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Three points please!
Three points please!

Stockport v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 21/12/2007

YULETIDE Greetings all you lovely people and for those of you who wont be spending Saturday running around Freshney Place pulling a small sled load of presents after you here is the preview for the game in Stockport.

Home > 2007-2008 Season > Previews > Stockport (a)


The Opposition

Overview

Another team's fall from grace which has matched Town for its monumental catastrophe will be their opponents on this pre-Christmas weekend fixture. Not only do Stockport stand in the way of 3 points but in a few weeks could also stand between us and Wembley as we face off against each other in the Johnstone Paint Trophy semi final...but to the league. With it fast approaching the middle of the season Stockport are only a handful of points off the play-offs and are slowly moving upwards at the right time. Jim Gannon will take charge of his hundredth game in his first ever league role as a manager and general perception is that the new man is working the club well within their boundaries and they are moving in the right direction after sinking like Town to the bottom tier.

The Team
Though in a good position Gannon cant be impressed with County’s home form so far this year with only 3 wins and 5 defeats is hardly anything to boast about and only a consistent form away from Edgeley Park is keeping County from dropping in to the bottom half of the table. Conceding the most goals out of everyone in the entire league with 18 goals has been the truly major problem for Gannon and he has already taken steps to improve it with both Keith Briggs (left) and Michael Bowler preparing to leave the club in January. After the defeat to Lincoln a few weeks back Stockport have found a rich vein of form with 8 goals scored and none conceded in the last 2 matches.

Key Player
Former youth player Liam Dickinson has scored 8 league goals and is already showing promise in becoming a fine player for the club. At the age of 22 the striker has plenty of time to learn and is already been scouted by several bigger clubs. Stockport will be keen to hang on to him and use his potential and outstanding performances to useful effect in their fight for promotion.

Recent Form

TownStockport
WMansfield(h)1-0
WBrentford(a)1-0
LDarlington(h)0-4
LHuddersfield (FAC)(a)0-3
WBarnet(a)3-0
Currently 20th in League Two.
WMacclesfield(a)2-0
WWycombe(h)6-0
LLincoln(h)1-3
DBradford(a)1-1
DStaines (FAC)(a)1-1 (3-4p)
Currently 12th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownStockport
Ciaran Toner4
Paul Bolland4
Elding10
Proudlock9
Dickinson8

Team News

TownStockport

  • Grimsby have virtually a full squad to pick from.

  • Justin Whittle (ankle) and Danny North (illness) are both doubts for Saturday's game. Martin Butler will probably replace North if he is unable to play, whereas Whittle is unlikely to start anyway.

  • Alan Buckley will hopefully stick with more or less a winning team and formation.
  • Midfielder Jason Taylor is ruled out of action for up to a fortnight due to an ankle injury.
  • Probable Teams

    TownStockport
    G1Barnes
    D5Bennett
    D24Atkinson
    D3Newey
    M14Hird
    M8Bolland
    M11Boshell
    M10Toner
    M17Hegarty
    F9North
    F19Jones
    G26Logan
    D14Briggs
    D5Owen
    D15Raynes
    D3Rose
    M7Poole
    M24Nowland
    M28Turnball
    M11Griffin
    F31Proudlock
    F20Dickinson

    Subs

    TownStockport
    13Montgomery
    6Fenton
    4Hunt
    20Taylor
    23Butler
    9Elding
    TBATunnicliffe
    18Tansey
    21Rowe
    32Smith

    Head to Head

    Although in recent years County have been a bogey side for Grimsby in fact historically it has been quite the opposite. Town have a good record over the Hatters, especially at Blundell Park. In the last 13 league meetings Grimsby have won just once against Stockport.

    P 38 W 11 D 10 L 17 F 48 A 59

    Stockport Head-to-Head (35th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Grimsby 1 Stockport 1 (Sat 15th September 2007)

    Stockport are the first team whom Grimsby will play twice the season. The corresponding fixture at Blundell Park was a draw back in September. Stockport scored just before half time, and Grimsby levelled just after and had the chances to win, but could also have lost.

     Report

    Prediction

    Grimsby Town 3-1 Stockport Town

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