Preview: Stockport County vs Northampton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Stockport County will welcome Northampton Town to Edgeley Park on Tuesday, with the hosts aiming to keep their League One playoff hopes alive after they dropped to seventh following their loss at the weekend.

Meanwhile, the visitors will continue their battle against relegation, with the Cobblers sitting six points off Wigan Athletic, who occupy 20th in the division.

Match preview

Stockport come into this game currently outside the League One playoffs, as they occupy seventh after 35 matches with 56 points from their 16 wins, eight draws and 11 defeats.

A 3-1 defeat to Lincoln City last time out would have disappointed fans as it was their third-straight loss in the division.

The Hatters will view this fixture against a club currently battling relegation to turn their recent poor league form around, as they have lost their last three fixtures.

Dave Challinor’s side have got the better of Northampton of late, as they are unbeaten in the last four League One matches between the two teams.

The hosts will be out to prolong a six-match League One home unbeaten streak dating to December 2025 against Doncaster Rovers.

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Northampton come into this game currently occupying one of the League One relegation positions, as they occupy 23rd after 37 matches with their 35 points from their nine wins, eight draws and 20 defeats.

The Cobblers suffered a 2-0 defeat against Burton Albion at Sixfields Stadium in their last league game, a huge defeat in the relegation battle as the Brewers moved eight points clear of Northampton.

Colin Calderwood’s side are currently on a seven-match winless run in the division and are six points adrift of safety with nine matches left.

A win for Northampton would be their first against Stockport in the league since September 2022. 

The Cobblers currently find themselves on a 10-match away winless streak in the third tier, as they have not earned a win in a League One away game since November 2025 against Plymouth Argyle.

Stockport County League One form:

Stockport County form (all competitions):

Northampton Town League One form:

Northampton Town form (all competitions):

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Team News

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Stockport come into this game with no fresh injury concerns after their weekend defeat to Lincoln, with the only player expected to be missing being Louie Barry.

While the Hatters are on a three-match winless run, Challinor is not expected to make any significant changes to the team that lost last time out.

Kyle Wootton has been irreplaceable for Stockport this season and should start up top, as he is the side's leading scorer in the league with 16 goals, which is tied for the second highest in the competition in 2025-26, five of which have been the critical first of the match.

Meanwhile, for the visitors, the only real injury concern would be Terry Taylor, with the midfielder going down injured in the first half against Burton; however, he carried on before being withdrawn in the 65th minute.

Jack Burroughs, who featured for 45 minutes against AFC Wimbledon, was not involved at the weekend against Burton as he is slowly being brought to full fitness but could feature in this game.

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Addai; Pye, Hills, Olowu; Osborn, Bailey, Norwood, Dacres-Cogley; Wotton, Stokes, Olaofe

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Burge; Burroughs, Moore, Forbes, Dyche; Evans, Hoskins, Campbell, Fornah; McGeehan; Eaves

We say: Stockport County 2-0 Northampton Town

Stockport have been strong at home this season, while Northampton have struggled on the road for a long period in the division, and there is not much chance of this changing on Tuesday. The Hatters have too much quality up top and should be able to get their promotion push back on course.

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