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1Mansfield39+4273
2Stockport38+3571
3Wrexham39+2270

4MK Dons40+967
5Crewe39+1265
6Barrow38+1364
7Crawley Town38+359

8Gillingham40-859
9AFC Wimbledon40+1158
10Walsall38+556
11Newport County39-155
12Morecambe39-954
13Harrogate Town39-954
14Notts County39+251
15Tranmere40+250
16Accrington Stanley39-550
17Bradford39-750
18Doncaster38-1149
19Salford40-1347
20Swindon39-544
21Grimsby38-1639
22Colchester37-1934

23Sutton Utd40-2633
24Forest Green39-2733

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Stockport Again!
Stockport Again!

Preview: Stockport v Grimsby

By: Kevin Dolan
Date: 28/12/2006

AFTER a disappointing Boxing Day defeat, Grimsby Town face another of their bogey sides as they travel to face Stockport.

Home > 2006-2007 Season > Previews > Stockport (a)


The Opposition

Overview
In similar fashion to Town, Stockport have had a disappointing few seasons. The Hatters spent 5 seasons from 1997 in Division One before an awful period of Andy Kilner and then Carlton Palmer at the helm saw them relegated to Division Two in 2002 with only 26 points and the earliest ever confirmed relegation. Sammy McIlroy then took over but failed to turn the club around and after a poor start to the 2004/05 season was sacked and replaced by ex-Sheff Wednesday boss Chris Turner. Turner failed to halt the slide and Stockport were again relegated in bottom place with a measly 26 points.

After another poor start to last season and on the back of a 6-0 Boxing Day hammering at Macclesfield that left County 5 points from safety, Turner resigned. Ex-midfielder Jim Gannon was appointed on a caretaker basis, but immediately gave the team some renewed belief, losing only one of his first 10 games in charge. Gannon was then given the job permanently and despite still being in the relegation picture right until the last day, managed to secure League 2 status.

The Team
Stockport currently lie in 11th position, three points ahead of Town. They made their customary poor start to this season, failing to win any of their first 5 games and sitting next to the relegation zone at the beginning of October; but an unbeaten 7 match run pushed them into the top half and they have maintained their position since. County don't struggle for goals at home and their home form is relatively strong; they have won 6 (including against Lincoln and Wycombe) and drawn 1 of their last 7 matches at Edgeley Park.

County have had a very changable line-up throughout the season and have been very dependant on youth. Last season's player of the year Ashley Williams has been an ever present in defence this season, whilst Keith Briggs, who scored the superb winner at Blundell Park earlier in the season, will be missing through injury. Midfielder Jason Taylor emerged from the youth team last season and has been one of the more regular players this season. Their top scorers include Adam Le Fondre (6), Adam Proudlock (5) and Tesfaye Bramble (left) (4).

Key Player
Adam Le Fondre The local lad is Stockport's hottest prospect, as Town fans know only too well from last season's away game. The 20-year-old has been linked to some of the bigger clubs in the North West, but so far County have managed to hang on to him. Recently though Le Fondre has been dropped so may not start!

Recent Form

TownStockport
LHartlepool(a)0-2
WTorquay(h)2-0
LLincoln(a)0-2
WShrewsbury(h)2-1
WBarnet(a)1-0
Currently 17th in League Two.
WNotts Co(h)2-0
LWycombe(a)0-2
LBury(a)0-2
WDarlington(h)5-2
LMK Dons(a)0-2
Currently 11th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownStockport
Peter Bore5
Gary Jones5
Le Fondre8
Proudlock5

Team News

TownStockport

  • Gary Jones serves the third of a four-match ban after his sending off at Lincoln.

  • Paul Bolland only lasted until half time against Hartlepool, but the fact that Town were better in the half he did play means Bolly is a likely starter, especially if Grimsby play with five in midfield again.

  • John McDermott is still doubtful with a calf injury.
  • Stockport's utility man Keith Briggs will be out for four months with a fractured tibia.

  • Adam Proudlock and Jason Taylor are both struggling to shake off recent injuries and likely to miss out.

  • Otherwise County are likely to stick with the side that won at home to Notts Co.
  • Probable Teams

    TownStockport
    1Phil Barnes
    20Gary Croft
    5Nick Fenton
    6Justin Whittle
    3Tom Newey
    17Peter Till
    8Paul Bolland
    11Anthony Pulis
    23Nick Hegarty
    12Isaiah Rankin
    14Martin Paterson
    1James Spencer
    6Ashley Williams
    15James Tunnicliffe
    16Gareth Owen
    3Michael Rose
    21Anthony Pilkinton
    24Adam Griffin
    30Stephen Gleeson
    4Tony Dinning
    9Tes Bramble
    10Liam Dickinson

    Subs

    TownStockport
    13Robert Murray
    4Gary Harkins
    16Danny Boshell
    9Michael Reddy
    22Danny North
    22Tim Deasy
    8Damien Allen
    18Danny Ellis
    19Michael Malcolm
    14Adam Le Fondre

    Head to Head

    Stockport have noticably become another bogey side for The Mariners in recent years. Including last season's double, County have won the last four meetings and Town have recorded only one win in the last 11 league meetings.

    P 66 W 28 D 16 L 22 F 102 A 82

    Stockport Head-to-Head (29th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The last time The Mariners visited Edgeley Park was in January when, despite being given the lead by Michael Reddy, Adam Le Fondre came off the bench to score two goals and send Town home pointless.

    24-Jan-2006
    Stockport2 - 1Grimsby
    Le Fondre 72
    Le Fondre 79
     Reddy 48

    Stockport Team: Spencer, Robinson, Williams, Raynes, Clare, Wolski (Boshell, 45), Griffin (Dickinson, 66), Briggs, Hamshaw, Allen, Bramble (Le Fondre, 70)
    Subs (not used): Howarth, Singh

    Grimsby Team: Mildenhall, Croft, R Jones, Futcher, McDermott, Parkinson, Toner, Bolland, Cohen, Mendes (Gritton, 78), Reddy
    Subs: (not used) Newey, Bloomer, Barwick, Ashton

    Attendance: 3,860   Report

    Prediction

    Stockport 1-0 Town

    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Edgeley Park (left).

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