Preview: Northampton Town vs. Stockport County - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts have moved into the top three of England's fourth-tier table, having most recently cruised past Rochdale, while their visitors sit 16th after nine games following their promotion from the National League.

Match preview

Northampton Town head into the 10th round of League Two fixtures full of confidence on the back of a strong start to the season, having firstly picked up 11 points from their opening six outings in their bid to go one better than last year's playoff disappointment and win promotion back to England's third tier this time around.

Following a draw with Crewe Alexandra and a first league defeat of the season at the hands of Doncaster Rovers, as well as a 6-0 thrashing by Ipswich Town in the EFL Trophy, the Cobblers were able to make a return to winning ways at home to Barrow at the beginning of September, as Sam Hoskins, Kieron Bowie and Tyler Magloire got on the scoresheet in a 3-1 triumph.

Jon Brady's side would follow that up with a second straight victory and a clean sheet away at AFC Wimbledon, as Jon Guthrie opened the scoring and a Ryley Towler own goal sealed the three points, before seeking to make it three on the bounce when they took on Rochdale at home last weekend.

Guthrie put them ahead on the stroke of half time in that contest, and, with their lead vulnerable going into the final 20 minutes, Hoskins would remove any doubt with a brace to send them into the top three with a 3-0 win.

The Cobblers were most recently in action on Tuesday in a 2-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Cambridge United, but with their focus clearly on the league, they will aim to make it four straight victories at the weekend to strengthen their position in the top three.

Their visitors, meanwhile, will arrive aiming to return to winning ways after a defeat and a draw in their last two outings.

Stockport County won promotion back to League Two last season, and they began life back in the fourth tier slowly with a win over Colchester United providing their only points from the opening five outings.

Dave Challinor's side did then add to their tally with a 1-1 draw at home to Swindon Town, before recording their second league win of the campaign in the following encounter with AFC Wimbledon as Fraser Horsfall hit the only goal of the game.

Hoping to build an unbeaten run having moved onto seven points from seven games, the Hatters then travelled to take on Crawley Town but were narrowly beaten in an end-to-end encounter as Ollie Crankshaw and Chris Hussey twice drew them level, only for Nick Tsaroulla to condemn them to a 3-2 defeat with the decisive goal around the hour mark.

A goalless stalemate against Harrogate Town then followed last weekend, before Challinor's men were also in EFL Trophy action on Tuesday, eventually losing 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-21s, and they will now look to bounce back and put three more points on the board to avoid slipping closer to the bottom end of the division.

Northampton Town League Two form:

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Northampton Town form (all competitions):

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Stockport County League Two form:

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Stockport County form (all competitions):

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Team News

On the back of three straight league wins, Northampton Town are unlikely to make many changes from the victory over Rochdale for Saturday's game, with Sam Sherring, Tyler Magloire, Jon Guthrie and Ali Koiki all bound to keep their places in defence.

Louis Appere should continue to lead the line in a 4-2-3-1 setup, but it is winger Sam Hoskins who has caught eyes thus far, with the 29-year-old sitting atop the fourth-tier scoring charts with 10 goals in nine league appearances.

Mitch Pinnock will operate on the opposite flank, with Jack Sowerby and Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Marc Leonard again set to anchor the midfield.

Stockport County will be able to call on captain and star forward Paddy Madden, who helped to fire them to promotion with 23 league goals last season, as he returned to action in Tuesday's cup game after missing the last four matches through injury.

He could come back into the League Two starting XI at the expense of Kyle Wootton and lead the line alongside Ollie Crankshaw, with Will Collar likely to provide further attacking support at the tip of a midfield diamond.

Antoni Sarcevic offers plenty of quality in the engine room, while Ryan Johnson could again play alongside Fraser Horsfall at the heart of a back four.

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Burge; Sherring, Magloire, Guthrie, Koiki; Leonard, Sowerby; Pinnock, Bowie, Hoskins; Appere

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Jaros; Brown, Johnson, Horsfall, Hussey; Wright; Camps, Sarcevic; Collar; Madden, Crankshaw

We say: Northampton Town 2-1 Stockport County

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