Needing just two points from their remaining matches to secure the title, League One-bound Stockport County travel to face Notts County at Meadow Lane in League Two on Tuesday night.
The Hatters' place in the third tier next season is sealed thanks to their win over Morecambe on Saturday, with the Magpies also victorious on the weekend, beating playoff-chasing Walsall in the West Midlands.
Match preview
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Following a highly-concerning run of one win in 10 League Two matches, Notts County are on course to finish the 2023-24 campaign on a positive note after back-to-back wins over the past fortnight, smashing three past Harrogate Town at Meadow Lane before winning at Walsall a week later.
The Magpies enjoyed the perfect start to proceedings versus the Saddlers last time out as leading marksman Macaulay Langstaff fired the visitors into a second-minute lead, and further strikes from wing-back Aaron Nemane and midfielder Sam Austin secured a comfortable success despite a consolation from Walsall's Mo Faal.
After collecting successive wins for the first time since taking charge of the club in January following the departure of former manager Luke Williams to Swansea City, Stuart Maynard expressed his sadness that Notts County are no longer in the running for a top-seven finish.
With the 43-year-old coach collecting just three wins from 15 games at the Magpies since the start of the calendar year, the East Midlands outfit have been unable to break free of midtable mediocrity, with Tuesday's hosts currently in 14th, seven points behind the playoffs.
Despite his side failing to record back-to-back promotions, Notts County striker Langstaff is on course for an individual accolade this season, with the 27-year-old finding the net on 26 occasions in 43 League Two matches, meaning that he leads the division's Golden Boot race ahead of Salford City's Matt Smith (23) and Wrexham's Paul Mullin (23).
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Recording their sixth-straight maximum in League Two on Saturday afternoon, Stockport County secured a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2010 with a comfortable 2-0 win over mid-table dwellers Morecambe in front of a jubilant Edgeley Park crowd.
Coming into the clash possessing a 10-game unbeaten run, it was no surprise to anyone in Greater Manchester when the Hatters took an early lead in the contest courtesy of Isaac Olaofe, before a strike just prior to the half-time interval from Fraser Horsfall all but sealed a promotion-winning three points versus the Shrimps.
Having now won seven promotions in just 14 years during his success-laden managerial career, Dave Challinor is desperate to see his side secure the League Two crown on Tuesday night, when a victory at Meadow Lane versus the Magpies would be enough to claim top spot with two matches to spare.
Although the foundations of the Hatters' promotion have been laid by their impressive home form, no other side in the division have lost fewer away matches than Stockport this season, with Tuesday's visitors collecting 39 points from 21 League Two outings during the 2023-24 term.
Stockport's most-recent visit to Meadow Lane ended in a narrow defeat in October 2021, when second-half strikes from Kyle Wootton and Frank Vincent were enough to claim all three points for the hosts during a National League clash.
Team News
Facing a tough assignment versus the league leaders, Notts County are expected to field a back three of Kyle Cameron, Aden Baldwin and Lewis Macari.
A key offensive outlet for the Magpies arrives in the form of Malta international Jodi Jones, who is enjoying an injury-free campaign following a multitude of fitness setbacks in his career to date.
After both providing goal contributions in the victory at Walsall, Alassana Jatta and leading marksman Langstaff should retain their spots in the XI.
Just minutes after the elation of opening the scoring for Stockport versus Morecambe, striker Olaofe was forced off the Edgeley Park turf due to a fitness issue.
The likely absence of the 24-year-old on Tuesday means that Wootton and Paddy Madden will require a new partner up front, with Connor Lemonheigh-Evans potentially coming into the side.
Fighting back from a serious injury sustained in October, Louie Barry could be in line for his first start of the calendar year at Meadow Lane, although the Hatters will not be rushing the Aston Villa loanee back into significant action.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Ashby-Hammond; Macari, Baldwin, Cameron; Nename, Crowley, Bostock, Austin, Jones; Langstaff, Jatta
Stockport County possible starting lineup:
Hinchliffe; Knoyle, Horsfall, Pye, Bristow; Bailey, Camps, Sarcevic, Lemonheigh-Evans; Madden, Wootton
We say: Notts County 1-2 Stockport County
Back-to-back victories will have increased confidence significantly inside the Notts County camp, but the visit of the league leaders will seriously threaten the Magpies' winning run.
Stockport are unlikely to take their foot off the gas despite already having promotion wrapped up, and we believe that the League Two title will be theirs on Tuesday night.
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Carter White
