WONDERERS BOSS REVEALED: I Have Explained Everything In My Statement Here, So No Need To “Panic”

Wanderers will be quickly turning their attentions and full focus back to League One action this weekend as Ian Evatt’s men gear up to take on Stockport County at Edgeley Park.

The Whites have enjoyed a recent run of successful form in their league fixtures, picking up maximum points in six of the last eight fixtures to propel themselves into the play-off places after an indifferent start to the campaign.

County will be looking to respond immediately after a humbling 5-0 home defeat on Tuesday evening to the hands of Wycombe Wanderers. However, that result doesn’t paint the full picture of Stockport’s season so far, having adjusted to life in the third tier reasonably well having been promoted only last season.

Manager Quotes

Ian Evatt: “If we can get a positive result on Saturday that takes us to two points or more, which is a great block for us, especially given the games that we’ve had. We’ll do our best to do that and finish strongly before the break in the league and then re-set, re-group, get some bodies back again and look to attack the Christmas period.

“We understand that Tuesday for them was a bit like Huddersfield was for us and on the back of Huddersfield we had a reaction and a response. We’ve kicked on and I think they’ll be a different team on Saturday to the one we saw on Tuesday night and we have to be ready for that.”

Stockport Manager Dave Challinor: “It’s a great game to play in, it should be, anyway.

“It will be a great atmosphere. There are always challenges in football and are questions going to be asked of us as a coaching staff and of the players? Of course they are.

“That ultimately dictates who you are as an individual. If you are not willing to understand football like that – get out of it, do something different. If you can’t deal with the scrutiny or what people will be asking you to do, you are in the wrong industry.

“One thing is for certain, this place will be bouncing on Saturday. There will be a real energy around the place and we have to match that with what we do in our performance.”

Team News

Ian Evatt confirmed this week that Nathan Baxter will be fit enough to start on Saturday and make his return from injury, if that is the choice the Wanderers’ boss opts for.

Gethin Jones got his first 45 minutes under his belt for the B Team on Tuesday afternoon and could feature from the bench for the Whites. As could Jordi Osei-Tutu who is in the latter stages of his recovery from injury.

Form Guide

Last time out, Wanderers exited the Emirates FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat at Walsall with a makeshift side on show for Ian Evatt’s men with the boss admitting he that he simply couldn’t afford to risk some players with the current injury situation.

The league has to be Wanderers’ main priority this campaign, stated Evatt, and that focus may be starting to show with the Whites currently in sixth position in League One.

Last time on the road in the league, Wanderers produced a convincing 4-1 victory away at Stevenage.

Our hosts currently occupy the tenth position in League One but will be hoping to rediscover their early season winning habit. In fairness, County don’t lose often at all with only being defeated twice in their last nine outings but have also only won two of those.

The Stockport faithful will be hoping that Tuesday’s 5-0 defeat won’t damage confidence too much and that their side can continue their upward trajectory from the recent seasons

Kick off

Saturdat 3pm.

Referee

David Rock.

He last officiated Wanderers in their 2-1 away win over Cambridge United in February this year.

Tickets/Wanderers TV

Wanderers have sold out of their initial allocation of 844 tickets and no more will be available in the build up or on the day of the game.

Audio passes will be available, as always, for UK based supporters. Those based internationally can stream the game through a live video match pass on Wanderers TV.