By Albatross
December 10 2004

What happens when the side with the best home record in the division meets the side with the second worst away record? The answer to that question will be revealed on Saturday, when Stockport County are the visitors to the Victoria Ground. To say that Stockport's season so far has been dismal is something of an understatement. The Hatters avoided relegation last season, and with Sammy McIlroy making some promising-looking signings in players such as Warren Feeney, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Derek Geary, were expected to start climbing the table. Things haven't happened that way though, and McIlroy parted company with the club a couple of weeks ago, leaving Mark Lillis in charge while the County board try and find a replacement.

Already it's hard to see Stockport escaping from the relegation zone: they have just ten points from 20 games, and have just two league wins to their name this season - one at home, and one away. That home win came on 16 October against Peterborough - since then they've lost six of their seven games, including all of their last five. Only the cup has provided any solace, with a first round win over Huddersfield being followed by a draw last weekend with Swansea. To add to their woes, Luke Beckett - scorer of seven of their 18 league goals - Derek Geary and Andy Welch have all moved on in recent weeks and money to replace them seems to be unavailable.

Feeney is leading scorer of the players left with 5 league goals and 7 in total - but he is injured and rated as highly doubtful for the game at Pools, leaving our opponents looking distinctly goal-shy. Bridge-Wilkinson has grabbed a couple, and Stuart Barlow has two, but no-one else has scored more than once. Northern Irish International Andy Smith - at one point rumoured to be a target for Pools - arrived on loan from Preston, but has so far not hit the net for either club in 17 appearances this season.

Feeney isn't the only player likely to be missing either. Goalkeeper James Spencer is also struggling through injury, and will face a late fitness test; and John Hardiker had to be substitued in the defeat at Wrexham on Tuesday due to suspected concussion and could also be ruled out. Lillis is having to call on his youth team for replacements, and having to bring them into a side that's already lost 14 league games this season is hardly ideal.

Pools meanwhile face mixed news on the injury front. Mickey Barron will need surgery, and will probably miss several weeks at the minimum; but Hugh Robertson, Darrell Clarke and Eifion Williams all scored for the reserves this week. Robertson could well start on Saturday, Eifion may make the bench - but having missed all of pre-season and only just made it back to the reserves, Clarke may need another game or two for the second string before he can realistically be considered for the first team.

It's most likely that the only change to the starting lineup may be the replacement of Brackstone with Robertson - while I wouldn't be surprised to see Nelson return to the bench with Williams.

Prediction time then, and it's hard to see anything other than a convincing victory for Pools. Stockport will no doubt give their all, but look too limited, short on confidence and are well out of form. A resounding 4-0 victory then, with Boyd to grab a couple and Porter and Robertson to get the others.