Preview: Accrington Stanley vs. Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

A tough run of form has seen Danny Cowley's side drop to eighth place in the League One table, while their hosts have climbed to 19th spot and are unbeaten in four games in all competitions.

Match preview

Accrington Stanley have certainly experienced a mixed first half to the season, as they began in impressive fashion, earning 16 points from their first 11 League One matches before quickly hitting a much tougher spell.

John Coleman's side would then slip down the table as they lost their next five games in England's second tier, with a draw and another defeat in the following two games making it a single point from a run of seven outings.

The Lancashire outfit appear to be turning their form around again, though, having now gone four games unbeaten in all competitions with four wins from their last six contests, including a progression to the FA Cup third round courtesy of triumphs over Crawley Town and Barnet.

They were also able to make a return to winning ways in the league with a beating of Cambridge United in November, with Harvey Rodgers hitting the only goal of the game, before earning another commendable point against Oxford United last weekend, as the contest finished in a 1-1 draw thanks to Ethan Hamilton's late equaliser.

Now with plenty of renewed confidence, given their improvements on all fronts, and having risen to 17th place with a cushion over the bottom four, Coleman's men will aim to keep building momentum and climbing the division by taking a major scalp on Saturday.

They face a Portsmouth side who are fighting to get back to winning ways in their fight for a playoff place, having gone five games without a three-point haul in the third tier.

Even after two draws and two defeats, a 1-0 win away at Forest Green Rovers in late October put Danny Cowley's side in a strong position with 25 points from 13 outings, but they would go on to draw their next four matches in League One, sharing points with Oxford United, Shrewsbury Town, Morecambe and Derby County.

They have, at least, enjoyed more success in other competitions in recent weeks, though, with those draws followed by consecutive victories away at Ipswich Town and at home to MK Dons in the EFL Trophy and FA Cup second rounds respectively.

Hoping to build on those triumphs and make a return to winning ways in the third tier, Pompey most recently travelled to take on Wycombe Wanderers last Sunday, but they left empty-handed after a disappointing display, eventually losing 2-0 as Anis Mehmeti and Garath McCleary netted goals for their hosts.

While they have dropped down the table to eighth spot as a result of their recent struggles, Portsmouth do remain just two points outside of the playoff places, and they will now be desperate to end their wait for a league victory with the chance to climb back into the top six depending on other results.

Accrington Stanley League One form:

L

L

D

L

W

D

Accrington Stanley form (all competitions):

W

L

W

W

W

D

Portsmouth League One form:

W

D

D

D

D

L

Portsmouth form (all competitions):

W

D

D

W

W

L

Team News

John Coleman should again set Accrington Stanley up in a 3-5-2 shape, with Ryan Astley, Doug Tharme and Harvey Rodgers set to line up in a back three.

Seamus Conneely will provide further stability at the base of midfield, while Ethan Hamilton will offer further support going forward.

In the continued absence of Sean McConville, Shaun Whalley will again be heavily relied on to lead the line alongside Tommy Leigh, who leads the squad with six goals so far this season, including three in League One.

Colby Bishop will lead the Portsmouth line against the club he joined from in the summer, having netted 13 goals in all competitions since making the switch, including nine in 18 League One appearances this term.

He will be joined by Ronan Curtis, while Tottenham Hotspur loanee Dane Scarlett will be vying to keep his place with competition from the likes of Joe Pigott and Josh Koroma.

Marlon Pack offers plenty of experience in midfield alongside Jay Mingi, while Sean Raggett will again play at the heart of the back three with Clark Robertson and Michael Morrison.

Accrington Stanley possible starting lineup:

Savin; Astley, Tharme, Rodgers; Conneely; Clark, Coyle, Hamilton, Longelo; Whalley, Leigh

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Griffiths; Morrison, Raggett, Robertson; Dale, Pack, Mingi, Ogilvie; Scarlett; Curtis, Bishop

We say: Accrington Stanley 1-1 Portsmouth

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