MATCHWATCH : Stockport County (a)

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday October 29 2024, 7.45pm
Where : Edgeley Park, Hardcastle Road, Stockport, SK3 9DD
Capacity : 10,852

Reading are off on their travels again and thanks to the total cr@p that is “international breaks” the club is very likely going to face an unrelenting slog of 4 successive league games away from the apparent “safety” of the SCL. Given the club has struggled badly on league travels over the last two or three years this run is going to be a real challenge and if Reading do manage to maintain their position around the play offs then the current on the field positivity will prove well placed and the team ready to face anything.

First up in this awful run is a long trip north to play a very useful Stockport County who have proven themselves to be a handful in this division and it will take something special to come out on top in this one. The Hatters, as they are known, are themselves starting a run of 4 successive home games in the league (and 6 successive games in all competitions). They are extremely difficult to beat, having lost just twice in the league, but are on a bit of a dip in form with 3 draws and a defeat to show from their last 4 games. Hopefully, following Exeter last week, Reading can start to establish a more “normal” away midweek league record but a record of 7 away wins in the last 59 midweek away league games is quite astonishingly awful and difficult to make any worse.

Stockport brought in 8 signings and 4 loans over the summer and they’ve largely carried on where they left off in earning promotion last season. Dave Challinor is an excellent manager for this level and has built a tough well organised side. Danger man is one of the new boys, former Villa youngster Louie Barry, who has bagged 7 goals already but if he’s kept quiet Reading will still have to watch his strike partner, Kyle Wootton, who’s knocked in 4. Other useful names include Lewis Fiorini, Callum Camps and one time Reading favourite, now 33, Oliver Norwood.

Reading are still without Yiadom and Abrefa so, unless there’s a few reactions from Saturday, Selles should find himself selecting from within the same squad. Don’t actually think there will be much in the way of changes as I think any “rotation” and will occur in the Fleetwood cup game next week and then the subsequent visit to Cheltenham.

Referee

Not yet appointed

Historically

Reading have visited Stockport on 16 occasions and won just twice compared to 6 wins for Stockport. Edgeley Park is a fairly miserable place for Reading usually though as the club have not won there since August 1971 (12 games ago) and the club’s last visit was that pathetic 5-1 stuffing, coincidentally also on a Tuesday night, back in March 1998.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and go
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[windermereROYAL]

It`s actually on sky plus live.

[Royals and Racers]

Ref is Thomas Parsons

[Mid Sussex Royal]

It`s actually on sky plus live.

I'm surprised re-arranged games are on Sky plus and it looks like the Barnsley re-arranged game is also; so that makes 5 out of our last 6 league games live on Sky.

[skipper]

Form is temporary and all that, but Stockport are currently 15th in the form table and 12th in the actual table.

They started strong, but the last 6 games has only seen one win and that was 4 games ago. Are they due another? They seem to draw a lot....

I think this will be a solid League 1 test for us, and in our current form should feel confident of at least getting a point out of it.

Though I desperately want to win that game in hand....

Stockport are one of few teams I've never seen us play. I started going to Reading in the last 90s, so probably only had a couple of opportunities to see them and ever did.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Form is temporary and all that, but Stockport are currently 15th in the form table and 12th in the actual table.

They started strong, but the last 6 games has only seen one win and that was 4 games ago. Are they due another? They seem to draw a lot....

I think this will be a solid League 1 test for us, and in our current form should feel confident of at least getting a point out of it.

Though I desperately want to win that game in hand....

Stockport are one of few teams I've never seen us play. I started going to Reading in the last 90s, so probably only had a couple of opportunities to see them and ever did.

This is the first of 4 away games from which I'd be satisfied with 4 points in total and happy with 6. I think given recent form, it's definitely one of the more winnable games alongside Stevenage.

[Sutekh]

Ref is Thomas Parsons

One previous game, he did the 1-0 home win over Northampton at the end of March.

[Snowflake Royal]

Would definitely follow the Exeter away approach of stiffening midfield and pressing them high and hard.

Perhaps a need for a little less high octane stuff first half so we don’t tire as much second.

...................Pereira
Craig, Bindon, Mbengue, Garcia
....................Wing
Akande, Elliott, Savage, Knibbs
....................Smith

Kelvin is less of a presser and gives us some real quality to come off the bench. And he often goes quiet.

I think we want to really try to build on that away win, and avoid losing as much as possible.

[RG30]

It`s actually on sky plus live.

I'm surprised re-arranged games are on Sky plus and it looks like the Barnsley re-arranged game is also; so that makes 5 out of our last 6 league games live on Sky.

Even if the fixture had taken place on it's original date it was always due to be on Sky Sports + anyway as it fell on an international weekend so 3pm blackout wasn't applicable.

[tidus_mi2]

I do expect a bit of rotation again and I appreciate how Selles is adapting to a run of games.

Rather than playing 100% your best team one game then a 75% team the next game, he seems to have gone for a 90% team followed by a bit of rotation with another 90% team.

Obviously not precise but it seems to be a good use of a thin squad.

[Royal_jimmy]

Cannot wait to take quality time to go to this! Another new ground

[Royal_jimmy]

Form is temporary and all that, but Stockport are currently 15th in the form table and 12th in the actual table.

They started strong, but the last 6 games has only seen one win and that was 4 games ago. Are they due another? They seem to draw a lot....

I think this will be a solid League 1 test for us, and in our current form should feel confident of at least getting a point out of it.

Though I desperately want to win that game in hand....

Stockport are one of few teams I've never seen us play. I started going to Reading in the last 90s, so probably only had a couple of opportunities to see them and ever did.

Good post, they play a way that's hard to beat and have been decent since coming up

[Royal_jimmy]

Would definitely follow the Exeter away approach of stiffening midfield and pressing them high and hard.

Perhaps a need for a little less high octane stuff first half so we don’t tire as much second.

...................Pereira
Craig, Bindon, Mbengue, Garcia
....................Wing
Akande, Elliott, Savage, Knibbs
....................Smith

Kelvin is less of a presser and gives us some real quality to come off the bench. And he often goes quiet.

I think we want to really try to build on that away win, and avoid losing as much as possible.

Yeah I'd play a front 3 of Knibbs, Smith and Campbell

[tidus_mi2]

Looking at what the Stockport fans are saying, there doesn't seem to be a lot of confidence there, hopefully a good sign.

[RG30]

According to the excellent Heaven on Earth book by Alan Sedunary (RIP), the starting 11 for when we last played Stockport (https://royals.org/matdoc/030398.html) was:

1. Nick Colgan
2. Martyn Booty
3. James Lambert
4. Gareth Davies
5. Linvoy Primus
6. Keith McPherson
7. Jason Bowen
8. Ray Houghton
9. Martin Williams
10. Carl Asaba
11. Michael O'Neill

12. Darren Caskey
13. ???
14. ???

Anyone remember who were the 2 unused subs? Tried looking everywhere without any luck.

[Snowflake Royal]

According to the excellent Heaven on Earth book by Alan Sedunary (RIP), the starting 11 for when we last played Stockport (https://royals.org/matdoc/030398.html) was:

1. Nick Colgan
2. Martyn Booty
3. James Lambert
4. Gareth Davies
5. Linvoy Primus
6. Keith McPherson
7. Jason Bowen
8. Ray Houghton
9. Martin Williams
10. Carl Asaba
11. Michael O'Neill

12. Darren Caskey
13. ???
14. ???

Anyone remember who were the 2 unused subs? Tried looking everywhere without any luck.

Primus and McPherson a bit out of place in that side of dubious quality.

[Royals and Racers]

According to the excellent Heaven on Earth book by Alan Sedunary (RIP), the starting 11 for when we last played Stockport (https://royals.org/matdoc/030398.html) was:

1. Nick Colgan
2. Martyn Booty
3. James Lambert
4. Gareth Davies
5. Linvoy Primus
6. Keith McPherson
7. Jason Bowen
8. Ray Houghton
9. Martin Williams
10. Carl Asaba
11. Michael O'Neill

12. Darren Caskey
13. ???
14. ???

Anyone remember who were the 2 unused subs? Tried looking everywhere without any luck.

Primus and McPherson a bit out of place in that side of dubious quality.

I’m sure you will tell me i’m wrong but James Lambert was better than “ dubious quality “

[One Beer is never enough.]

I remember games against Stockport in the 90's, and particularly an envy of their striker, Kevin Francis. At the time I thought he was immense, and always played well against us.

Left football and ended up a mountie (well not quite)...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4036142/Life-final-whistle-fisherman-gang-squad-police-officer-obscure-jobs-ex-footballers-gone-retirement.html

[The Cube]

According to the excellent Heaven on Earth book by Alan Sedunary (RIP), the starting 11 for when we last played Stockport (https://royals.org/matdoc/030398.html) was:

1. Nick Colgan
2. Martyn Booty
3. James Lambert
4. Gareth Davies
5. Linvoy Primus
6. Keith McPherson
7. Jason Bowen
8. Ray Houghton
9. Martin Williams
10. Carl Asaba
11. Michael O'Neill

12. Darren Caskey
13. ???
14. ???

Anyone remember who were the 2 unused subs? Tried looking everywhere without any luck.

soccerbase says Swales and Morley, but they also have Legg starting rather than Lambert.

The key individual in the match was the linesman, who allowed Stockport to be miles offside the whole game (*), including several of their goals.

(*) That's right - the whole game. He changed ends at half-time.

[Mr Angry]

There was a season when Stockport and Reading were genuine rivals for a promotion spot; we played them on a very icy Elm Park in front of (what was then) a huge crowd, and Kevin Francis was like Bambi.

The other game against them that stands out was in the mid/late 90's, midweek away. It absolutely lashed down and we were 4-0 down at half time. Absolute beggar of a drive back to Salisbury that night.......................

edit: Just read the match report - it was THAT game!!!

One strange football fact about Stockport; their ground is the nearest to the River Mersey.