Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League One clash between Stevenage and Charlton Athletic, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Charlton Athletic make the relatively short trip to Hertfordshire to face Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium in League One on Saturday.
It is not unfair to say that this is certainly not one of the most-anticipated fixtures of the weekend, and no teams in the division have seen fewer goals in their matches so far this season than these two.
Match preview
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Arguably no side has been as inconsistent as Stevenage in League One so far, as Alex Revell‘s men have recorded alternating results in all seven of their league games so far, with two wins, two draws and three defeats.
The most remarkable statistic is one that highlights the dullness of their matches though, as Stevenage have scored and conceded the fewest amount of goals in League One.
It is therefore unsurprising that the Boro drew 0-0 at Wigan Athletic in midweek, in a match severely lacking quality which saw both sides register just seven shots apiece.
There will be some disappointment that the hosts have failed to build on a 3-0 win at Barnsley two weeks ago, as they went on to lose at Exeter City last weekend, but returning to home soil could be fruitful.
Six of their eight points so far have come here at the Lamex Stadium, winning two of their three home games to start the campaign, but they have enjoyed little success against upcoming opponents Charlton in recent times.
Stevenage won the first-ever competitive meeting between the sides in 2011, but they have failed to win any of the following five, including drawing both meetings last season.
The travelling Charlton party will be dreaming of a repeat of their performance here in the EFL Trophy back in 2018, when the Addicks thrashed Stevenage 8-0 in a remarkable group encounter.
Charlton’s goals for and against columns look very similar to Stevenage, but their pragmatism has paid off much more effectively.
Only seven teams have scored fewer than Charlton’s seven, but they are up in fourth with an impressive 13 points from a possible 21.
Nathan Jones‘s side have kept a clean sheet in all four of their league wins so far, including three by a 1-0 scoreline, and after losing 27-goal Alfie May last season, this may be an effective approach as they target promotion after five years in the third tier.
Athletic did fall to defeat in their last outing though, losing 2-1 at home to Blackpool a week ago, allowing Wrexham and Birmingham City to move three points clear at the top.
Charlton suffered their lowest league finish since the 1920s when they ended the last campaign down in 16th, regressing since dropping down from the Championship in 2020, but the signs look positive in the opening stages of this season that a promotion push could be possible.
Stevenage League One form:
Stevenage form (all competitions):
Charlton Athletic League One form:
Charlton Athletic form (all competitions):
Team News
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Stevenage remain without their first-choice goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond, who is yet to feature this season due to injury, while defender Kane Smith is a doubt following a month on the sidelines.
Three players who will miss out are Dan Sweeney, Jake Forster-Caskey and Aaron Pressley, while top scorer Elliott List may remain on the bench after being dropped for the trip to Wigan, despite scoring three goals so far this season.
Alex Mitchell has missed the last two Charlton fixtures with injury, meaning Rarmani Edmonds-Green has been forced to deputise on the right-hand side of a back three.
Striker Miles Leaburn is set to miss out for the visitors, but defender Josh Edwards is closing in on a return after only briefly returning for a cameo in their clash with Cambridge.
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Wildin, N Thompson, Piergianni, Butler; L Thompson, White; Kemp, Phillips, Roberts; Reid
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Mannion; Edmonds-Green, Jones, Gillesphey; Ramsay, Docherty, Coventry, Campbell, Small; Kanu, Ahadme
We say: Stevenage 0-1 Charlton Athletic
The stats do not lie, and it is unlikely we will get a thriller between two teams who have scored just 12 goals between them across 14 league games this season.
Nothing could separate the sides last season in two stalemates, but Charlton have made a strong start, and a fourth 1-0 win of the campaign could be forthcoming.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.