Match overview: Vale Park set for a quarter-final showdown
Port Vale welcome Stockport County to Vale Park on 10/02/2026 in an EFL Trophy quarter-final that has the potential to be a tight, high-stakes affair. The Potteries will provide a lively backdrop — Hamil Road’s 19,052 capacity and the authority of referee P. Wright add texture to what should be a competitive night. Port Vale arrive having shown flashes of resilience at home but inconsistency overall, while Stockport County bring a confident run of form and a recent League One mauling of Port Vale still fresh in memory.
Form and recent trends
Port Vale’s last ten results paint a picture of a side that can hit purple patches but struggles for consistency: the club’s recent record reads D-L-W-L-L-W-W-W-L-L, with four wins from that sequence but five losses too. Home stats suggest Port Vale can be effective at Vale Park — 12 goals scored at home and just 4 conceded — and that attacking threat will be bolstered by the momentum from their last outing at home where Ben Waine stood out as their best performer in a 2-2 draw with Burton Albion. Stockport, by contrast, have been the steadier outfit lately. Their sequence of results includes six wins, three draws and a single loss over ten matches, and their last outing was a 0-0 draw with Leyton Orient where Ben Osborn produced the top rating. That balance between defensive solidity and consistent attacking returns makes them a dangerous away side.
Tactical battle: control vs. momentum
Look for Stockport to try to control the game through measured build-up; their metrics show a higher average of attacks and dangerous attacks than Port Vale (102.6 attacks and 56.6 dangerous attacks average versus Port Vale’s 92 attacks and 46.4 dangerous attacks). Port Vale will rely on the familiarity of home surroundings and an attacking output that has produced 12 home goals. Clean sheets tell another part of the story — Port Vale have managed three at home this season while Stockport have none on the road — suggesting this match could hinge on whether Stockport can translate their overall form into a disciplined defensive display away from Edgeley Park.
What the recent meeting says
The most recent head-to-head in October 2025 was emphatic: Stockport beat Port Vale 3-0 in League One. That result lingers as evidence that Stockport know how to exploit Port Vale’s vulnerabilities. While Cup football can produce surprises, the visitors’ confidence and the memory of that convincing win will be in the back of both squads’ minds as they prepare for a knockout night.
Prediction and betting guidance
This one looks finely poised but leans toward an away victory. Stockport County arrive in better overall form, have superior attacking and dangerous-attack metrics, and own a decisive recent H2H success. Port Vale’s home scoring record is solid, yet their overall inconsistency and the defensive record away from Stockport’s perspective suggest the visitors have the edge. For those focused on market selection and timing, consider reading about the right time to place bets on goal markets to decide if a goals line suits your approach, and remember emotional discipline when staking by checking how to have emotional control when placing bets?
Betting suggestion: Back Stockport County to win (1X2). The data points to an away side with the momentum, superior attacking metrics and a recent 3-0 H2H triumph — factors that make Stockport the best single-market pick for this quarter-final.
