Newly-promoted Stockport County will look to begin the League One season with back-to-back wins when they travel to Bloomfield Road for Saturday's meeting with Blackpool.
Meanwhile, the hosts will be keen to claim their first league win of the new campaign after they failed to take anything from their away clash with Crawley Town.
Match preview
![Neil Critchley manager of Blackpool applauds the travelling fans after the Pre-season friendly match Crewe Alexandra vs Blackpool at Alexandra Stadium, Crewe, United Kingdom, on August, 3 2024 [on August 8, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/neil-critchley.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Neil Critchley manager of Blackpool applauds the travelling fans after the Pre-season friendly match Crewe Alexandra vs Blackpool at Alexandra Stadium, Crewe, United Kingdom, on August, 3 2024 [on August 8, 2024]")
© Imago
After falling three points short of the playoffs last term, Blackpool will be targeting a top-six finish as a minimum goal this season.
However, their bid to win promotion to the Championship got off to a shaky start as they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat in their away meeting with newly-promoted Crawley Town.
The Tangerines produced a positive response in their Tuesday's League Cup game against 10-man Burton Albion, cruising to a 4-0 win at the Pirelli Stadium thanks to a Matthew Pennington brace and goals from Ryan Finnigan and Lee Evans.
After setting up a second-round tie against Blackburn Rovers, the Tangerines will now turn their focus to their first competitive meeting with Stockport since April 2005.
Blackpool will be confident of claiming maximum points in their first home game of the season, having avoided defeat in their last 12 league matches at Bloomfield Road since losing to Northampton Town in November.
![Dave Challinor manager of Stockport County during the Pre-season friendly match Stockport County vs Blackburn Rovers at Edgeley Park Stadium, Stockport, United Kingdom, August 2, 2024 [on August 11, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/dave-challinor.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Dave Challinor manager of Stockport County during the Pre-season friendly match Stockport County vs Blackburn Rovers at Edgeley Park Stadium, Stockport, United Kingdom, August 2, 2024 [on August 11, 2024]")
© Imago
Meanwhile, Stockport are competing in the third tier for the first time since 2003-04 after winning the League Two title last term.
The Hatters marked their return to the division with a 2-0 home win over Cambridge United which came courtesy of goals from Louie Barry and Kyle Wootton.
However, they experienced a disappointing result in midweek as a youthful-looking side slumped to a 6-1 defeat in Tuesday's clash with Championship side Blackburn.
After suffering first-round elimination for the second season in a row, Stockport will look to bounce back in their first road trip of the season, and they will be able to take confidence from the fact that they finished the 2023-24 campaign with the best away record in League Two.
Although they have not faced Blackpool for a considerable period, the Hatters may be able to take some inspiration from the fact that they have avoided defeat in each of their previous three away games against the Tangerines.
Team News
![Oliver Norburn of Blackpool during the Pre-season friendly match Crewe Alexandra vs Blackpool at Alexandra Stadium, Crewe, United Kingdom, on August 3, 2024 [on August 8, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/oliver-norburn_2.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Oliver Norburn of Blackpool during the Pre-season friendly match Crewe Alexandra vs Blackpool at Alexandra Stadium, Crewe, United Kingdom, on August 3, 2024 [on August 8, 2024]")
© Imago
Blackpool are expected to be without the services of Dominic Thompson, Kylian Kouassi and Andy Lyons due to injury.
Midfielder Albie Morgan is also set to miss Saturday's home clash after suffering a leg injury just as he appeared to be closing in on a return to fitness.
The Tangerines recently confirmed Dominic Ballard's arrival on a season-long loan deal from Southampton, and the England Under-19 international is likely to feature in Saturday's matchday squad.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon several members of their first-team squad, including Nick Powell, Lewis Fiorini and Isaac Olaofe.
Stockport will have to assess club captain Lewis Bate after he picked up a knock in last Saturday's win over Cambridge.
After making wholesale changes in midweek, Dave Challinor is likely to name a similar side to the one that started the opening league game of the season.
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Pennington, Casey, Husband; Hamilton, Norburn, Carey, Evans, Coulson; Fletcher, Rhodes
Stockport County possible starting lineup:
Addai; Mingi, Horsfall, Pye, Touray; Onyango, Camps; Diamond, Collar, Barry; Wootton
We say: Blackpool 1-1 Stockport County
Stockport may have suffered a heavy defeat in midweek, but they opted to name a much-changed side due to their injury situation and with one eye on Saturday's league clash.
We think that the newly-promoted side will do enough to take a point off their hosts, who are looking to extend their 12-game unbeaten home league run.
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