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Stockport County
AFC WimbledonLeague One has a fascinating split personality to it this season, and this fixture captures that perfectly. Stockport County sitting second in the table, chasing Huddersfield hard, hosting a Wimbledon side who are drifting dangerously close to the wrong end of the table. There is genuine jeopardy here for both clubs, just in completely opposite directions. That kind of contrast makes for compelling viewing, even if the form book suggests one team has a significant edge heading into this one.
Johnnie Jackson will be desperate to arrest a slump that is threatening to pull his side into a relegation battle before winter has even arrived. Wimbledon got a draw against Wycombe last weekend and that felt like a minor relief more than a turning point. Now they travel to Edgeley Park to face a side that fancies itself for automatic promotion. It is a brutal fixture at a brutal time.
This League One fixture takes place at Edgeley Park, Stockport’s tight, atmospheric home ground where the crowd gets right on top of visiting sides and the Hatters have made it something of a fortress this season. With promotion firmly in their sights, every home game is being treated like a cup final by the supporters, and that noise and expectation can carry a team.
Stockport are carrying a couple of injury concerns but nothing that should derail their plans significantly. Wimbledon arrive in far worse shape, with a lengthy absentee list that is making Jackson’s selection decisions almost automatic rather than tactical.
Jimmy McNulty has a fairly settled side to pick from and should name something close to his strongest eleven. With Gordon out at the back, there may be a reshuffle in defence, but the creative and attacking options look well stocked. Wootton leads the line, supported by Wood and Diamond, while the midfield engine room of Bate and Norwood gives Stockport that blend of energy and experience.
Stockport: Whatmuff; Jobe, O’Connell, Pye; Glover, Bate, Norwood, Osborn; Wood, Diamond; Wootton
Jackson has far fewer options to work with. Smith comes back into the picture after his suspension, which gives Wimbledon a bit more in the middle of the park. Whether Sweeney or Ogundere are risked from the start seems unlikely given the travel involved. Stockley and Cornick are likely to be asked to lead the press and find pockets where they can.
AFC Wimbledon: Bursik; Tilley, Yiadom, Johnson, Seddon, Sasu; Smith, Harrison, Hippolyte; Stockley, Cornick
Stockport were flying before last weekend. A six game unbeaten run in the league had them looking like genuine title challengers, with four wins and two draws suggesting they had hit a real groove. Then came the trip to the Kassam Stadium and a Mark Harris goal was enough for Oxford United to end that run. It was a reminder that the gap between second and the chasing pack is tight, just one point separating Stockport from three sides below them.
The silver lining for McNulty is that his side have been remarkably reliable at Edgeley Park. Three consecutive home wins since a 4-3 thriller against Leicester City in September, and they have scored in every single one of their eight competitive home games this season. That is not a coincidence, that is a pattern built on structure and a striker who is delivering week after week. When Stockport score first at home, they win. Every single time. Six from six in league games where they have opened the scoring.
Wimbledon’s form is a stark contrast. Six league games without a win, three defeats in a row before finally scrapping a draw with Wycombe. Then a midweek EFL Trophy exit at the hands of Arsenal Under 21s with a much changed side did nothing for confidence or momentum. Their last league victories came back in September against Bromley and Doncaster, and the table reflects a side that is starting to wobble. Seventeenth place is not yet an emergency, but three more winless weeks and the conversation will shift quickly.
The recent history between these two clubs is firmly in Stockport’s favour. The Hatters have won each of the last four meetings between the sides, a run stretching back to January 2023 when Wimbledon last came out on top. That is a significant psychological weight for the visitors to carry, particularly when they arrive here in poor form and short of numbers.
For Wimbledon, the head to head record just reinforces what the form table already says. They have not found a way to beat this Stockport side in a while, and nothing about their current situation suggests this weekend will be the moment that changes.
The form book, the head to head record and the injury list all point in the same direction here. Stockport at home against a Wimbledon side who are leaking confidence and personnel. The Hatters are motivated by promotion, playing in front of their own supporters, and have a striker who is among the best in the division right now. The value lies in backing Stockport to control this one from the front.
Wimbledon will need to work hard defensively and that often means getting physical when the quality is not there to match their opponent. With a depleted squad asking players to cover extra ground, expect a booking or two to come from the visiting side as they try to disrupt Stockport’s rhythm. Over three cards in the match looks a reasonable shout given the nature of a promotion chasing side against one scrapping for survival.
Kyle Wootton is the standout pick here. Nine goals already this season makes him joint top scorer in League One and he is clearly operating with real confidence. He leads the line for a Stockport side that has scored in every home game and loves getting the first goal. Wootton to score first feels like one of the stronger calls on the card.
Stockport will look to dominate possession and territory at Edgeley Park, particularly against a visiting side who will likely sit deep and try to stay in the game. That kind of setup generates corners as the home side recycles the ball and probes. Over nine match corners looks achievable given the expected balance of play.
A 2-0 Stockport win feels like the most likely outcome. Wimbledon have struggled to score during this winless run and their lengthy injury list strips them of some of their more creative options. Stockport should have enough firepower to put this to bed with a second half cushion, while keeping things tight at the back against a toothless attack.
| Market | Selection |
|---|---|
| Match Result | Stockport County to Win |
| First Goalscorer | Kyle Wootton |
| Both Teams to Score | No |
Stockport winning at home, Wootton getting the opener and Wimbledon being kept off the scoresheet all align neatly with the form and context of this fixture.
Stockport County 2-0 AFC Wimbledon. The Hatters respond to last weekend’s setback the right way, back on home soil, back in front of their own supporters, and against a side who have given them little trouble in recent years. Wootton makes his mark early and Stockport see it out comfortably.
Wimbledon simply do not have enough right now. Too many absentees, too little momentum, too difficult a venue to go to when you are lacking confidence. Jackson needs a result soon, but this feels like a very tough place to find it.
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