Preview: Wycombe Wanderers v Stockport County

Wycombe Wanderers entertain Stockport County on Saturday in their 39th league game of the season.


The league table currently shows Wycombe in 2nd place with 64 points from 38 games and Stockport in 24th spot with 35 points from 39 games

Stockport Away Record.....Won 4 - Drawn 2 - Lost 13 - Pts 14 (Rank-21)

Wycombe Home Record....Won 9 - Drawn 5 - Lost 5 - Pts 32 (Rank-9)


The promotion race is on, and apart from runaway leaders Chesterfield, Wycombe Wanderers are in the strongest position of all the remaining contenders.

It's tight at the top with only five points separating 2nd placed Wycombe from 9th placed Rotherham, but Gary Waddock's side are in control of their own destiny and also have the cushion of a game in hand over all the teams in the top-nine with the exception of Bury.

Coincidentally, 64 points from 38 games is exactly what the Blues had amassed two seasons ago when they went on to achieve automatic promotion under Peter Taylor. They were 6th at the time, but four wins, two draws and two defeats in their final eight games gave Wycombe the 78 points necessary to secure third place.

A similar tally will almost certainly do the trick again this season and Wycombe are strong favourites to build on last week's 3-0 win at Morecambe with another three points against bottom club Stockport on Saturday.

The Hatters may be fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table, but they've been doing that for weeks and it hasn't stopped them losing their last eight games on the road, conceding 22 goals and scoring only 4 in the process.

The last time they picked up any points away from Edgeley Park was three days after Christmas when the Hatters beat fellow relegation candidates Barnet 3-1 at Underhill.

A 2-1 home-win over Southend on Saturday gave them a brief glimmer of hope, but Burton's victory over Macclesfield on Wednesday leaves County five points adrift of safety having played three games more than the Brewers.

The Hatters are in trouble for a reason, and with 23 places separating the two sides and the carrot of promotion dangling in front of their noses, this is a game the Blues should win.

Andy Sandell and Ben Strevens could make a return to the squad, but Stuart Lewis, Matt Bloomfield and Chris Westwood are all injured and Jon-Paul Pittman is doubtful.


Here are all the stats......


Stockport's last five games (All Competitions)

LG2: Oxford (H)..............Won 2-1

LG2: Accrington (A).........Lost 0-3

LG2: Burton (H).............Drew 0-0

LG2: Aldershot (A)...........Lost 0-1

LG2: Southend (H)...........Won 2-1



Wycombe's last five. games (All Competitions)

LG2: Aldershot (H)..........Drew 2-2

LG2: Barnet (A)...............Won 1-0

LG2: Stevenage (H)..........Lost 0-1

LG2: Shrewsbury (A)......Drew 1-1

LG2: Morecambe (A)........Won 3-0



Stockport Goal Stats (43 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)..........Lg: 41...Cups: 2.....Total: 43

Goals Conceded (Total)......Lg: 84...Cups: 10...Total: 94

Goals Scored (Away).........Lg: 15...Cups: 1.....Total: 16

Goals Conceded (Away).....Lg: 38...Cups: 4.....Total: 42

Clean Sheets.....................Lg: 6.....Cups: 1.....Total: 7



Wycombe Goal Stats (44 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)...........Lg: 55...Cups: 11...Total: 66

Goals Conceded (Total).......Lg: 44...Cups: 11...Total: 55

Goals Scored (Home)..........Lg: 29...Cups: 7.....Total: 36

Goals Conceded (Home)......Lg: 22...Cups: 10...Total: 32

Clean Sheets......................Lg: 13...Cups: 1.....Total: 14



Stockport's Top Goal Scorers - (All Competitions)

Greg Tansey..............8 (inc 3 pens)

George Donnelly........8

Paul Turnbull.............5

Stockport have benefitted from two own-goals.

Five other players have each scored two goals.

Ten other players have each scored one goal.



Wycombe's Top Goal Scorers - (All Competitions)

Scott Rendell...........14 (inc 7 pens)

Gareth Ainsworth.....10

Kevin Betsy..............7

Andy Sandell............7

Stuart Beavon...........5

Ben Strevens............5

Matt Bloomfield.........3

Lewis Montrose.........3

Jon-Paul Pittman.......3

Three other players have each scored two goals.

Three other players have each scored one goal



Stockport Shooting (Top-3) - All Competitions

George Donnelly.....29 on-target...38 off-target...1 against woodwork

Greg Tansey...........12 on-target...26 off-target...0 against woodwork

Adam Griffin...........16 on-target...19 off-target...0 against woodwork



Wycombe Shooting (Top-3) - All Competitions

Kevin Betsy............21 on-target...46 off-target...2 against woodwork

Gareth Ainsworth....23 on-target...33 off-target...3 against woodwork

Stuart Beavon........22 on-target...24 off-target...2 against woodwork



Shooting (Club) - League Games Only

Stockport....146 on target...203 off target.....5 against w'work (Rank-19)

Wycombe....163 on target...221 off target...16 against w'work (Rank-13)



Most Assists

Stockport - Paul Turnbull......4

Wycombe - Kevin Betsy.......6



League Form Guide

All Season

Stockport...Pld: 39...W: 8.....D: 11...L: 20...Pts: 35...Pts per game: 0.90

Wycombe...Pld: 38...W: 18...D: 10...L: 10...Pts: 64...Pts per game: 1.68



First-half of the season

Stockport....Pld: 23...W: 5.....D: 8...L: 10...Pts: 23...Pts per game: 1.00

Wycombe....Pld: 23...W: 11...D: 7...L: 5.....Pts: 40...Pts per game: 1.74



Second-half of the season

Stockport....Pld: 16...W: 3...D: 3...L: 10...Pts: 12...Pts per game: 0.75

Wycombe....Pld: 15...W: 7...D: 3...L: 5.....Pts: 24...Pts per game: 1.60



Last Five league Games

Stockport.......WLDLW - 7 points (Rank-12)

Wycombe......DWLDW - 8 points (Rank-8)



Last Five League Games (Away)

Stockport.........LLLLL - 0 points (Rank-24)



Last Five League Games (Home)

Wycombe.......DLWDL - 5 points (Rank-18)



Against Top Half Opposition

Stockport.....Pld: 19...Pts: 18...Pts per game: 0.95...(Rank-20)

Wycombe.....Pld: 18...Pts: 23...Pts per game: 1.28...(Rank-7)



Against Bottom Half Opposition

Stockport.....Pld: 20...Pts: 17...Pts per game: 0.85...(Rank-24)

Wycombe.....Pld: 20...Pts: 41...Pts per game: 2.05...(Rank-2)



Previous Meetings

In 22 previous meetings there have been 11 wins for Stockport, 4 wins for Wycombe and 7 draws.

At Adams Park there have been 4 wins for Wycombe, 2 for Stockport and 4 draws.

1994/95 LG1: Wycombe 1 Stockport 1

1995/96 LG1: Wycombe 4 Stockport 1

1996/97 LG1: Wycombe 0 Stockport 2

2002/03 LG1: Wycombe 1 Stockport 4

2003/04 LG1: Wycombe 1 Stockport 0

2005/06 LG2: Wycombe 1 Stockport 1

2006/07 LG2: Wycombe 2 Stockport 0

2007/08 LG2: Wycombe 0 Stockport 0

2007/08 PLoff Wycombe 1 Stockport 1

2009/10 LG1: Wycombe 2 Stockport 1



The Man In The Middle

Saturday's referee is Gavin Ward from Surrey who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2007. His last Wycombe game was the 3-1 defeat at home to Torquay earlier this season. During the current campaign he's issued 3 red and 80 yellow cards in 28 games.



Prediction

Wycombe 2 Stockport 0

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