Struggling Stockport face flying MK Dons in key League Two promotion clash
Stockport County sit second, despite winning just two of their last nine games; MK Dons have enjoyed a stellar run, scoring big wins over high-flying Mansfield Town and Crewe.
An unprecedented 12-game winning run before Christmas convinced many that Dave Challinor’s Stockport County would have the title all but wrapped up by February.
But a string of injuries, which led to a struggle for form, has put heed to the sensationalism.
A win rate of just under 30% since Christmas has seen the Hatters dragged into a potential play-off scrap, and they are just a point clear of today’s opponents in fourth.
MK have lost only two of their last eight League Two games; a 3-1 victory against Crewe last time out ensuring the Dons will be full of confidence as they travel North.
A season defining fixture
As the 2023/24 campaign approaches a dramatic conclusion, this result will likely prove pivotal in the race for automatic promotion. Second to sixth is separated by seven points, and all may find themselves in different positions by the end of play.
A win here could see MK Dons move into the automatic promotion places for the first time since the early season, as Mike Williamson’s men look to regain a place in League One at the first time of asking.
The magnitude of the fixture is not lost on Williamson. He said: “Points to be played for are dwindling, and they become more important, and the occasions feel bigger emotionally.
“We’ve got an opponent who’s sitting nicely in the league table with a couple of games in hand. They’ll be favourites to get promoted. They’re a good team, and we’ve got it all to do.”
The Hatters, conversely, haven’t been outside the top three since October. Victory against Dons, coupled with winning their game in hand, would see them go back to top of the league.
Despite mixed form of late, County boss Dave Challinor believes that with more clinical finishing, results will come.
“In the last couple of games we’ve drawn, have we scraped draws? Absolutely not. Should we potentially have won both games? Yeah absolutely,” he said.
“We’re creating good chances, and we’re not sticking them away.”
The history
The two sides have faced one another nine times, MK enjoy the superior historical record, winning six of those meetings.
The reverse fixture in September marked the second game of Stockport’s perfect run, as they triumphed 2-1 at Stadium MK. Marquee signing Nick Powell headed home a maiden goal in County blue, and Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry returned to haunt his former side.
County may have to do without as much as nine members of the squad which triumphed in that fixture, including both of their goalscorers, as a mixture of loan returns and injuries having depleted the Greater Manchester side since then.
Stockport County injury list (first team):
- Akil Wright
- Ryan Croasdale – doubt
- Nick Powell – doubt
- Macauley Southam-Hales
- Kyle Knoyle
- Will Collar
- Louie Barry
- Ryan Rydel
- Jack Stretton
Fitness woes have plagued Stockport’s season, although boss Challinor makes no excuses.
He said: “You have to deal with what’s in front of you. That means, yes there are some players that won’t play tomorrow, so what? You’ve got to get on with it, let’s deal with the cards we’re dealt.”
The Dons will be without star midfield man Dan Kemp, who boss Williamson says “hasn’t trained, and will be going for a scan”. Max Dean, Philip Marshall and Jack Tucker are all major doubts.
Season stats
A sell-out crowd is expected at Edgeley Park, and the form table suggests the County faithful should be the ones with something to shout about. The Blues home record of 11 wins, five draws and three losses cements them as one of the best in the division on their own turf, while MK Dons’ ability away leaves much to be desired – winning just 37% of their games on the road.
Stockport and MK rank third and seventh respectively for goals scored in League Two this season, and with an average of 3.2 goals scored in this fixture, don’t be shocked to see the net bulging at both ends of the pitch.
The home side have the third best defensive record in the division, although the Dons occupy a respectable seventh in that metric too, indicating we could be in for an end-to-end encounter.
A promotion six-pointer awaits, and it has all the hallmarks of an instant classic.
The final countdown
Stockport County, remaining fixtures:
- Forest Green Rovers (A)
- AFC Wimbledon (H)
- Sutton Utd (A)
- Morecambe (H)
- Notts County (A)
- Accrington Stanley (H)
- Wrexham (A)
MK Dons, remaining fixtures:
- Walsall (H)
- Notts County (A)
- Forest Green Rovers (A)
- Mansfield Town (H)
- Harrogate Town (A)
- Sutton (H)
