BARNSLEY are set to visit high-flying and in-form Stockport County from 12.30pm, looking to end a four-match winless run.
Stockport – who are going for a second successive promotion – are fourth with 50 points from 29 games, six clear in the play-off places and seven ahead of the Reds who are tenth. Dave Challinor’s side have been in the mix for the top six places for most of the season.
After a four-game winless run after Christmas, they have won four in a row.
This week they won 1-0 at sixth-placed Leyton Orient.
Barnsley have taken 25 points from 14 away games this season – the third best record in the division, but they have lost their two away matches in 2025 at Bristol Rovers and Wycombe Wanderers.
Reds boss Darrell Clarke told the Chronicle: “Stockport have momentum as a club. They have good players but so do we. We respect every team but focus on ourselves and how we can win.
“Training and preparation has gone very well and we’re looking forward to executing the gameplan.”
He added: “I am really looking forward to the game. It’s a lunchtime kick-off again. We will go there to win.
“I will go for wins in every game because draws aren’t great for us.
“There are eight or nine teams who can get in the top six and we’re one of them. We appreciate as much support as we can get.”
Stockport lost star man Louie Barry – who was the division’s top-scorer with 15 goals – when the attacking midfielder was recalled from his loan by parent club Aston Villa in January then loaned to Hull City. They have brought in Icelandic teenager Benoný Breki Andrésson, Middlesbrough loanee Micah Hamilton and Owen Moxon from Portsmouth. They also signed Barnsley striker Sam Cosgrove on loan but he cannot play in this game.
Barry scored an injury-time leveller at Oakwell in September when the sides drew 1-1, after Adam Phillips netted a fourth-minute penalty won by Davis Keillor-Dunn.
Former Barnsley loan player Callum Connolly has been a regular for Stockport while Corey Addai, a former under 23s goalkeeper at Oakwell, started the season in the 11 but lost his place in November. Clarke played one game for Stockport, on loan from Hartlepool in 2005, but suffered one of several injuries in his later career on his debut.
That was a week before Barnsley made their most recent trip to Edgeley Park, just over two decades ago and drew 2-2.
The two clubs have met 94 times with Barnsley winning 32 and losing 29.
The Reds have not lost against Stockport in six since a 4-1 away defeat in September 2002, with the last three meetings being draws.
