Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers v Bristol Rovers Match Preview
By Matthew Jones
March 7 2011
Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news ahead of Tuesday night's League One game against struggling Bristol Rovers....
Copyright Historical Football Kits and reproduced by kind permission.
Bristol Rovers have endured a poor season so far, spending the majority of it around the bottom of the League One table, form which cost manager Paul Trollope his job before the turn of the year.
Dave Penney, his replacement, has struggled to lift the club away from the relegation places though, making Tuesday's fixture between Tranmere and the Gas a hugely important game, as Bristol Rovers look to climb out of the drop zone, whilst Les Parry's side are looking to extend the gap between themselves and the bottom places to ten points.
This, then, could well be an enthralling fixture, as Tranmere look to end a torrid run of five games without a win and pick up an important three points in front of their home crowd, looking for a comfortable win that could instill some confidence both back into themselves and their fans.
Bristol Rovers Factfile:
Ground: The Memorial Stadium
Formed: 1883
Nickname: The Gas/The Pirates
Manager: Dave Penney
League Finish 2009/10: 11th
Kit
Colours: White and blue quartered shirt, white shorts and socks
(home), yellow and black quartered shirt, black shorts and yellow socks
(away)
Previous Meetings:
Tranmere
Rovers will be looking to complete the double over Bristol Rovers for the first time ever after Rovers won 1-0 at the Memorial Ground back in September.
The game was won thanks to a stunning strike by youngster Dale Jennings, making only his third appearance, and just his second start, for the club.
The exciting teenage striker scored his first goal for the club to win the game as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area and, with back to goal, took one touch to turn before smashing home a quite brilliant left-footed strike, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
The win, Tranmere's second on the road all season, wasn't underserved for Rovers, as Blanchard, twice, and Aaron Cresswell both came close to opening the scoring before Jennings netted.
Gulacsi had a reasonably busy afternoon in net for Tranmere, but he was able to keep shots from the likes of Akinde and Hoskins out as he kept an excellent clean sheet and Tranmere won 1-0.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have never completed a league double over Bristol Rovers
In fourteen previous meetings between the two sides at Prenton Park, Tranmere have picked up five wins, five defeats and four draws
The last eleven meetings between these two sides have seen just two away wins
Thirteen of the last fifteen goals Tranmere have conceded have been second half strikes
In three previous March meetings between the two sides, there have been just two goals scored, with each side recording a 1-0 win to go with a 0-0 draw
On This Day:
2008: Mike Jones' only ever goal for Tranmere is all in vein, as Rovers lose 3-1 at Boundary Park against Oldham
2002: Jason Price and Ian Sharps are on target for Dave Watson's Tranmere as they win 2-1 against Crewe
1997: John Aldridge's Rovers side are defeated 3-2 by Wolves in Division One, with Kenny Irons and Aldo himself on target for Tranmere
Tranmere Rovers have played ten previous games on this day, picking up three wins, two draws and five defeats. In these ten games, they have netted eleven goals and conceded on fifteen occasions.
The Super Whites have played however played four home games on this day, with all their victories coming at Prenton Park. They have though won just one of seven games on this day, a run dating back to 1952.
The Form Book:
Bristol Rovers last six away games: LLLLLL
Tranmere Rovers last six home games: LWDWDW
Having won just two of their last twenty games and not scored in any of their last three matches, things aren't looking good for Bristol Rovers, with manager Dave Penny, who was only put in the position in January, already under huge pressure.
Their away form doesn't make for happy reading either, as not only have they only won twice away from home in the league all season, but they've also lost their last six fixtures on the road.
The Gas started their six match sequence with a 3-2 defeat against Plymouth despite taking an early 2-0 lead thanks to a brace from Will Hoskins, whilst they lost their next away game against Carlisle United 4-0.
Walsall then hammered the Pirates 6-1 at The Bescott Stadium in their next away fixture, before Hoskins scored again, once again in vein, in a 3-1 defeat to Rochdale.
An own goal from ex-Tranmere man Ben Chorley was then only a concolation strike as Bristol Rovers last 4-1 against Leyton Orient before in their most recent away game, the Gas lost 1-0 against Brentford.
They have in fact lost their last eight away games, whilst coming into this game, they have not only conceded the most goals on the road in League One this season, with their defence having been breached on 42 occasions in 17 games, but having conceded 69 goals home and away, they also have the second worst defensive record in the Football League (Stockport have conceded on 79 occasions).
Results of note on the road this season for the club include their two away wins against Dagenham and Redbridge (3-1) and Huddersfield Town (1-0), as well as 1-1 draws with Oldham and Charlton.
The Pirates have played 17 times on the road this season and picked up eleven of an available 51 points, this thanks to two wins, five draws and ten defeats.
Impressive
results at The Memorial Ground for the Gas this season include wins over Swindon Town (3-1), Rochdale (2-1) and Oldham Athletic (1-0).
Bristol Rovers come into this game in 23rd place in npower League One, five places and nine points behind Tranmere Rovers, having
played 34 games and picked up 30 of an available 102 points, this thanks
to seven
wins, nine draws and eighteen defeats.
With
just one defeat in their last six matches at Prenton Park, Tranmere would appear to be in strong form at Prenton Park, but their confidence (and the confidence of the fans in them) took a huge blow after a shocking, dismal display in their most recent home game that saw them lose at Prenton Park for the first time in 2011.
Les
Parry's side started their six match sequence with a victory as Ian Goodison scored a left footed screamer to help
Rovers beat Carlisle 2-1 in their first home game of 2011, before Tranmere conceded two late goals to let a 3-1 lead against Walsall slip, drawing the game 3-3.
John
Welsh and Dale Jennings then scored as
Tranmere recorded an excellent 2-0 win over Southampton but the curse of the late goal returned again in their next home game as they led for near on 90 minutes before Gary Jones scored an injury time equaliser in a 1-1 draw for Rochdale at Prenton Park.
Goals from Lateef Elford-Alliyu, Ian Goodison and Enoch Showunmi saw
Tranmere through to a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday as Tranmere extended their run to five home matches without a defeat, but in their most recent home game, Rovers put in a dismal, lifeless display in front of 8,000 fans at Prenton Park as they lost 1-0 against Yeovil Town.
Other
impressive results for Tranmere Rovers this season include wins over
Peterborough United (1-0), MK Dons (4-2) and Plymouth Argyle (1-0).
Notable results away from home include wins over Bristol Rovers (1-0), Walsall (4-1), Plymouth (3-1) and Notts County (1-0).
Tranmere currently lie in 18th place in the League One table, having picked up 39 of an available 99 points from 33 games, this thanks to ten wins, nine draws and fourteen defeats.
Double Hit:
One player
to have represented both Bristol Rovers and Tranmere Rovers man who
will always be welcomed back to Prenton Park with a heroes reception,
having scored two beautiful headers against Everton in a 3-0 win for
Tranmere at Goodison Park in 2001.
The man of course is Steve
Yates, who started his career at Bristol Rovers and made nearly 250
appearances over a five year stint with the club, though amazingly the
defender failed to ever score for his hometown club!
In
1993, following his strong form for the Gas, Yates left Rovers for
Queens Park Rangers in a transfer worth £650,000. He would stay with
QPR over the next six years, playing in the Premier League for the club
and becoming a crucial defender at Loftus Road, as he made 150
appearances in six years with the club, scoring his first two goals in
professional football.
It was with Tranmere Rovers where the
defender became famous for his goalscoring though, with Yates signing
for John Aldridge's side on a free-transfer in the summer of 1999, with
the defender briefly taking the captain's armband at Prenton Park.
Though
he would only be at Prenton Park for three years, Yates became a cult
figure on the Wirral, as he was part of the Tranmere side that reached
the League Cup final in 2000, and F.A. Cup Quarter Finals in 2000 and
2001.
He made 137 appearances in three years for Tranmere, and
without doubt his most perfect imput for the club was in that 3-0 win at
Goodison, though he also scored against the likes of Liverpool and
Portsmouth in cup competitions for John Aldridge's side.
Yates though left Prenton Park in 2002, joining Sheffield United, where he would make just thirteen appearances in a year, before joining Huddersfield Town in 2003.
At
the Galpharm Stadium, Yates featured much more regularly, and played a
key role in the Terriers' defence over 2 and a half years, making 60
appearances before moving in to non-league football with Scarborough and
Morecambe.
In 2007, Yates retired from football having helped
Morecambe win the Conference play-offs and move into the Football League
for the first time.
One To Watch:
A
few eyebrows were raised when Will Hoskins joined Bristol Rovers in the
summer on a free transfer from Championship side Watford.
The
striker had struggled through a three-year spell with the Hornets,
failing to ever really cement his place in the first team at Vicerage
Road, but has previously proved his ability at this level.
Hoskins
started his career with Rotherham, where he came through the youth
ranks and made his debut for the club aged on seventeen, this after
signing professional aged just sixteen.
Over four years in the
first team with Rotherham, Hoskins proved to be a highly progressive
player and managed to net 25 times for the club in 81 games, though over
half these appearances were as a substitute.
Due to
Rotherham's mounting financial problems, which eventually led them to
entering administraton and being deducted points twice, as well as
losing their Millmoor ground, Hoskins had to be sold, and in 2007 he
joined Watford for an undisclosed fee.
Over three years at Watford though, Hoskins managed to start only 33 games, making a further 37 substitute appearances and scoring nine goals. He also spent time on loan at both Millwall and Nottingham Forest during the 2007/08 season.
In
the summer, following his release by Watford, Hoskins returned to
League One, signing for Bristol Rovers, and he has begun to blossom and
show the form that earned him a move to the Premier League four years ago.
Having played 37 games for the club since his summer move, he has already netted eighteen goals, comfortably making him Bristol Rovers' top scorer so far this campaign.
The
24-year old is a definate goal scorer, especially inside the box, who
will make a number of threatening runs which will cause the Tranmere
defence several problems. He wears the number eight shirt for the club.
Around League One:
There is a full list of 12 fixtures in League One on Tuesday evening:
Brentford vs.Brighton
Carlisle vs. Hartlepool
Dagenham and Redbridge vs. Colchester
Exeter vs. Bournemouth
Huddersfield vs. Rochdale
MK Dons vs. Charlton
Notts County vs. Peterbrough
Oldham vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Plymouth vs. Swindon
Southampton vs. Yeovil
Tranmere vs. Bristol Rovers
Walsall vs. Leyton Orient
Team News:
Andy Robinson (groin) and Tony Warner (thigh) are both doubtful for this game after picking up muscle injuries against Charlton on Saturday, whilst Dale Jennings will definitely miss the fixture after tweaking his groin in training on Friday.
Les Parry may be forced into changes for the game then, with Lateef Elford-Alliyu and Joe Collister the likely replacements if either misses out, although otherwise the Rovers boss may opt to name an unchanged starting line up from the team that drew 1-1 at the Valley on Saturday.
This will mean Joss Labadie staying in the team after his return on Saturday, whilst Robbie Weir would continue at right-back ahead of Michael Kay and Zoumana Bakayogo at left-midfield ahead of Elford-Alliyu.
Marlon
Broomes and Ryan Fraughan remain out with knee ligament injuries for
Tranmere, whilst Alan Mahon is also doubtful with a hamstring strain.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere 2-0 Bristol Rovers
After two encouraging 1-1 draws away from home last week, I expect Tranmere to come out and beat Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, especially following the shocking display against Yeovil ten days ago, something the team will be keen to improve on.
It's vital that Tranmere take the game to The Gas though, who are likely to come to and play with a similar game plan to Yeovil Town who say back and then hit Tranmere with a counter attack to win the game 1-0.
Andy Robinson must be a more involved in the game, if fit to play, as he's has talent that can open teams up and create chances for in form striker Enoch Showunmi, whilst it would be interesting to see Tranmere go in to the game with a 4-4-2 formation, something that they have profitted with more against lower placed sides this season.
When chances come their way, it's vital that Tranmere take them as they look to pick up what would be a huge three points that could potentially move them ten points clear of the relegation zone with the end of the season fast approaching.
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
07/03/2011 15:24
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:09:18:35:03 by Deadly Submarine.
This is definitely a more winnable game now, unless the new player-manager Campbell turns out to be Eddie Howe Mark II, but I would think him suddenly being given, for now at least, temporary charge as well as still playing, may be a possible step too far for him and them.
Apparently Martin Foyle one of the coaches has left, to be linked with the Grimsby job. Good luck to him if he gets it as he'll need it, trying to revive a flagging team now in the conference, that were second tier less than 10 years ago.
I remember Grimsby being one of the two games along with Barnsley, that after a 2-0 Tranmere lead was lost, that caused Aldo to walk. Frankly two unforgivable defeats by Rovers in fairness.
So I'm even more optimistic Tranmere can win the Bristol game, unless unknown or unforseen factors intervene.
2-0 win tonight.
