Fresh off the back of reaching the EFL Trophy semi-finals, Blackpool journey to the Lamex Stadium to take on Stevenage in round 31 of the League One on Saturday.
Having lost each of the last three meetings between the sides, Boro will head into the weekend desperate to get one over the visitors and move into the promotion playoff places.
Match preview
© Reuters
Stevenage moved within one point of the playoff places last Saturday as they picked up a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic when the side squared off at DW Stadium.
Trailing 2-1 at half time, club captain Carl Piergianni led the comeback charge as he struck in the 66th minute to level matters before Louis Thompson scored in the 81st minute to turn the game on its head.
This followed a narrow 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town at the New Meadow Stadium on January 13, when Jamie Reid netted the only goal of the game with six minutes left to play to hand the hosts their 15th defeat of the season.
After four consecutive games on the road, Steve Evans's men now return to the Lamex Stadium where they are on a nine-match unbeaten run, picking up five wins and four draws since October's 1-0 loss against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Trophy group stages.
However, Stevenage will need to be at their best this weekend as they welcome an opposing side who have won each of their previous three meetings, scoring six goals and keeping three clean sheets since December 2016.
© Reuters
Over in Lancashire, Blackpool booked their spot in the semi-finals of the EFL Trophy as they edged out Bolton Wanderers on penalties when the sides squared off at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday.
Both sides were guilty of a lack of bite at the attacking end of the pitch, and with nothing between them at the end of normal time, the game went to penalties where the Seasiders picked up a 5-4 victory.
Blackpool now turn their attention to League One, where they have put together a fine run of form in recent weeks, picking up three wins and one draw in their four matches since the turn of the year.
This impressive run has put Neil Critchley's men in the playoff picture as they sit eighth in the League One table, three points behind Saturday's hosts and four adrift of sixth-placed Oxford United in the final playoff spot.
While Blackpool will be looking to build on their cup result and make it four victories on the trot against Stevenage, they have struggled to get going away from home, where they are on a run of one win in their last five matches in all competitions, losing three and claiming one draw since the start of December.
Team News
© Reuters
With his strike against Wigan, Reid now has 16 goals in League One this season and the 29-year-old striker will certainly be one to keep an eye on.
Reid, who is currently the joint-highest goalscorer in the division, should lead Boro's attack once again, alongside 32-year-old Vadaine Oliver, who recently completed a loan switch from Bradford City.
At the defensive end of the pitch, we expect an unchanged back four of Dan Butler, Piergianni, Dan Sweeney and Luther James-Wildin, with January arrival Craig MacGillivray starting in goal once again.
Blackpool will take to the pitch without the services of 27-year-old forward Jake Beesley, who has been sidelined since coming off injured against Port Vale on December 29.
Kylian Kouassi returned from a two-month injury spell last Tuesday in a 22-minute cameo against Bolton and the 20-year-old should also be involved in the matchday squad this weekend.
Off the back of a solid defensive display in the EFL Trophy, we expect Matthew Pennington, Oliver Casey and Callum Connolly to retain their roles in the Seasiders back three, with Karamoko Dembele and Shayne Lavery leading the attack.
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Butler, Piergianni, Sweeney, James-Wildin; Roberts, Bruns, White, Freeman; Oliver, Reid
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
O'Donnell; Pennington, Casey, Connolly; Lawrence-Gabriel, Virtue-Thick, Norburn, Carey, Lyons; Dembele, Lavery
We say: Stevenage 2-1 Blackpool
With just three points separating Stevenage and Blackpool, we anticipate a thrilling contest between the sides in a race for a playoff spot. Boro have been rock-solid at home in recent weeks and we see them scraping all three points in front of their home supporters.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
