MATCHWATCH : Stockport County (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Sunday January 4 2026, 3pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Stockport are flying again, leading the charge of clubs hoping to be able to sneak an automatic promotion spot so this game is going to be about as hard as you can get at home. Dave Challinor has proved to be an excellent managerial choice for club hoping to build and become something more than just making up lower division numbers.

They did thoroughly batter Reading twice last season and generally much of this season they’ve been continuing in the same vein though perhaps slightly more subdued as clubs have started to be aware of what Stockport are about so the going has been harder for them as evidenced by Reading holding the Hatters to a point a couple of months back.

Form is basically 3 wins from their last 6 games but possibly of most interest is the fact that Stockport have won 2 and drawn 1 of their last 3 away games in the league so that should be something to set the alarm bells ringing for Leam.

Stockport favour a Xmas tree formation of 3-4-2-1 with Kyle Wootton & Oliver Norwood being the prime troublemakers. Wootton has 10 goals so far and we all know what an excellent playmaker Ollie can be after his all to brief spell in RG2. Record signing Malik Mothersille and established midfielder Callum Camps re also ones that should be denied the ball as much as possible.

There are some injury concerns for Stockport with Callum Connolly, Nathan Lowe, Arttu Hoskonen and Lewis Bate suffering problems, meanwhile Reading have Lionel Ritchie and WiFi back in contention but Lane, Elliott and the Williams brothers are all still seemingly without hope

Referee

Jacob Miles

Previously

26 Aug 25 > Reading 1-2 Wimbledon

Historically

Reading have hosted Stockport on 17 occasions and won 9 times compared to 3 Stockport victories. Stockport’s wins have all been around Christmas and the New Year and have all been by 2 goals (3-1 in 1974, 4-2 in 1992 and, of course, 3-1 again last year) but hopefully the omens will smile kindly on the blue and white hoops this time.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and go
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Hound]

Be a superb return over Xmas if we can pick up a 3 points here - then two weeks off before Orient and a real chance to push second half of the season

We’ll be within 4 points of them with a win

So yeah we’ll probably not turn up

[traff]

In a season where the standard of refereeing in this division rivals UK water companies for incompetence, this guy still manages to stand out.
He makes Thames Water look positively accomplished and professional.

After the Wimbledon match, I’d hoped we’d never see him again. Frankly, we’d be better off letting the Stockport mascot referee this one.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

4 games in 9 days is madness - I can't be bothered to look but is this how it always is at Christmas?

This game should be taking place in midweek if it has to be played now.

[Clyde1998]

4 games in 9 days is madness - I can't be bothered to look but is this how it always is at Christmas?

This game should be taking place in midweek if it has to be played now.

Yes it is usually like this - the 2005-06 season's schedule was arguably worse: 26 Dec; 28 Dec; 31 Dec; 2 Jan. The worse schedules are usually a result of the bank holidays falling in the middle of the week.

We're benefitting by not being in the FA Cup, so we get a decent break after this one.

[tidus_mi2]

I voted a win but would definitely take a point, didn't realise how strong they are away from home!

[skipper]

We're about as strong as we can be currently in terms of form and results. Stockport are also a form team, but crucially, above us in the table.

This will be a tough game. But we've beaten good teams recently and drew albeit, a lucky game against Peterborough.

If we avoid defeat, then that is a sign of our ambition, intention and desire. And will set us up for the following 3 games which I believe are all winnable.

[Hound]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

[WestYorksRoyal]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

They're in the FA Cup third round and are playing on 11th, so will definitely be postponed.

[Sutekh]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

[windermereROYAL]

This bloody ref that got taken in by a Wimbledon player going down from a Reading corner in the last minute holding his face with nobody near him.
Can`t wait.

[stealthpapes]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Any idea on likely windows for the rearranged Mansfield game?

[Sutekh]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Any idea on likely windows for the rearranged Mansfield game?

Wed 14th Jan is clear but they’d have done that by now if they were going to use that date

W/c 19th Jan is free for both but then that’d be needed for any cup replays, the week after that has midweek L1 fixtures anyway and then you’re into February and Reading already have a rearranged game on 10th so they probably won’t want to be dumping another one to close to that, so I’d say it’s not going to happen before March.

[Hound]

Do we have Mansfield on 10th? They’ve been on serious form last few games. Haven’t seen it confirmed one way or another, but it’s showing as postponed on bbc

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Thanks. Not a good time to be playing them so think that’ll help us

[stealthpapes]

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Any idea on likely windows for the rearranged Mansfield game?

Wed 14th Jan is clear but they’d have done that by now if they were going to use that date

W/c 19th Jan is free for both but then that’d be needed for any cup replays, the week after that has midweek L1 fixtures anyway and then you’re into February and Reading already have a rearranged game on 10th so they probably won’t want to be dumping another one to close to that, so I’d say it’s not going to happen before March.

cheers

[Mid Sussex Royal]

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Any idea on likely windows for the rearranged Mansfield game?

Wed 14th Jan is clear but they’d have done that by now if they were going to use that date

W/c 19th Jan is free for both but then that’d be needed for any cup replays, the week after that has midweek L1 fixtures anyway and then you’re into February and Reading already have a rearranged game on 10th so they probably won’t want to be dumping another one to close to that, so I’d say it’s not going to happen before March.

March could be difficult too assuming the usual 2 week international break.

[Clyde1998]

No, the game is off as Mansfield travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on 11 January. Therefore Reading have no 1st team game after Stockport on Sunday until travelling to Orient on the 17th.

No date yet for the rearranged fixture.

Any idea on likely windows for the rearranged Mansfield game?

Wed 14th Jan is clear but they’d have done that by now if they were going to use that date

W/c 19th Jan is free for both but then that’d be needed for any cup replays, the week after that has midweek L1 fixtures anyway and then you’re into February and Reading already have a rearranged game on 10th so they probably won’t want to be dumping another one to close to that, so I’d say it’s not going to happen before March.

FA Cup replays, in the first round and beyond, have been abolished, but I'm fairly certain if the game was going to be re-arranged for the w/c 19th January, it would've been announced by now.

All the available dates we have until the end of the season are (assuming matches are played on the Tuesday): 20 Jan; 3 Feb; 24 Feb; 3 Mar; 10 Mar; 24 Mar*; 31 Mar*; 14 Apr; 21 Apr; 28 Apr.

I imagine it would be one of: 24 Feb; 3 Mar; or 10 Mar.

*The 24 and 31 March falls within the international break, so would be unlikely to be used.