Stockport defence 'a source of pride' - Challinor

Dave Challinor has overseen eight wins from 14 League One games so far this season

Stockport County's defensive consistency is a source of pride, boss Dave Challinor has said after his side moved to the top of League One.

The Hatters leapfrogged Bradford City, Stevenage and Cardiff City thanks to their 3-0 win against Port Vale on Monday evening.

Challinor has overseen eight wins from 14 League One games this term and his side are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run, including four league wins in a row and three consecutive clean sheets.

Opposition teams have mustered only five shots on target in those three games.

"We look a lot more consistent and solid defensively, which is something we've prided ourselves on over the past four years - (as well as) being expansive and trying to score goals," Challinor told BBC Radio Manchester.

"For me, those things go hand in hand. I don't think we'll ever be a team that wants to win games 6-4.

"We take pride in how we defend as a team, with everybody involved, and do the same when it comes to scoring."

Stockport missed out on promotion to the Championship last season, losing on penalties in the play-offs to Leyton Orient.

Having won their opening three league and cup games this term, they tailed off and dropped to ninth after losing 4-2 to Plymouth Argyle in September.

Since then, they have been a team transformed and have lost just once in eight games in all competitions since then.

"We'll enjoy it for what it is right now. We're 14 games in with 28 points, two points per game, which is a number that over the course of 46 games we'd be happy with," Challinor added.

"But we're only a fraction of the way through the season, so there's still a long way to go."