Preview: Accrington Stanley vs. Stockport County – prediction, team news, lineups
League One meets League Two in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy contest at The Wham Stadium, as Accrington Stanley and Stockport County square off in Northern section Group A.
Everton Under-21s and Tranmere Rovers are also present in the section, and the Toffees’ prospects currently lead the way at the summit thanks to their recent beating of the latter.
Progressing from the group stage is hardly ever a problem for Accrington Stanley in the EFL Trophy, but making waves in the tournament beyond the first phase is where the problems lie for the League Two side, who have never lifted the cup in their modest history.
A semi-final exit to Bolton Wanderers in 2022-23 represents the hosts’ best-ever finish in this competition, and they were coincidentally also eliminated from last year’s EFL Trophy by the Trotters, albeit in the last-16 stage rather than the final four.
Under the wing of John Doolan, who oversaw a rather miserable end to proceedings in 2023-24, Accrington have picked up where they left off at the end of last season and remain winless after five matches in the current term, including a 3-0 EFL Cup beatdown at the hands of Tranmere.
Indeed, Colchester needed an 85th-minute leveller from Ben Goodliffe to cancel out Kelsey Mooney‘s second goal of the campaign, and Doolan’s men at least have a respectable four-game unbeaten sequence to boast at The Wham Stadium, in competitive matches at least.
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As Accrington fans wait patiently – or not so patiently – for their maiden win of 2024-25, Stockport have taken to League One football like a duck takes to water since storming to the League Two crown in the 2023-24 campaign, where they amassed a mammoth 92 points.
Dave Challinor‘s side lost their 100% record at Mansfield Town on Saturday, though, settling for a 1-1 draw against Nigel Clough‘s side, although their superior goal difference is keeping them above Wrexham and Birmingham City in first place in the rankings.
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