Saturday's game between the two was as tight as you could expect, but a late mix-up in the Boro defence gave Ben Osborn the chance to tap home and give Stockport the edge heading into the second leg. Back at Edgeley Park, Dave Challinor's men will be confident of securing a spot at Wembley, but anything can happen in the play-offs.
It's rare that defenders are valued at 3m in the third tier of English football, but Stockport County's Ethan Pye fits that bill. The 23-year-old has already racked up over 125 appearances for the Hatters, and has frequently been eyed by clubs in higher divisions. Never heard of him? Not to worry: here's your quick scout report on the centre-back.
Nevertheless, embarking on what has been a public fairytale since opening up the 2025/26 campaign, Dave Challinor's men are leading the chase at the top of the League One table. Now pencilled in as a standout contender to book a sensational Championship return, the Hatters have broken plenty of long-standing records. Getting November underway with a dominant 3-1 victory away at Tranmere, the Manchester-based outfit have won each of their other four appearances across all competitions.
