Stockport County vs Charlton AthleticSaturday 8th March 2025 - 12:30pm Kick-Off (LIVE ON SKYSPORTS+)Referee: Martin CoyThree huge games that could help define our season, and a maximum of six points achieved... You cant ask more than that can you, and if you're sitting there scratching your heads, wondering if its my turn to take a silly tumble, well its because said third game is this coming Saturday... Three further points from our trip to Greater Manchester this weekend will certainly send a message to those around us. As we've witnessed from our last two games though, thats easier said than done... Brace yourself for another tense 90mins!!
The OppositionName: Stockport County (4th) - Manager: Dave ChallinorGround: Edgeley ParkPrevious League Result: Northampton 1-1 StockportLast up on this mammoth three game tour of "promotion rivals" is, on paper, the hardest of the lot... with Stockport County awaiting our arrival.
I say they're the hardest for a number of reasons, the first is because they're the highest placed team that we'll have faced in the last week. Out of all the teams vying for promotion, you could argue that the top four are the ones who have been the most consistent throughout the course of the season. They're also the League Two Champions, under Dave Challinor they know how to get promoted, and will be filled with confidence from their last campaign. The last is a Charlton demon, we've not won four games in the trot since 2020... this is our fourth attempt of the season as we look to climb to fourth.
Naturally its not all doom and gloom, Charlton head into this fixture as the form team in the Division over the course of the last ten games; Stockport themselves though are on a decent run, the Hatters (no dont get excited Nathan... I'm not talking about Luton) have lost just twice in 2025 themselves with the last coming at the weekend, a 2-0 loss at Cambridge showing they're vunerable, a fact that will be helped by the departure of top scorer; Louie Barry after he was recalled by parent club Aston Villa, and sent to the Championship in January.
Thankfully this is one of those rare fixtures where Charlton edge our opponents, we've won four of the seven league encounters, drawing just once which came at the Valley back in October. Even with the prospect of our game in hand on Tuesday, more of the same would be rather ideal at this stage of the season!!
Charlton Team NewsThere were a few worried reactions when Tyreece Campbell got physio treatment, and was then subbed late on Tuesday night... Thankfully it was just cramp for the Academy Youngster whose form has blossomed in recent months, and should be fit for tomorrow's clash - Equally we saw a slight change to the Midfield compared to our clash with Leyton Orient, with Greg Docherty coming back into the side ahead of Karoy Anderson, and I expect more of the same tomorrow, with Nathan Jones opting for experience over energy.
Elsewhere and Conor Coventry needs to survive three more games to avoid a two match ban, you'd expect thats the reasoning behind Alex Mitchell's absence from recent matches, with Nathan Jones instead choosing the versatility of Tom McIntyre so that we can afford to sub Coventry off, if the luxury presents itself.
Ashley Maynard-Brewer remains the only player in the physio's room... Long may our lack of injuries continue!!
Mannion
Ramsay - Jones - Gillesphey
Small - Coventry - Docherty - Edwards
Berry
Campbell - Godden
Substitutes Bench: Reid - McIntyre - Gilbert - Anderson - Aneke - Leaburn - Kanu
Comments
Feeling confident for this game.
Time to put the can't win 4 on the bounce curse to bed.
2 1 to the mighty Addicks.
What's Ash ever done to you??
Of course you can! We need more goals to boost our goal difference ... we need more goals from our strikers because we can't always rely on defenders (ours or the oppo's) to keep scoring for us etc etc
On a serious note I hope this is one of our solid away performances unlike the shambles of Rotherham or the reverse at Birmingham.
In the fixture at The Valley we had to come from behind to claim a point and that was also the match where Rambo Ramsay got injured.
We may have to come from behind again tomorrow but I don't think we'll lose - probably end a 1-1 draw but hoping for a sneaky win.
Match Preview - Stockport County vs Charlton Athletic
Since the Cambridge defeat they've beaten Blackpool at home and drawn at Northampton. They certainly don't seem to miss Louie Barry too much (gone to Hull)- his last game was against Birmingham on New Year's Day which they drew, and their record since is good. Slight wobble maybe in the last two aways and that home game to Blackpool where the conceded early. Hoping we can score when on top and get on top often.
Once again heart and head align. 0-1 and another 3 points on the road.
COYRS!!!
Bowyer won it a couple of times in 2018/2019
If we win both this and midweek, we are properly breathing down the necks of Wrexham and Wycombe.
1-1 (Jones)
Think this is a much tougher game than even Orient was, draw would be a good result and put us in a decent position to secure a home second leg
Prefer Leaburn to non-scoring Godden.Don't think we work the ball into danger areas often enough for Goddens' style. Leaburn scored on sub appearance game before last and can make his own chances. Hold up play abit of a concern for both.
Leaburn works well currently as a "Gamechanger" as Nathan calls them, so yes could see him coming on, but not starting...