STOCKTON TOWN VS OLDHAM ATHLETIC PREVIEW
COMPETITION: Isuzu FA Trophy – Third Round Proper
DATE: Saturday 7 December, 2024
KICK-OFF: 15:00
ENTRY: £11 Adult, £9 Concessions, £5 11-18-year-olds, £3 under-11’s
CLUBHOUSE: Open early for breakfast which is served until 12pm.
GROUND: Stockton Town FC, MAP Group UK Stadium, Bishopton Road West, Stockton-on-Tees, TS19 0QD
LIVE UPDATES: @stockton_townfc – Twitter/X
LIVE COMMENTARY: Red Radio
Very few days have been bigger than this at the MAP Group UK Stadium as National League title challengers Oldham Athletic visit Teesside in the FA Trophy Third Round.
The Anchors are three games deep into the competition, getting the better of Blyth Spartans, Newton Aycliffe and most recently Scarborough Athletic on their way to the Third Round for the first time in club history.
Michael Dunwell’s side will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Worksop Town last weekend, where Mikey Roberts’ late goal failed to force a comeback.
THE OPPOSITION
Oldham Athletic were notably one of the founding members of the Premier League back in the 1992-93 season, where they spent two seasons before relegation in 1994.
30 years on, The Latics are now pushing for promotion back to the Football League after falling into the National League in 2022 following a 116-year tenure in the Football League.
Micky Mellon’s side currently sit fifth in the National League, seven points behind league leaders York City but with two games in hand on the Minstermen.
They were unfortunately eliminated from the FA Cup in dramatic fashion last weekend at League One Leyton Orient when a 90+9th minute equaliser from Orient Goalkeeper Josh Keeley was further damaged by a 120+1st minute winner for the hosts.
Leading the line for the Greater Manchester-based side is long-term EFL veteran James Norwood, who has seven goals to his name, and former Hartlepool United striker Mike Fondop-Talum who has shined so far this season.
Fondop-Talum isn’t the only former Hartlepool player to showcase their talents at Oldham, with ex-Pools Regean Ogle and Mark Kitching playing key roles in the Oldham squad.
FORM GUIDE
Stockton Town: L L W W L
Last Game: Worksop Town 2-1 Stockton Town
Oldham Athletic: D D W W L
Last Game: Leyton Orient 2-1 Oldham Athletic
PRE-MATCH QUOTES
Stockton Town manager Michael Dunwell spoke ahead of this test following his sides’ defeat at Worksop Town last weekend by saying:
“It’s a game of football that we want to win. It’s going to be really, really tough. They’re a team who are flying high in the National League and looking to get promoted back to the Football League as well as being a full-time club.
“It’s going to be a big occasion but again, there’s going to be a game of football going on we are going to try and win. We’ve been really good at home, even against teams above us and I expect us to be good and have a reaction from today [at Worksop]”
Words by Jordan Clarke
