Stockport County v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: Edgeley Park

Date: Sunday, May 15

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Matthew Dicicco has taken charge of Town's 0-0 draw at Pontefract in the FA Cup and their 2-0 defeat at King's Lynn this season. Sent off Stockport's Liam Hogan in County's 1-0 home win against Woking in February. Also took charge of Stockport's 4-1 win at Altrincham in January, in which he awarded County a second-half penalty, the only spot-kick he has awarded this season.

Odds: Stockport win 5/6, draw 12/5, Halifax win 13/5

Season so far

Stockport: P52, W35, D5, L12, F104, A46

Halifax: P48, W28, D9, L11, F73, A44

Last five games

Stockport: Yeovil (a) L 2-1, Boreham Wood (h) L 2-1, Chesterfield (a) W 1-0, Wrexham (a) L 3-0, Torquay (h) W 1-0

Halifax: Chesterfield (h) W 2-0, Southend (a) L 1-0, Yeovil (h) W 1-0, Eastleigh (a) W 2-1, Aldershot (h) D 1-1

Scorers

Stockport: Paddy Madden (24), Ollie Crankshaw (11), Scott Quigley (10), Will Collar (10), Ryan Croasdale (5), Ash Palmer (5), Connor Jennings (5), Antoni Sarcevic (4), Myles Hippolyte (4), Liam Hogan (4), John Rooney (4), Ryan Johnson (4), Alex Reid (3), Ben Whitfield (3), Jordan Keane (2), Elliot Newby (2), Ryan Rydel (2), Ben Barclay, Andy Cannon

Halifax: Billy Waters (20), Matty Warburton (14), Jordan Slew (11), Kian Spence (6), Tom Bradbury (4), Zak Dearnley (3), Jack Vale (3), Martin Woods (2), Kieran Green (2), Niall Maher (2), Luke Summerfield (2), Jesse Debrah, Tyrell Warren, Elliot Newby, Jamie Allen, Gerry McDonagh, Aaron Martin

Manager: Dave Challinor is a former Stockport player who finished as runner-up to Neil Aspin's FC Halifax Town with Colwyn Bay in the 2010-11 North Premier League in his first season in management. After guiding them to promotion, he moved to Fylde, where he twice earned promotion and won the FA Trophy. He then guided Hartlepool to promotion into the Football League last season and is now on the verge of doing the same with Stockport.

Last season: 3rd in the National League

One to watch: After starting his career in Irish football, Paddy Madden moved to Carlisle in 2011, but joined Yeovil on loan in October 2012 after struggling to make an impact in Cumbria. He found his scoring touch in Somerset though, and the move was made permanent before he helped the club earn promotion to the Championship. He then spent four years at Scunthorpe and then three years at Fleetwood, joining Stockport in March 2021.

Match facts: Stockport have won more National League games this season than any other side

No team in the National League has conceded fewer goals this season than Halifax (33)

Halifax have only won one of their last five away games

Stockport have only lost once in their last 18 home matches, and have kept a clean sheet in 11 of their last 14 home outings

Halifax have only lost once in their last nine games

Last time they met: Matty Warburton, Tom Bradbury and Billy Waters scored as Town beat Stockport 3-0 at The Shay in September.

Sunday’s National League fixtures:

Aldershot Town v Wealdstone

Altrincham v Yeovil Town

Barnet v Bromley

Boreham Wood v Solihull Moors

Chesterfield v Woking

Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham

Dover Athletic v Weymouth

Eastleigh v Grimsby Town

Maidenhead United v Notts County

Southend United v Torquay United

Stockport County v FC Halifax Town