Stockport County will make the short trip to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday to take on Bolton Wanderers in a crucial game at the top end of the League One table.
The sides are separated by just two points with 10 games remaining, as the visitors sit fifth and the hosts occupy the final playoff spot.
Match preview
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Bolton Wanderers return to action on Saturday aiming to bounce back from a midweek defeat and strengthen their standing in the League One playoff places.
Following back-to-back top-six finishes and a disappointing first half to the 2024-25 term, spelling the end of Ian Evatt's tenure, the Lancashire outfit have enjoyed a much-improved run under the new management of Steven Schumacher, who took charge in late January.
After losing their first game under his stewardship, the Trotters went on to climb from 11th spot into the top six with a run of five victories and a draw in their next six outings, culminating in back-to-back triumphs over leaders Birmingham City and strugglers Burton Albion.
A trip to Bristol Rovers then followed on Tuesday, but Schumacher's men were unable to make it three straight wins and seven games unbeaten in England's third tier, having twice fallen behind and drawn level through Aaron Morley and John McAtee, before Connor Taylor sealed a 3-2 home win in the dying minutes.
Still sitting in the final playoff spot thanks to their improved form under the new boss and only trailing their fifth-placed visitors by two points, albeit with Huddersfield Town and Reading only two points behind, Bolton Wanderers will hope to get back to winning ways on home turf on Saturday.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, will aim to stretch that gap and their own lead over the chasing pack in the fight at the top end of the third tier.
After winning a second promotion in three seasons last time around, returning to League One for the first time since 2010 in the process, Stockport County have enjoyed another strong campaign, currently sitting fifth having amassed 62 points from their 36 matches.
Dave Challinor's men have kicked on and climbed into the top six with a particularly impressive run since mid-January, winning seven and losing just one of their last 11 outings, with the solitary defeat coming away at Cambridge United last month.
The Hatters bounced back to winning ways by beating Blackpool to strengthen their growing automatic promotion hopes, but they have since seen those chances take a hit with consecutive draws, firstly sharing the points away at Northampton Town before playing out a goalless stalemate with fourth-placed Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
Now sitting fifth and six points outside of the top two, while leading seventh and eighth places by four points with 10 games remaining, Stockport County will hope to strengthen their top-six hopes and keep any automatic promotion challenge alive by coming out on top at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Team News
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Bolton Wanderers continue to contend with several injury issues, as defender and captain Ricardo Santos, midfielder Kyle Dempsey and attackers Victor Adeboyejo and Kion Etete are confined to the treatment room.
Steven Schumacher may opt to field an unchanged starting XI despite their midweek setback, with John McAtee continuing to lead the line after netting his 12th goal of the season last time out.
He will be joined by Aaron Collins, who leads the squad with 16, while George Thomason, Josh Sheehan and Aaron Morley will hope to keep their places in midfield despite competition from Jay Matete, Klaidi Lolos and Joel Randall.
Stockport could be without defender Macauley Southam-Hales, who was forced off against Charlton Athletic last time out, while Jack Diamond, Tayo Adaramola, Nick Powell, Fraser Horsfall and Ben Hinchliffe could all remain confined to the treatment room.
Kyle Wootton and Isaac Olaofe should continue their partnership up front with support from Callum Camps and Will Collar in midfield if Diamond is not deemed fit to feature.
Elsewhere, key men Lewis Bate and Oliver Norwood will again line up in the engine room, while Brad Hills and Ethan Pye will continue at the heart of a back four after last weekend's clean sheet.
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Toal, Forrester, Murphy; Jones, Morley, Sheehan, Thomason, Schon; McAtee, Collins
Stockport County possible starting lineup:
Addai; Knoyle, Hills, Pye, Connolly; Norwood, Bate; Collar, Camps; Olaofe, Wootton
We say: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Stockport County
With just two points separating them and plenty at stake in the playoff race, we envisage a tight contest in Lancashire on Saturday.
Having seen their momentum slowed and their unbeaten run halted by a midweek defeat, Bolton may be held on home turf given the similar quality between the sides.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
