Wrexham will end what has been a largely
forgettable 2007 at
home to Stockport, and look to end a run of four straight defeats in the
process. The defeat to Rochdale on Boxing
Day, coupled with Mansfield's surprise win over Peterborough, has left
us propping up the Football League and three points away from safety.
Our second home game in four days is in complete
contrast to the New Year as only one of our seven games in January is at
home and this is against league leaders MK Dons!
A break from the Racecourse could do us good as we
have the worst home record in the league with our last win coming against
Lincoln exactly three months ago.
Stockport have a mixed record away from home
with four wins from their eleven games away from Edgeley Park but are
without a win in their last two games - a 1-1 draw at home to Grimsby
and a 3-1 defeat at Shrewsbury on Boxing Day.
Stockport had made a positive start to the season
after narrowly missing out on the play offs last time round but a run of
four straight defeats in October, and inconsistent performances since
then, has left Stockport in mid table with 27 points from 22 games.
Anthony Elding is top scorer for the Hatters with ten
goals so far this season and he is closely followed by Adam Produlock on
nine and Liam Dickinson is one further behind on eight.
It is therefore not surprising that Stockport are the
sixth highest scorers in the league but they do have the third worst
defending record in the league, which is even worse than ours!
Manager Jim Gannon is in his second full season in
charge of Stockport and will be looking to build on last season's eighth place finish
with the Hatters missing out on the play offs on goal difference to
Shrewsbury Town.
A familiar face in the Stockport dug out is our former
midfielder Peter Ward who has been Gannon's assistant since he arrived
back at the club in January 2006.
Past Encounters:
The game at Edgeley Park this season went the way of
Stockport and this means we are on a run of four straight defeats
against the Hatters.
Marc Williams had opened the scoring with his first
goal of the season but Stockport equalised three minutes later through
Anthony Elding and Dominic Blizzard scored the winner after the break.
Stockport had the upper hand last season with a
commanding 5-2 win at Edgeley Park and the Hatters completed the double
over us in the return game at the Racecourse with a last minute winner.
The overall head-to-head in the league sees Stockport
ahead on 44 wins compared to our 32 and there has been 19 draws in the
95 league games between the teams.
Team News:
Captain Richard Hope is the major doubt for Wrexham
with an ankle injury and Silvio Spann has also been ruled out but Wes
Baines has recovered from illness.
Brian Little has increased the options in his squad by
recalling wingers Michael Carvill and Matty Done along with striker Marc
Williams to the squad.
Matty Crowell is midway through a three game ban and
he misses out along with Juan Ugarte and the injured Danny Williams.
Stockport's Michael Raynes is available for selection
after successfully appealing against his red card against Shrewsbury on
Boxing day and the Hatters have been further boosted with the news that
midfielders Jason Taylor and Jason Blizzard have been passed fit
following their respective ankle and hamstring injuries.
Elsewhere in League Two:
Mansfield will be looking to make it two wins out of
two over the Christmas break when they entertain Accrington at Field Mill
whilst third bottom Dagenham make a trip to Bury.
Lincoln are above Dagenham only on goal difference and
they travel to Lincolnshire rivals Grimsby who are a place and three
points above the Imps in the table. |