Friday night football is back at Edgeley Park this week, as Dave Challinor’s table-toppers go up against fellow promotion contenders Notts County in a huge game in League Two.
Last weekend’s stunning 8-0 win over Sutton United marked County’s biggest EFL win since January 1934, an emphatic end to a six-game run without a win in all competitions. The victory ensured that County will be top of the table on Christmas Day regardless of the outcome of Friday night’s game, the first time that’s happened in any division since 1966.
Elsewhere in League Two, closest challengers and Boxing Day opponents Barrow are also in action on Friday night as they travel to 5th place Crewe Alexandra. 3rd place Wrexham host Newport County on Saturday, and Mansfield travel to bottom of the table Sutton.
Despite a difficult recent run that has seen them lose three of their last four games in League Two, newly promoted Notts remain in the play-off places coming into this game – ten points behind County in 6th, and five points above Morecambe, who sit just outside the top seven.
Things you need to know:
- Tickets in the Together Stand are still available for this fixture, with the Cheadle End and Danny Bergara Stand now sold out! Click here to order yours today!
- County fans can now park at the NCP Car Park at Stockport Train Station for a discounted price of just £3 on a match day, via the ParkPass App! Click here for more information.
- Don’t forget to turn up early to Edgeley Park to visit the County Courtyard, which will be opening its doors from 6.00pm! For more information on all the food and drink on offer this week, click here.
- Coming to the game on Tuesday? Click here to view our Fan Information pack, containing all you need to know ahead of your visit to Edgeley Park.
- This Friday night fixture will be available for all supporters to watch over on Stockport County Live, featuring live match commentary from Jon Keighren and Sam Byrne. Click here to purchase your video match passes today.
Our Opponents:
After a four-year exile in the National League, Notts County are finally back in the Football League following a remarkable campaign last season that saw them rack up 107 points, but still required them to battle through the drama of the play-offs to secure promotion.
Following the departure of manager Ian Burchnall to Forest Green Rovers in the summer of 2022, Notts opted to bring in former Swindon Town boss and Swansea City Assistant Manager Luke Williams on a two-year-deal. It proved an inspired choice, with the 43-year-old instilling a distinct brand of possession-based, attacking football at Meadow Lane that saw the Magpies sweep teams aside in the National League.
They scored a record 117 goals across the season, at one stage embarking on a club record 25-game unbeaten run. In any other season their points tally would have been enough to see them be crowned champions, Unfortunately for them, they came up against a Wrexham side in similarly unstoppable form, with the Welsh side emerging on top in a breathless title chase.
For the fourth successive season Notts were consigned to the agony of the play-offs, but this time there was to be a different result – just. After scoring in the final minute of normal time and the final minute of extra-time to beat Boreham Wood in the semi-finals, they twice came from behind in the showpiece final against Chesterfield to take the game to a penalty shootout – which they eventually went on to win 4-3.
Riding the momentum of that promotion, the Magpies were instilled as one of the favourites for the League Two title this season and duly led the way at the top of the table in October, having lost just two of their opening 12 league games.
A heavy 4-1 defeat at home to local rivals Mansfield saw (Stockport) County leapfrog them at the top of the table and their form has dipped since then. They come into this game with just two wins from their last seven games in League Two, and having lost seven of their last ten in all competitions.
It’s defensively where they have really struggled so far this season – only three sides have conceded more than their 41 goals in 22 league outings so far, with several alarming defeats including a 5-1 loss at Sutton on the opening day, that heavy defeat to Mansfield and a 5-4 loss away at struggling Colchester.
They do, however, score goals – and plenty of them. In David McGoldrick they have a player with Premier League pedigree and eight goals already this season, whilst Macauley Langstaff has continued his reputation as one of the most lethal finishers in the lower leagues.
The 26-year-old scored an astonishing 42 goals in 47 National League appearances last season., more than any other player, and the former York and Gateshead man has adapted quickly to the EFL with 14 league goals already – only Swindon’s Jake Young has more.
Match Stats:
- This will be the 40th competitive meeting between the two sides, with County winning ten and losing 18 of the previous encounters. It’s the first meeting between the two in the Football League since February 2008 – a 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park, with Tommy Rowe scoring for County.
- Notts County haven’t won a league game at Edgeley Park since August 1965, a run of ten games without a win. They did however win a FA Trophy tie in SK3 in January 2021 – Kyle Wootton scoring a late winner for the Magpies.
- County have now kept seven clean sheets in their last eight league games at Edgeley Park.
