Two of League Two’s play-off hopefuls go head-to-head at Edgeley Park this weekend, as County take on Dave Challinor’s former side Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, looking to start February with a win.
A frustrating January for the Hatters was completed on Tuesday night, as we were held to a 1-1 draw away at Crewe Alexandra. That point on the road, secured by Kyle Wootton’s second-half equaliser, moved County back up to tenth in League Two, but saw us miss the chance to move within a point of the play-off places.
The gap to the top seven is now three points, with Mansfield Town occupying the final spot, whilst we sit nine 12 points behind third-place Carlisle United with a game in hand, after the free-scoring Cumbrians moved into the automatic places with a 5-1 win over Barrow on Tuesday night.
Tranmere sit just one point behind County in 13th, having secured a much needed three points against out-of-form league leaders Leyton Orient last weekend. That win, secured through an own goal from Omar Beckles eight minutes from time, has reignited the Merseysider’s play-off hopes, and they travel to Edgeley Park looking to lay down another marker in the promotion push.
Things you need to know:
- 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.
- This weekend is also part of the Green Football Weekend campaign, where supporters are encouraged to take action in order to help protect the environment. For more information on how you can get involved, click here.
- Saturday’s game will be available for our international supporters to stream over on Stockport County Live, featuring live commentary with Jon Keighren and Liam Richardson. Audio commentary will also be available for supporters based in the UK – click here to buy a pass today!
Since we last met:
Micky Mellon’s side were flying high in mid-October, sitting sixth in League Two 13 games into the season, following a run of five successive wins without conceding a single goal.
Their form, however, soon dipped alarmingly, and they wouldn’t win another game in all competitions until Boxing Day. Our 0-0 draw at Prenton Park on November 1st was the fourth game in a ten-match winless run for Rovers, form that saw them drop below County down into 15th place heading into Christmas.
Back-to-back wins over the festive period, at home to Doncaster and away at Barrow, provided a much needed boost heading into 2023, but another three-game winless run followed before that victory against Leyton Orient last time out. In total, Mellon’s side have won just three of their last 14 league games.
Despite that form, they have retained a strong defensive record – the best, in fact, outside of the top two in League Two, conceding just 23 goals in their 27 games so far. It’s at the other end of the pitch where they have tended to come up short – of the teams in the top 15, only Sutton have scored fewer than their 29 goals; a lack of firepower that has seen them draw seven times during that 14-game period.
They have looked to address those issues up top in the January transfer window with the signing of two forwards. Harvey Saunders has joined from Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee, having won promotion from League Two with Joey Barton’s side last season, whilst 19-year-old Jay Turner-Cooke has signed on loan from Newcastle United for the remainder of the campaign.
Earlier in the window, the side were hit with a double-blow defensively, following news that key centre-back Dynel Simeu had been recalled from his loan spell by Southampton in order to be sent out to Morecambe, whilst goalkeeper Ross Doohan was sold to Forest Green Rovers for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old had kept 11 clean sheets in 15 appearances since moving permanently to Prenton Park in the Summer – Polish goalkeeper Mateusz Hewelt has stepped into the first-team in his absence.
One to watch:
Despite Tranmere’s struggles in front of goal so far this season, one man who has continued to find the back of the net has been 31-year-old Kane Hemmings. The former Burton Albion forward has been directly involved in over a third of Rovers’ league goals this season, with seven goals and three assists, and he is just one away from his goal tally from last season.
Three of those goals have come in his last six games, scoring in both of Tranmere’s crucial wins against Doncaster and Barrow over the festive period.
Match Stats:
- Dave Challinor is a firm fan favourite at Tranmere Rovers, having started his professional playing career with the Club and going on to make over 150 appearances, reaching the 2000 league cup final at Wembley.
- If selected, Ben Hinchliffe will make his 306th appearance for the Club on Saturday, equalling the record set by Tiger Bowles for the most appearances of any County goalkeeper in County’s long and illustrious history.
- No County player has been directly involved in more goals than Kyle Wootton this season (13 – eight goals and five assists, the same as Paddy Madden who has ten goals and three assists).
- Our last home league win against Tranmere game back in August 1999, a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Sean Connelly and Tony Dinning. We have since drawn four and lost two of the subsequent meetings at Edgeley Park.
