MATCH PREVIEW | Stockport County v Wanderers

Stockport preview graphic

Wanderers and League Two leaders Stockport County meet at Edgeley Park with top spot in Group E of the Bristol Street Motors (EFL) Trophy up for grabs.

Both sides have already qualified for the knock-out stages with unbeaten starts in the group stage.

Wanderers sit top of the pile after wins over Salford City and Manchester United’s U21s and will finish top of the group to secure a home tie in the last-32 if they avoid defeat.

The Whites won the competition for the second time in their history with a final win over Plymouth last season, while Stockport were beaten finalists in 1992 and 1993.

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Evatt wave Blackpool

Manager quotes

Ian Evatt: “We’ve got one more game to go before this re-set (for the international break) and we want to win that to finish top of the group. Every game we play we want to be competitive and try to win.

“We’ve already done the work and gone through in the competition. It will give us an opportunity to look at one or two other things and players who are chomping at the bit to play.

“There will be changes and we will have some youngsters involved, which is great for us to see where they’re at compared to the rest of our group and compared to the opposition. They are a good team and they are on a good run.”

Watch the manager's pre-match interview in full HERE

Team News

Wanderers are set to make a handful of changes to the side that beat Blackpool in League One on Saturday.

Josh Sheehan, Dion Charles, Eoin Toal, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Zac Ashworth are unavailable due to international calls, while defender Will Forrester and midfielder Kyle Dempsey miss out through injury.

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Luke Matheson

Boss Ian Evatt has suggested that a number of the club’s younger players are set to be involved, which could mean more game time for the likes of Luke Matheson (above) after three previous appearances in cup competitions this season.

Stockport manager Dave Challinor has said he will make multiple changes following a 4-2 win at Swindon Town last Saturday which keeps his side five points clear at the top of League Two.

Paddy Madden, Kyle Knoyle, Neill Byrne, Nick Powell, Alfie Pond, Callum Camps, Jayden Richardson and Jordan Smith are among those likely to figure.

Form guide

Both teams go into the game in red-hot form.

Wanderers kicked off a run of nine wins in 10 matches with an 8-1 victory over Manchester United’s U21s in their second group game in the competition at the end of September.

The Whites have since won seven times in League One – wrapped around an FA Cup victory over Solihull Moors – to move to within a point of leaders Portsmouth and will be seeking a seventh successive win on Tuesday night.

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Thomason goal Blackpool

Stockport are on a club record 13-game winning streak as they sit at the top of League Two.

That run includes six successive home wins and a 3-1 victory at Salford in the Trophy following a 1-1 draw with United’s youngsters in their opening group game.

United won the penalty shoot-out to leave the Hatters with four points in Group E - two behind Wanderers.

Officials

Referee: Scott Oldham

Assistant Referees: Richard Woodward, Mark Ryder

Fourth Official: Richard Aspinall

Kick-off

Tuesday 7.30pm

Tickets

Tickets will be available to buy on the day with details HERE and prices as below:

Adults - £10.00

Over 65s - £5.00

Disabled - £5.00

Student - £5.00

Under 18s – £5.00

Coverage

Tuesday night’s tie will be available to watch with a live stream on Wanderers TV. To buy a £10 match pass, click HERE

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