Tranmere Rovers
Rochdale v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview
By Matthew Jones
December 30 2010
Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news you need ahead of Saturday's trip to Rochdale....
Tranmere Rovers play their first away game since November 20th this weekend as they travel to Lancashire to take on Rochdale.
Dale were promoted from League Two for the first time in nearly 40 years in the summer, this after losing in the play-off final at Wembley to Stockport in May 2008.
Their turn around in fortunes has been masterminded by Keith Hill, a manager who Tranmere were close to appointing last November following the sacking of John Barnes.
Assisted by David Flitcroft, Hill has turned Rochdale around from a club battling against relegation out of the Football League and now has them competing valiently in League One, with the Dale coming into this game level on points with Tranmere.
This therefore is a huge game as the season progresses, and with no football having played by either side for two weeks due to the weather, both sides will be keen to register three points that could lift them as high up the League One table as sixteenth place.
Rochdale Factfile:
Ground: Spotland
Formed: 1907
Nickname: The Dale
Manager: Keith Hill
League Finish 2009/10: 3rd (League Two)
Kit Colours: Blue shirt with black stripes and black arms,white shorts and blue socks (home), purple shirt with white trim around collar and shoulders, purple shorts and socks (away), white shirt with black trim, black shorts and white socks (third)
Previous Meetings:
The most recent meeting between these two sides was in the Football League Trophy during the 2005/06 season, a year when Rovers made it as far as the Northern Semi-Final of the competition before losing to Carlisle United on penalties.
Tranmere therefore won the game, though it was close as Rovers sneaked home 3-2 winners at a freezing cold Prenton Park.
Brian Little's side took the lead after six minutes when Delroy Facey found then net, only to be pulled back three minutes later as striker Paul Tait netted a rare goal for the Dale.
Tait then netted another goal five minutes before half time to give the League Two side a shock 2-1 lead going into the break, but after half time, having brought Chris Dagnall on with thirty minutes left, Rovers rallied and eventually won the game.
They levelled seven minutes after Dagnall's introduction as Danny Harrison made it 2-2, Dagnall flicking a throw-in on to Greenacre who in turn passed to Harrison who slotted the ball into the net.
Seven minutes later, Greenacre grabbed himself a goal from the penalty spot, firing home after Delroy Facey had been brought down to give Rovers a 3-2 win.
Vital Stats:
This is the first season that Tranmere and Rochdale have been in the same division since 1988/89, the year which Rovers were promoted to League One under John King
In 59 previous trips to Rochdale, Tranmere have picked up fifteen wins, losing on 31 occasions
Tranmere have scored 65 goals compared to Rochdale's 91 in their 59 away games at Spotland
Rovers have lost just one of their last eight games against the Spotland side
Tranmere have won eight, lost four and drawn one of thirteen January meetings between the two sides
On This Day:
2008: Ronnie Moore's Tranmere side lose a tight game against Crewe 4-3 at Gresty Road
2007: Shane Sherriff and Gareth Taylor score as Moore's Tranmere beat his old side Rotherham 2-1 at Prenton Park
2005: Ryan Taylor and Iain Hume are on target for Brian Little's Tranmere as Rovers draw 2-2 at Boundary Park against Oldham Athletic
Tranmere Rovers have played 39 previous games on New Years Day, picking up twenty victories, eight draws and eleven defeats. In these 39 games, they have scored 83 goals and conceded 60 times.
Tranmere have won just one of ten away games on New Years Day in their history, this a 2-1 success at West Brom in 1997, whilst they have scored in all bar two of the last fourteen games they have played on this day.
The Form Book:
Rochdale Town last six home games: DDLWLW
Tranmere Rovers last six away games: WWLLLW
Under
the guidance of excellent manager Keith Hill, Rochdale have gone from strength to strength and look like a solid League One side following their promotion to the division in the spring.
They started their six match sequence in strong form, beating Huddersfield Town 3-0 thanks to goals from Kennedy, Akpa-Akpro and O'Grady, before they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Yeovil in their next home game.
Next up at Spotland, Rochdale picked up a huge 3-2 win over Dagenham and Redbridge, O'Grady, Elding and Jones on the scoresheet, but Keith Hill's side were dumped out of the F.A. Cup next time out against Non-League outfit FC United of Manchester, who picked up the shock of the round as they defeated Dale 3-2.
Since their defeat on November 5th, Rochdale have played just two home games and drawn them both, firstly against Swindon (3-3) and then against local rivals Oldham Athletic (1-1).
Other impressive results for the club this season include a 3-2 victory over Walsall and draws with Hartlepool United (0-0) and Plymouth Argyle (1-1).
Keith Hill's side come into this game having played nine home games this season and picked up thirteen of an available 27 points, this thanks to three wins, four draws and two defeats.
Notable results away from Spotland for Rochdale this season include successes against Brentford (3-1), Southampton (2-0) and Barnsley (1-0, League Cup).
Rochdale come into this game in nineteenth place in the League One table, having picked up 22 of an available 66 points thanks to six wins, four draws and nine defeats.
Tranmere Rovers have not played an away game since November 20th, having had three matches postponed since that date due to the icy cold conditions across England.
Rovers started their six match sequence with a defeat, losing 2-0 against Nigel Adkins' Southampton at St. Marys, before they turned their form around in their next away game as they picked up an excellent 4-1 victory over Walsall thanks to goals from John Welsh (x2), Ian Thomas-Moore and Enoch Showunmi.
Rovers were then however defeated twice in a row, Thomas-Moore missing a penalty as they firstly lost 1-0 against Carlisle United, before Tranmere came from 3-0 down to make it 3-3 before eventually losing 5-3 against the Cherries in an F.A. Cup first round tie.
Tranmere come into this game with successive wins behind them on the road however, as firstly Thomas-Moore was on target in a 1-0 Johnstone Paints Trophy victory over Bury, before Enoch Showunmi scored as Tranmere picked up three vital points in a 1-0 win over Notts County.
Other impressive results away from home for Tranmere this season include wins over Walsall in the League Cup (1-0) and Bristol Rovers (1-0) in the League, as well as a 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town.
Les Parry's
side have played nine away league games this season and picked up eight of an available 27 points, this thanks to three wins, two draws and four defeats.
Notable results at Prenton Park for Tranmere this season include victories over Plymouth (1-0), MK Dons (4-2) and Peterborough United (1-0).
Les
Parry's side currently lie in 20th place in League One, having picked
up 22 of an available 57 points from 19 games, thanks to six wins, four
draws and nine defeats.
Double Hit:
Chris Dagnall came through the youth ranks at Tranmere Rovers and was a hugely promising striker at Prenton Park, netting a huge amount of goals for the youth and reserve teams before breaking into the Tranmere first team.
Making his debut for Rovers on September 13th 2003, Dagnall struggled however to cement a first team place under manager Brian Little, this despite some strong form in Rovers' play-off chasing season.
What ruffled Little's feathers most however was a sending off against Hartlepool for Dagnall, picking up his second yellow card for jumping into the crowd after scoring his first ever goal for the club.
After this, Dagnall was in and out of the team, despite scoring goals, and didn't play in the play-off semi finals against the same club at the end of the 2005/06 season.
On January 13th 2006, Dagnall joined Rochdale for a fee believed to be in the region of £15,000, having made 44 appearances and scored seven goals for the club, though 25 of his appearances were as a substitute.
Despite a number of injuries whilst with Rochdale, Dagnall prospered greatly, reaching a play-off final with the club before eventually winning promotion during the 2009/10 season, a year in which he scored 20 goals.
In four and a half years at Spotland, Dagnall played 176 games, scoring 60 goals, a strong record from a player who certainly developed as he gained more experience.
At the end of the 2009/10 season, Dagnall left Rochdale, joining Scunthorpe on a free transfer after his contract at Spotland expired.
Since joining the Glanford Park side, Dagnall has played regularly, netting six times in 23 games so far for The Iron.
One To Watch:
Centre-back Craig Dawson is currently on a season long loan deal at Rochdale from Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.
Dawson signed for the Baggies in the summer and immediately returned to Spotland on loan as the Roberto Di Matteo looked for his player to gain more first team experience before breaking into the West Brom side.
The defender was with Manchester City before signing for local non-league outfit Radcliffe Borough half way through the 2007/08 season.
He became a firm fan favourite with the club, winning the player of the season award in 2008/09, the same season in which he signed for Rochdale after also receiving offers from Bury, Crewe and Port Vale.
Dale signed Dawson midway through the 08/09 campaign, but he remained with Radcliffe Borough on loan until the end of the season, eventually leaving the club having scored 15 goals in 75 games, an impressive record for a centre-back.
In this first season with a Football League club, Dawson helped Rochdale to promotion to League One for the first time in nearly 50 years and didn't miss a single game for the club, playing 52 games and scoring twelve goals, form that earned him a move to the Hawthornes with West Brom for an undisclosed fee.
He immediately returned to Rochdale and has since played sixteen games for the club, scoring a further two goals.
Aged 20, Dawson is a towering centre-back, although he only stands at just over six foot tall, who wins a staggering amount of headers in both boxes, and is somebody who will have to be watched carefully by the Tranmere defence.
The Rochdale number 26 is also quick across the ground and strong in the tackle and will be a tough player for Rovers to get round this Saturday.
Around League One:
One League One fixture has already been postponed due to the weekend weather, and more may be postponed following the publishing of this article. However at the time of writing, there are ten League One fixtures kicking off at 15.00 on Saturday afternoon, whilst Brighton v Leyton Orient kicks off at 13.00
Brentford vs. Dagenham
Carlisle vs. Huddersfield
Colchester vs. Charlton
Hartlepool vs. Oldham
MK Dons vs. Bristol Rovers
Plymouth vs. Yeovil
Rochdale vs. Tranmere
Southampton vs. Exeter
Swindon vs. Bournemouth
Walsall vs. Notts County
Team News:
Les Parry should have Lucas Akins and Dale Jennings available for this fixture, with both players having had time to recover from knocks that would have seen them miss the game against Swindon Town.
Alan Mahon still needs more match practice before starting a first team game, but could find a place on the substitutes bench, whilst Ash Taylor is expected to start for the second time this season.
The Wales youth international could start in defence for Rovers though, as Les Parry welcomes back Joss Labadie after a three match ban, meaning there would be no place in the starting line up for two of Max Blanchard, Scott Wootton and Jermaine Grandison, whilst Marlon Broomes should be fit for a place on the substitutes bench.
Lateef Elford-Alliyu could start again on the wing in a 4-4-2 formation for Tranmere, with Jennings on the other flank, whilst Nielsen and Alliyu play the penultimate games of their loan spells at the club.
Jones' Prediction: Rochdale 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
It's very difficult to predict exactly what will happen in this game, as both teams are without match practice having not played for sometime due to the cold weather conditions.
This should however be a very close game, with the two sides level in the table on points, whilst Tranmere's away form this season has been more impressive than recent years, something they will hopefully carry on today.
The key for Tranmere is snuffing out the effect of Rochdale's competitive Gary Jones in midfield and keeping former Oldham stirker Chris O'Grady quiet, an important duo for the Dale who are involved in a large proportion of their sides goals.
Rovers also need to get Dale Jennings more involved in the game too. The striker, who may leave the club in January, has been quiet in recent weeks, and if Rovers are too prosper, then they must bring him into the game more often, as he can ignite Tranmere in attack and worry any defence with his frightening pace.
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30/12/2010 13:13
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:12:30:13:25:31 by Deadly Submarine.
Every ball is a white ball............TRFC
Every ball is a white ball............TRFC
