Stockport County claimed a 2-0 pre-season victory over Bristol City in their first 2026/27 friendly in Spain on 17 July 2026. Goals from Adama Sidibeh and Jayden Fevrier sealed the win at the Pinatar Arena, giving manager Michael Skubala a strong start to his side’s summer schedule.
What happened in Torrevieja?
The match saw County control early phases, with Benony Andrésson forcing an early save from Bristol City’s keeper inside the opening eight minutes. City responded through Sam Greenwood’s free-kick, but Max Bird’s volley clipped the crossbar. County broke the deadlock on 23 minutes when Sidibeh glided past two defenders before drilling home a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
City piled on pressure after the break, with Greenwood and Tomi Horvat testing Stockport’s defence, but Ollie Whatmuff stood firm. County doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Fevrier curled a left-footed strike from outside the area into the top corner, sealing the win.
Why it matters for Stockport County
The victory gives County a morale boost ahead of their League One campaign, which kicks off on 1 August 2026 against Preston at Edgeley Park. With 77 points from 46 games, County sit third in League One, 26 points behind leaders Lincoln City, and boast a +13 goal difference (71 scored, 58 conceded).
Recent form reads WLLWW, with three wins in their last five outings. The win over Bristol City-ranked 12th in the Championship last season-shows County can compete against sides from higher tiers, a useful yardstick before the league curtain-raiser.
What comes next for County?
Skubala’s side now turn their attention to a behind-closed-doors friendly against Newport County on 21 July 2026, before hosting Preston in their first competitive fixture of the new season. The squad will use the remaining pre-season games to bed in new signings and blood young academy talents like Taine Anderson, who replaced the injured Lisav Eissat inside eight minutes in Spain.
With a tight defensive record and attacking flair on show, County fans will hope the pre-season momentum carries into the league. The early signs are promising-now it’s time to deliver when it counts.
