened Fraser Forster's goal after that.
Duffy rolled a shot wide of the target and Kuffour tried an audacious lob from just inside the Stockport half, that just cleared the bar and Rovers comfortably played out time to claim the points.
Duffy, who had worked tirelessly all afternoon, was replaced by Ben Hunt for the final ten minutes, no doubt with Tuesday's long trip to Hartlepool in mind.
Fraser Forster, Carl Regan, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, Aaron Lescott, David Pipe, Chris Lines, Stuart Campbell, Jeff Hughes, Darryl Duffy Ben Hunt, 80), Jo Kuffour
Substitutes: Steve Phillips, Andy Williams, Dominic Blizzard, Sean Rigg, Charlie Reece, Ben Swallow
Stockport County: Owain Fon Williams, Johnny Mullins, Michael Raynes, Gianluca Havern, Michael Rose, Paul Turnbull, Oli Johnson (Danny Pilkington, 63) Greg Tansy, David Poole, Carl Baker, Peter Thompson (Declan Edwards, 76).
Substitutes: James Vincent, Paul Gerrard, Adam Griffin, Andy Halls, Craig Roberts
