By Deadly Submarine
April 1 2006

All the News and Stats ahead of the Tuesday night visit of Hartlepool United to Prenton Park in Coca-Cola League One as Rovers look to continue their recent improved home form and build on a decent but disappointing result away at Gillingham on Saturday in a game they could and should have won.

 

 

Tuesday February 14th 2006 – Kick-Off 7.45pm

 

Coca-Cola League One at Prenton Park

 

 

On January 14^th of this year, Tranmere made the long trip to Victoria Park to face Hartlepool Utd in League One so it seems quite a coincidence that exactly one month later they are facing the same team, this time on their home territory and after an encouraging but somewhat disappointing draw at Gillingham on Saturday, Rovers will be looking for three points against Pools.

 

The two teams are no strangers to each other as this will be their sixth meeting in little over eighteen months.  The two sides locked horns in the two league matches last season before coming face-to-face with each other again in the League One play-off semi-final over two legs.

 

In the League meetings Rovers came out on top on both occasions thanks to young striker Chris Dagnall who netted the winner in a 2-1 win at Prenton Park before being sent off for a second yellow card for his resulting celebration with the Rovers faithful.  In the return game at Victoria Park, Dagnall was again the hero as his goal handed Rovers a 1-0 win.

 

The play-off games were a different story as most Rovers fans know as Rovers slumped to a 2-0 defeat in the away leg before winning 2-0 at Prenton Park but losing on penalties thanks to missed kicks from Ryan Taylor and Ian Sharps.

 

Hartlepool’s form as been a little erratic of late but the departure of Manager Martin Scott last week saw Pools pick up their first win in eleven games at home to play-off chasing Chesterfield on Friday night and the hopes of their fans will be a little higher as they hope that that victory can be the start of a good run of form that will get them out of relegation trouble.

 

Hartlepool  have not won on their travels since late November when they won 1-0 at Valley Parade against Bradford City and since that win they have notched up three draws and three defeats away from home.

 

Tranmere are on an eleven game unbeaten run stretching back to Boxing Day and have picked up their home form lately after a torrid start to the season.  They have lost only once at home in their last nine matches (the defeat coming at the hands of away day specialists Brentford).

 

MATCH PREDICTION:  Tranmere Rovers 2 – 1 Hartlepool Utd

 

 

Tranmere Rovers:  Tranmere are again without goalkeeper John Achterberg (groin) who is now joined on the sidelines by Jason McAteer who picked up a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw at Gillingham on Saturday.  Calvin Zola sits out the second game of his three match ban for his sending off against Huddersfield whilst David Raven is now training with the Rovers squad but is unlikely to be fit for this game.  Ian Sharps picked up his fifth booking of the season at Gillingham on Saturday but will not serve his suspension until the visit of Barnsley on Saturday.

 

Hartlepool United: Joel Porter is still not match fit for Pools after a long-term injury but its expected that Adam Boyd will retain his starting place upfront.  Despite picking up his fifth booking on Friday, Darren Williams is available for the trip to Tranmere as he will serve his suspension in the next match.

 

Match Referee – Phil Joslin (Nottinghamshire)

 

 

 

Tranmere Rovers:

 

Last Six At Home - LDWWDW

Last Six Games - DDDDWD

 

Hartlepool United:

 

Last Six Away - LDLLDD         

Last Six Games - LDDLDW       

 

 

Tranmere Rovers:  Chris Greenacre – 14 Goals

 

Hartlepool United: Eifion Williams – 6 Goals

 

 

14th January 2006 – Coca-Cola League One – Victoria Park

 

Hartlepool United 0 – 0  Tranmere Rovers

 

 

Attendance: 4,181

 

Referee: Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire)

 

 

10^th August 2004 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  2 - 1 Hartlepool United

Taylor (pen) 27                        Robertson 23                                                                                        

Dagnall 68

 

Dagnall sent off 68

   

Attendance: 8,128

 

Referee: Mr Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)

 

 

12^th March 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – Victoria Park

 

Hartlepool United  0 – 1  Tranmere Rovers 

                                                     Dagnall 53                                                                                         

   

Attendance: 4,887

 

Referee: Mr Andy Penn (West Midlands)

 

 

13^th May 2005 – Coca-Cola League One Play-Offs Semi- Final First Leg– Victoria Park

 

Hartlepool United  2 – 0  Tranmere Rovers  

Boyd 32                                  

Boyd 68                                                         

 

Attendance: 6,604

 

Referee: Mr Brian Curson (Leicestershire)

 

 

17^th May 2005 – Coca-Cola League One Play-Offs Semi- Final First Leg– Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  2 – 0  Hartlepool United 

Taylor 70                                

Beresford 82

 

Hartlepool Won 6-5 on Penalties                                       

 

Attendance: 13,356

 

Referee: Mr Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)

 

 

All Matches:                                                     At Prenton Park:

Matches Played = 109                                       Matches Played = 55

Tranmere Wins = 53                                           Tranmere Wins = 38

Hartlepool Wins = 35                                           Hartlepool Wins = 9

Matches Drawn = 21                                          Matches Drawn = 8

 

Tranmere Goals = 193                                         Tranmere Goals = 133

Hartlepool Goals = 153                                        Hartlepool Goals = 60

  

 

 

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