Stockport County’s chances of taking the League Two title this season have dramatically increased, with fellow title contenders Wrexham being beaten by Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night.
A win for Wrexham would’ve put them within a single point of the current league leaders however they’d return from Doncaster with nothing. A first-half Owen Bailey strike would hand Rovers a 1-0 win and on the balance of play, it’s probably one that is deserved given Wrexham could only muster up one shot on target.
Despite Doncaster starting the day in 16th place, their league position really doesn’t showcase their recent performances. Moving up to 14th in the table, Grant McCann’s side have won their last five and have lost just once in their last 12 games.
The result has huge implications on the title fight, with both recent momentum as well as the current standings looking rather favourable for the Hatters. Dave Challinor’s side still sit four points clear of Mansfield Town in second, with Wrexham just behind in third but on the same number of points.
Given both Stockport as well as Mansfield have played a game less than the Red Dragons, the situation only speaks more in their favour.
County are coming into form at the right time as well, and are unbeaten in their last eight League Two matches. That run has included three wins from their last three, one of those being a 5-0 demolition of promotion-chasing MK Dons. Fans will no doubt be confident that they can, at the very least, gain automatic promotion this season after cruelly being denied in the Play-Off Final on penalties by Carlisle United last year.
Looking at their final six games, Challinor’s side face four teams in the bottom half of the table. Within the next week they face relegation-threatened Sutton United and Colchester United before later down the line travelling to Notts County as well as welcoming Accrington Stanley to Edgeley Park.
Sandwiched in the middle of that run of games is a clash with Morecambe, who still hold play-off ambitions but it is one of the easier runs of the title challengers. Most notably though, they face the aforementioned Wrexham on the final day of the season in a game which could have severe implications on who takes the League Two title.
Challinor’s side could have promotion or even the title wrapped up by then, and look to have an even stronger chance now after Wrexham’s loss on Tuesday night.
Writer’s View
After last year’s disappointment, Stockport have bounced back incredibly and the ‘play-off hangover’ hasn’t seemed to affect the club at all, unlike both Bradford City and Salford City this season. They’d be worthy winners of the title and look to hold an incredibly strong chance at this point of the season.
Wins against Sutton and Colchester in the next two games could well confirm automatic promotion, but Dave Challinor will be looking to take each game as it comes at the minute rather than focusing too much on the future.
One thing has to be said, Tuesday was a successful day for the Hatters without even playing.
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