Preview: Stockport County vs Doncaster Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Before kicking off the League One season next weekend, Stockport and Doncaster Rovers will begin their competitive campaigns in an EFL Cup first-round tie at Edgeley Park.

The hosts won all three of their pre-season friendlies after falling just short of promotion last time around, while their visitors are winless in their last four friendlies.

Match preview

Stockport County will raise the curtain on their 2026-27 term on Saturday with the hopes of getting a win on the board in their first competitive game under new management after a summer of change.

The Hatters were again close to continuing their climb up the English pyramid last term, finishing third in League One for the second straight season since their last promotion, earning a playoff spot as they won 77 points from their 46 matches.

They cruised to the final at Wembley with a 3-0 aggregate semi-final victory over Stevenage but fell short in the decisive contest against Bolton Wanderers, drawing level in the first half through Adama Sidibeh before allowing three second-half goals to lose 4-1.

That second consecutive playoff heartbreak saw the club part ways with Dave Challinor, who oversaw a historic four-year spell including two promotions and two League One playoff bids, and turn to Jimmy McNulty, who has quickly look to put his spin on the side in a busy summer of incomings and outgoings.

Now on the back of a pre-season run in which they beat Bristol City, Oldham Athletic and Preston North End without conceding, Stockport County will now bid to win their first competitive game under the new boss and progress in the EFL Cup.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head into 2026-27 looking to begin with a cup win of their own after a run to the third round of this competition last year.

Doncaster Rovers progressed past Middlesbrough and Accrington Stanley last time around, before being drawn away at Tottenham Hotspur and bowing out in a 3-0 defeat.

That was also their first term back in League One after promotion, and Grant McCann's men finished 14th with 60 points on the board from their 46 outings.

A busy pre-season then followed with their sights set on mounting a top-half bid in the third tier, and after opening wins over St Patrick's Athletic, Glenavon and Linfield, the South Yorkshire side played out a pair of draws before finishing with defeats against Wolves and Lincoln City.

Having since seen several departures and an encouraging collection of additions to bolster their ranks, Doncaster Rovers will look to kick off with a statement victory away from home against a Stockport team to whom they have lost each of their last five meetings.

Stockport County form (all competitions):

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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

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Team News

Stockport County were nearly at full strength for their final friendly against Preston last weekend and will line up with a similar XI on Saturday, with Joseph Olowu, Jayden Fevrier, Odin Bailey and Callum Connolly having departed over the summer.

McNulty has added to his new squad, though, with Luca Ashby-Hammond, Kyron Gordon, Eoghan O'Connell and Manchester City loanee goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff among those to arrive at Edgeley Park.

Kyle Wootton, who finished last season in a makeshift centre-back role, will return to the top end of the pitch, having scored 53 league goals over the last four campaigns for the Hatters.

Doncaster Rovers, meanwhile, have seen defender James Maxwell, wingers Jordan Gibson and Luke Molyneux and veteran forward Billy Sharp depart over the summer.

They have strengthened with the arrivals of Jordan Thomas and Isaac Hutchinson, though, while Alfie May arrives on loan in attack with 89 league goals to his name over the last five seasons in League One and League Two.

Rovers have crucially been able to keep hold of talismanic midfielder Owen Bailey, who will again don the captain's armband in 2026-27 after notching up 13 goals and four assists in the third tier last season.

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Whatmuff; Gordon, Pye, O'Connell; Glover, Norwood, Bate, Osborn; Diamond, Wootton, Edun

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Simkin; Sterry, Grehan, Byrne, Senior; Broadbent, Bailey; Thomas, Hutchinson, Adelakun; May

We say: Stockport County 2-1 Doncaster Rovers

Stockport County will certainly have a period of adjustment following Challinor's exit, but they showed encouraging signs in pre-season and have the quality and depth to make a fast start nonetheless, beginning with a home cup tie on Saturday and we back them to progress.

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