Preview: Stockport County vs Lincoln City - prediction, team news, lineups

Stockport County are set to welcome Lincoln City to Edgeley Park on Friday, with both sides hoping to win promotion from League One this season.

The hosts currently sit fifth in the table, just six points behind league leaders Cardiff City, while the visitors are second and only three points behind the Bluebirds.

Match preview

Stockport narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship last season after they were knocked out in the playoffs by Leyton Orient and they are among the contenders once again.

Dave Challinor's side have amassed 35 points from 20 games so far and boast one of the best attacks in the league, with only five clubs more prolific in front of goal than the Hatters.

However, their form has stuttered in recent months, with Stockport picking up just two wins from six league games across November and December to slip out of the automatic promotion spots.

Challinor will be hoping his team can pick up consecutive league wins for the first time since October after they beat a depleted Mansfield Town side 2-1 last week thanks to a Ryan Sweeney own goal and a Jack Diamond header.

Lincoln will be full of confidence heading into Friday's clash after they beat Cardiff 2-1 last week, with an own goal from Alex Robertson and a Sonny Bradley header earning them a huge victory.

The win saw the Imps move into the automatic promotion places for the first time this season and they are hoping to reach the second tier of English Football for the first time since 1961.

Michael Skubala's side are unbeaten in their last four league games and they have scored eight goals in the process, with winger Reeco Hackett having a hand in four of them.

However, it is Stockport who hold an historic edge, having only been beaten once by Lincoln in their last six meetings across all competitions.

Stockport County League One form:

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Stockport County form (all competitions):

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Lincoln City League One form:

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Lincoln City form (all competitions):

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Team News

Stockport captain Oliver Norwood made his return in the win over Mansfield, having missed more than a month after undergoing surgery on a blood clot in his leg, and he is set to keep his place against Lincoln.

Leading goalscorer Kyle Wootton will continue leading the line despite scoring an unfortunate own goal last week, with Diamond and Malik Mothersille set to provide support.

Tyler Onyango, Brad Hills and Ethan Pye are expected to form a back three, with Ben Hinchliffe set to start in goal.

Lincoln are not expected to make any changes after their win over Cardiff, with Hackett and Jack Moylan set to start out wide and Conor McGrandles and Tom Bayliss expected to feature in the centre of the park.

Robert Street and Freddie Draper are likely to continue their strike partnership, while Tendayi Darikwa, Tom Hamer, Bradley and Adam Reach will be part of a back four.

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Hinchcliffe; Onyango, Hills, Pye; Fevrier, Bailey, Norwood, Osborn; Mothersille, Diamond; Wootton

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Bradley, Reach; Hackett, Bayliss, McGrandles, Moylan; Street, Draper

We say: Stockport County 1-2 Lincoln City

Lincoln are riding high after beating the league leaders and, despite the fact they are without a win away from home in the league since September, we are backing them to beat Stockport.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.