Team News

 

Blackpool will be without Jamie Burns (ankle) and long-term injury absentees Stuart Anderson (knee), Gareth Evans and Phil Doughty (both leg).  However, defender Danny Warrender is back in contention for the Seasiders.

 

Tranmere Rovers could be without up to five first team players for the trip to the Seaside with John Achterberg (stomach) confirmed as being out of action for up to six weeks.  Defender Mike Jackson (calf) is rated as 50/50 to take part in the game whilst fellow defender Paul Linwood is not set to return to training until next week following a knee injury.

 

Captain Jason McAteer (knee) was expected back for this game but is now likely to return next week against Brentford.  The final absentee is striker Chris Dagnall (leg) who took a knock in the reserves on Wednesday night against Blackpool and is out for around two weeks.

 

Match Referee – Mr Tony Bates (Staffordshire)

 

 

Form Guide

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Blackpool:

 

Last Six At Home - WLWDWL

Last Six Games - LWLLDL

 

Tranmere Rovers: 

 

Last Six Away - LLWLWL          

Last Six Games - LLWWDL       

 

Both sides go into this important encounter on the back of disappointing defeats on Tuesday night in League One.

 

Whilst Tranmere’s defeat was certainly harsh and not a true reflection of the game, Blackpool went ahead in their home game with Bournemouth but were hit by a James Hayter hat-trick which ensured a 3-1 defeat that has left Blackpool fans ready to protest at this forthcoming game.

 

Prior to defeat at Barnsley, Rovers had won two of their last three on the road (at Doncaster and Scunthorpe) and the third of those games was a controversial defeat to Bradford in the FA Cup First Round.

 

Blackpool hammered ten-man Scunthorpe 5-2 at home three weeks ago but other than beating Wrexham after extra-time in the LDV Vans Trophy, they had not won at home before that since beating MK Dons 3-2 on September 24^th.

 

The Hotshots

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Blackpool: Tommy Wright – 6 Goals

 

Tranmere Rovers: Chris Greenacre – 9 Goals

 

 

Past Meetings – Last Season

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20th November 2004 – Coca-Cola League One – Bloomfield Road

 

Blackpool  0 – 1  Tranmere Rovers 

                                     Goodison 38                                                                                      

   

Attendance: 6,490

 

Referee: Mr Trevor Parkes (West Midlands)

 

 

16^th April 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  0 – 0  Blackpool 

                                                                                                                                 

   

Attendance: 8,568

 

Referee: Mr Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)

 

 

In last season’s encounters, there was very little to choose between the two sides on either occasion with just one goal being registered in 180 minutes of football.

 

At Bloomfield Road last November, Tranmere snatched a 1-0 win thanks to a rare and yet brilliant strike from defender Ian Goodison just before half-time.  It was a lead they were able to hold onto to take all three points.

 

In the return game at Prenton Park in April there were to be no further goals as the teams played out a relatively uneventful goalless draw.

 

Past Meetings – This Season

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9th August 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  2 – 2  Tranmere Rovers 

Hume 38                                     Vernon 45          

Greenacre 45                              Murphy 69                                

 

Attendance: 7,509

 

Referee: Mr Mick Fletcher (Worcestershire)

 

Rovers second game of this season (and their first at Prenton Park), saw these two sides meet and there were three times as many goals in the first half as there had been between the sides in both meetings last season.

 

Iain Hume fired Tranmere ahead on 38 minutes but with less than a minute of the half remaining, Scott Vernon pounced when Achterberg could only parry a shot from Prendergast to equalise for Blackpool.

 

The first half goal-scoring was not over there though as Chris Greenacre was found by Hume and the new signing from Stoke scored on his home league debut to send Rovers in at half-time in front.

 

However, as he always does against Rovers, John Murphy scored for Blackpool on 69 minutes for a second equaliser and the game remained at 2-2.

 

 

Head-to-Head

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All Matches:                                                     At Bloomfield Road:

Matches Played = 28                                         Matches Played = 14

Blackpool Wins = 8                                            Blackpool Wins = 7

Tranmere Wins = 16                                           Tranmere Wins = 6

Matches Drawn = 4                                            Matches Drawn = 1

 

Blackpool Goals = 33                                         Blackpool Goals = 21

Tranmere Goals = 48                                          Tranmere Goals = 17

 

 

Tickets and Travel Information

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For Total Tranmere’s information article on Match Tickets and also for Travel and Stadium Information for Bloomfield Road Click Here! 

 

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