County have the opportunity to move back into the League One play-off places this weekend, as we travel to Reading looking to complete a league double over the Royals.
Prior to pushing Palace all the way in the Cup last weekend, our last league outing saw County suffer a first home defeat in League One since November, going down 2-1 to Mansfield Town. That result leaves Dave Challinor’s side 7th in the table with 21 games remaining, trailing 6th place Reading by three points.
Victory in our first ever trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday would lift us above the Royals on goal difference, but we face a tough task against a Reading side who have won nine of their 11 home games in the league this season.
Noel Hunt’s side were edged out of the FA Cup by Championship side Burnley in extra-time last weekend, and prior to that claimed a 0-0 draw at Charlton Athletic in League One. They come into Saturday unbeaten in four league games, as they seek to return to the Championship at the second attempt.
Since we last met:
October’s meeting at Edgeley Park saw County put in one of their best performances of the season so far, securing just a second league win in ten games with a 4-1 demolition job in SK3. Whilst Will Collar’s opener on the night was cancelled out by Chem Campbell, a Kyle Wootton header followed by a Louie Barry brace either side of half-time secured a crucial three points that night for Dave Challinor’s side.

That win under the lights lifted County to tenth, one place and one point behind Reading in the table after 13 games.
Despite a number of off-field issues that left the Club unable to sign players in the Summer, bar the loan addition of Chem Campbell from Wolves, the Royals have continued to surpass expectations in the league this season, originally under the guidance of former Southampton boss Ruben Selles.
His side reacted to that loss at Edgeley Park by putting together a five-game unbeaten run that included hard-fought draws away at Stevenage, Barnsley and title-challenging Wycombe Wanderers, lifting them back into the top six.
In amongst that run, however, the Club suffered a blow with the news that Selles had accepted an approach from Championship side Hull City, departing after an 18 month spell in charge in which he had brought stability to a club in chaos off the field.
Reading moved quickly to name a replacement, turning to a popular former player in Noel Hunt. Hunt had previously spent five years with the Club as a player between 2008-2013 and had a spell as caretaker manager in 2023, but this is his first full-time managerial role in football.
His time in charge began with that impressive draw at then-leaders Wycombe, but back-to-back defeats against Blackpool and Lincoln City then followed – sparking concerns that Selles’ departure would disrupt the positive momentum built in the first half of the season.
Since then, however, Hunt’s side have responded impressively, racking up three straight wins against Northampton Town, Mansfield Town and Cambridge United before that hard-earned point at Charlton in their last league outing.
Having taken Burnley all the way in the Cup last weekend, there are reasons to be optimistic on the pitch, despite the Club currently remaining under a transfer embargo at this point in time.

Key to their success so far has been a formidable home record, with Leyton Orient and Blackpool the only visiting teams to avoid defeat at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this season. Another win on Saturday, against a direct play-off rival, would strengthen their grip on a play-off spot heading into the the end-of-season run-in.
Match Stats:
- Saturday will be the 34th competitive meeting between the two sides, with not much to separate the two historically. County have won nine of those encounters, with Reading winning eleven.
- History has tended to favour the home side in this fixture – Reading have only ever won twice at Edgeley Park in 17 visits, whilst we also have only two away wins to our name in 16 trips to Reading’s old stadium, Elm Park.
- Dave Challinor is searching for his 100th win in charge of the Club, in what is his 185th game in charge.
- County are one of only 12 sides in the top four divisions in England yet to lose back-to-back league games this season.