County’s promotion credentials face a big test this weekend, as we take on title-chasing Stevenage at Edgeley Park looking for a fourth win in a row.
Kyle Wootton’s brace on Tuesday night saw County win a game from behind for just the second time in the league this season, beating Crawley 2-1 at Edgeley Park for a third straight victory.
Those three points looked all the more vital come the end of the night, with the two teams immediately below us in the league table also winning – Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers keeping the pressure on in the race for the play-off places.
Significantly however, two other results did go in County’s favour on Tuesday night, with 3rd place Carlisle losing 4-0 at home to in-form Mansfield, and 4th place Northampton drawing 0-0 at home to AFC Wimbledon. It means that County are now just four points off the automatic promotion places with a game in hand still to come against Carlisle, which will be played away at Rochdale on Tuesday night.
County could end the weekend as high as 5th in the table with a win, should Mansfield and Salford drop points in their games against Tranmere and Swindon respectively. Defeat, however, could see us drop two places down to ninth, with Bradford and Doncaster both snapping at our heels. Bradford host Barrow on Saturday, whilst Doncaster travel to Sutton.
Stevenage meanwhile are enjoying a sensational season, defying all expectations to sit 2nd in the table, having given themselves a real chance of returning to League One for the first time since 2014. They were left frustrated at the weekend however, as an 84th minute penalty from Omar Bogle saw Newport come from behind to claim a draw against Steve Evans’ side – leaving them ten points adrift of leaders Leyton Orient, with three games in hand.
Things you need to know:
- Tickets in the Cheadle End, Danny Bergara Stand and Together Family Stand have all sold out for this fixture. The Vitality Railway End has been made available to County fans for this game – click here to purchase your ticket online 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.
- Coming to the game on Saturday? Click here to view our Fan Information pack, containing all you need to know ahead of your visit to Edgeley Park.
- Don’t forget to turn up early to Edgeley Park to visit the County Courtyard, which will be opening its doors from 1.30pm! For more information on all the food and drink on offer this week, click here.
- Saturday’s game will be available for our overseas supporters to stream over on Stockport County Live, featuring live commentary with Jon Keighren and Sam Byrne. Audio commentary will also be available for our supporters located in the UK. Click here to buy a pass today!
Since we last met:
Some County fans may well still be scratching their heads as to just how County left the Lamex Stadium with nothing back in August, having led the game up until the 89th minute. Callum Camps had earlier given us the lead with his first goal for the club, before a crazy few minutes saw Ash Palmer sent off after conceding a penalty, before the home side snatched the lead in the dying seconds to leave us with two defeats from two at the start of the season.
Although that result left Stevenage with two wins from two, having won at Tranmere on the opening day, few would have predicted the season that Boro have gone on to have.
The club were embroiled in a relegation battle last March, sitting just three points above the relegation zone when the club moved to appoint former Leeds and Rotherham boss Evans. Having comfortably led them to safety come the end of the season, the charismatic Scot has had Stevenage battling it out at the top end of the table throughout this campaign – leading the way 14 games into the season, after just two defeats in that time.
Under the 60-year-old the Hertfordshire side have lost just four times in the league all season, the fewest amount of defeats in the division, and were unbeaten in 12 League Two fixtures before losing 3-2 at home to Bradford last Saturday. Add in a sensational run to the fourth round of the FA Cup, winning 2-1 away at Premier League Aston Villa in the third round, and it’s been a season Stevenage supporters could hardly have dreamt about back in August.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing in recent weeks however, and having established themselves as genuine promotion contenders the side are at risk of being dragged back into the chase for a top three finish. Their issues have tended to come away from home, where despite being tough to beat (their last away defeat came at Bradford in September), they have now drawn seven of their last eight games on the road, including each of the last six.
They still hold a healthy five point gap over Carlisle and Northampton and are nine points above County with a game in hand, but just one win in their last five games has seen the chasing pack close in. That one win, it should be noted, did come against leaders Orient, beating them 3-0 at the Lamex Stadium.
One to watch:
Former County man Carl Piegrianni has been a key figure at the back for Stevenage this season. Signed in the Summer from Oldham Athletic, after being relegated from League Two with the Latics last season, the 30-year-old has featured in all 29 league games at the back for his new side, helping them to the second best defensive record in the division behind Leyton Orient. They have conceded just 23 goals in 29 games so far this season.
He has also had a big impact at the opposite end of the pitch, in a Stevenage side that remain a constant threat from set pieces. He has scored seven goals in all competitions so far, with six of them coming in League Two – including a remarkable run of four goals in four games across December and January.
Match Stats:
- Saturday’s game sees the top two sides in the form table over the last twenty games go head-to-head in League Two. County sit top, having collected 40 points over that period, with Stevenage just behind on 38 points.
- This will be just the fifth ever meeting between the two sides, with County still looking for a first win against Stevenage. We have lost all three of our games away from home against the Hertfordshire side, drawing the only previous meeting at Edgeley Park 2-2 in April 2011 – Greg Tansey and Matt Paterson scoring for County that day.
- County are looking to win four consecutive games in the Football League for the first time since 2007/08 – a run of six consecutive wins under Jim Gannon, en route to promotion via the play-offs.
