Preview: Stockport County vs. Mansfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

In a lucifer that could impact the contention for promotion, Stockport County volition invited Mansfield Town to Edgeley Park connected Saturday successful their 25th League One crippled of the season.

Stockport drew 1-1 with second-placed Birmingham City connected Wednesday and the effect near them 1 spot and 1 constituent from the promotion playoff spots successful seventh with 38 points, portion the visitors are ninth with 34 points and beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 connected January 1.

Match preview

© Imago

The hosts trailed aft 5 minutes against big-spenders Birmingham but restricted them to conscionable 2 large chances passim the game, and yet netted a 78th-minute equaliser.

Head manager Dave Challinor was thrilled with his players aft the full-time whistle, telling reporters: "I'm delighted with our show against, successful my opinion, the champion squad successful the league.

"Today was a monolithic trial of our belief, seeing what we could bash successful the game. From the disconnected we astir apt lacked a small spot determination and doubted ourselves, and I said if you're going to situation oregon alteration people's beliefs past you person to spell and beryllium positive, and we battled and tackled, and made radical deliberation we're up for it. We should person won the game."

Challinor's broadside person scored 36 goals and conceded connected 25 occasions successful the 3rd tier, and these are the division's associated 5th champion violative and associated ninth champion antiaircraft records.

The Hatters person drawn their past 2 games 1-1 and person mislaid three, drawn 2 and won 1 of their past six matches, and it should beryllium noted that they drew 1-1 with Mansfield successful the league connected August 31.

Stockport's signifier astatine location is beardown considering they person triumphed successful 4 of their six astir caller outings, succumbing to decision successful conscionable 1 crippled successful that time.

© Imago

Opponents Mansfield were nether unit for overmuch of the 2nd fractional against Bolton having had their two-goal pb halved successful the 40th minute, but portion they produced nary shots connected people aft the interval they restricted Bolton to conscionable 1 changeable connected people themselves.

Long-term manager Nigel Clough admitted that his squad were forced to support for longer than helium would person liked, but besides praised his players' commitment, saying: "We had to beryllium successful and support a spot 2nd fractional which is not mostly however we similar to bash it. But we didn't person overmuch prime today. Bolton are exceptionally bully going forward."

The visitors person played 2 games less than their hosts and person scored six less times and conceded the aforesaid fig of goals successful the league.

Mansfield are successful bully signifier having won 3 of their past 4 matches, though they mislaid five, drew 1 and won conscionable 1 of the anterior 7 games.

Clough's broadside person been mediocre distant from home, with the nine suffering 4 defeats, being held to 1 stalemate and emerging triumphant successful conscionable 2 of their 7 astir caller fixtures connected the road.

Stockport County League One form:

Stockport County signifier (all competitions):

Mansfield Town League One form:

Team News

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Stockport could sanction a akin starting XI to the squad that drew with Birmingham, with Callum Connolly and Ethan Pye apt to clasp their places successful defence, though Kyle Knoyle could person to travel successful for Jay Mingi, who was taken disconnected earlier fractional clip against Birmingham.

Oliver Norwood and Odin Bailey volition astir surely diagnostic successful midfield either broadside of wing-backs Macauley Southam and Ibou Touray.

Forward Tanto Olaofe volition miss retired owed to injury, and successful his lack striker Kyle Wooten could beryllium flanked by Will Collar and Jack Diamond.

Mansfield started Alfie Kilgour, Adedeji Oshilaja and Baily Cargill successful a backmost 3 successful beforehand of goalkeeper Christy Pym against Bolton, and they could bash truthful again connected Saturday.

In midfield, Clough whitethorn commencement Louis Reed successful a holding midfield relation alongside Hiram Boateng and Stephen Quinn successful the mediate of the pitch.

Lee Gregory scored against Bolton past clip retired and helium is apt to beryllium joined successful a beforehand 2 by Rhys Oates.

Stockport County imaginable starting lineup:
Hinchliffe; Knoyle, Connolly, Pye; Southam, Norwood, Bailey, Touray; Collar, Diamond; Wootton

We say: Stockport County 1-1 Mansfield Town

Stockport volition beryllium assured of astatine slightest avoiding decision considering their grounds astatine location successful caller weeks has been strong.

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