Aiming to continue their positive run of form, promotion-chasing Derby County will welcome playoff hopefuls Stevenage to Pride Park on Saturday afternoon in League One.
The Rams secured a convincing success at Exeter City last time out, while the Boro were narrow losers at home against Bristol Rovers on the same night.
Match preview
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Derby managed to extend their unbeaten run in League One to four matches on Tuesday night, when the Rams of the East Midlands travelled to St James Park in Devon and escaped with all three points, with a host of the visitors' first-team stars chipping in with much-needed goals.
Paul Warne's side were ahead of the half-time break courtesy of a strike from highly-rated Max Bird, and the top-two hopefuls made sure of maximum points during the second period, when former Cardiff City attacker Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkhuizen got onto the scoresheet.
After collecting a highly-respectable tally of 10 points from their last quartet of third-tier fixtures, Derby have moved up to second in the League Two standings, one point ahead of third-placed Bolton Wanderers, although Ian Evatt's men have played two games fewer than the Rams.
Despite failing to return to the Championship at the very-first attempt last campaign, Derby were able to keep a number of high-profile players at Pride Park, including 33-year-old Irishman James Collins, who leads the club's Golden Boot race with 13 goals in 32 league appearances.
Only 28 of the Rams' 63 League One points have arrived at their East Midlands base so far in 2023-24, so it is their stellar away record which is keeping them in the conversation for automatic promotion - no side has collected more points on their travels than Derby this season.
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Stevenage's playoff charge has taken another stumble following the 3-2 loss at home to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night at The Lamex Stadium, with the hosts in Hertfordshire wasting a two-goal advantage, meaning they are now three matches without the taste of success in League One.
Starting strongly last time out, the Boro had a two-goal lead after just 24 minutes when Kane Hemmings and Jake Forster-Caskey found the net, however the Gasmen fought back admirably, with strikes from Luke Thomas, ex-Derby poacher Chris Martin and Antony Evans securing maximum points for the visitors.
After dropping vital points for a three-straight match, Steve Evans's charges have moved out of the League One playoff positions, sitting one point behind sixth-placed Oxford United, although Stevenage have played a game fewer than Des Buckingham's U's heading into this weekend.
Following a steady return of 10 League Two goals during the Boro's promotion-winning campaign of 2022-23, striker Jamie Reid has burst onto the third-tier scene this season, scoring 17 times in 30 League One appearances for the top-six hopefuls - 13 more than any of his teammates.
Stevenage and Derby have only ever met once in a competitive sense during their histories, with the Boro currently enjoying an unbeaten record in this clash, with goals from Jordan Roberts, Alex MacDonald and Hemmings helping the hosts to a 3-1 win at The Lamex during the reverse fixture in October.
Team News
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After batting away plenty of interest from the Championship for his services during the January transfer window, Derby are set to start Eiran Cashin at centre-back alongside Curtis Nelson once again.
Corey Blackett-Taylor was replaced during the half-time interval at Exeter on Tuesday and could miss this weekend's clash, meaning the likes of Barkhuizen or Louie Sibley might be promoted from the bench.
Rams midfielder Bird produced a stellar performance in Devon last time out, and the 23-year-old will be joined by Conor Hourihane and Ebou Adams in the engine room once again.
Stevenage could opt for a change in between the sticks following Tuesday night's capitulation against Bristol Rovers, with Taye Ashby-Hammond potentially replacing Craig MacGillivray.
Reid and Hemmings are expected to be a two-man forward line, but there is serious competition for places further back in the side, with Ben Thompson and Louis Thompson pushing for starts in midfield.
Derby County possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Wilson, Nelson, Cashin, Elder; Bird, Adams, Hourihane; Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Collins
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Vancooten, Sweeney, Piergianni, Butler; Forster-Caskey, Burns, Freeman, L Thompson; Hemmings, Reid
We say: Derby County 2-0 Stevenage
Derby flexed their attacking power in the win at Exeter on Tuesday night, and we believe that it could be a similar tale at Pride Park this weekend.
Stevenage's confidence would have taken a massive hit after wasting a two-goal lead last time out, with Pride Park not a likely place for the Boro to get back to winning ways.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
