Stockport face tricky encounter against League One favourites

Stockport County v Cardiff City preview

Dave Challinor's side face a tough encounter against a side that are currently favourites to win the League One title?

Author | Alan White

Stadium | Edgeley Park

A recent match against Burton Albion

This is a clear opportunity for the home side to record what would be a statement win. They would close the gap on the League One leaders to two points with victory.

Can County improve their form?

After last season's playoff disappointment, Stockport were never likely to begin the new campaign with unbridled optimism.

An 11-point return from seven games is a respectable outcome, even though defeats against Bradford City and Plymouth Argyle have tempered progress. Conceding four goals against a struggling Plymouth side on the South Coast will have been a particular frustration for head coach Dave Challinor, with Stockport now holding the fifth-worst defensive record in the division.

Three wins from seven matches fall short of expectations, yet the competitiveness of this season's third tier means County remain just five points behind their next opponents.

"It has been a strange start to the season, with some moments of promise but far too many inconsistent performances," said Tony, a lifelong Stockport supporter. "The game against Plymouth was particularly disappointing and showed we still have a lot to improve."

Tony added: "The league is very close, and a win over Cardiff would be a huge statement of intent. It could really set the tone for the rest of the campaign and show that Stockport are serious about pushing up the table."

A look at the opposition | How good are Cardiff City?

Cardiff fans celebrate a win against AFC Wimbledon

Cardiff enter this weekend as clear favourites to extend their impressive run under new manager Brian Barry-Murphy, remaining unbeaten so far this season.

Despite last week's postponement against Burton Albion, the Bluebirds continue to lead the table by a single point, with a game in hand.

Their last outing, on August 30, saw Cardiff deliver a commanding 4-0 win over Plymouth Argyle, leaving them with only one goal conceded across six League One matches.