Saturday 13th March 2010 - Coca-Cola League One

Bristol R v Tranmere R

Kick-Off 3.00pm at Memorial Ground

It's been one month since Tranmere last took to the road, when they picked up a draw at struggling Southend United, but Les Parry's side will be desperate to pick up a similar result this weekend when they take on Bristol Rovers, following their 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Prenton Park on Tuesday night.

Tranmere will be fired up for the game, knowing a win could leave them seven points clear of the relegation zone with twelve games left in the League One season, something which would be an incredible achievement for Les Parry, Shaun Garnett and Wayne Allison, considering the position Tranmere were in when they took over the team.

With Bas Savage chomping at the bit for a starting place and Ashton Taylor set to return for Rovers in defence, things are looking up for Tranmere, who will be hoping to pick up just their third away league win of the season in this fixture.

Previous Meetings:

Tranmere's final win of what had been a largely disappointing 2009 came over Bristol Rovers, when the two sides met at Prenton Park just before Christmas in Coca Cola League One.

Rovers comfortably won the game 2-0, though the two goals would prove to be their last for over a month, as they failed to score in their next four league and cup matches.

Tranmere thoroughly deserved to win, as from the off they were the better team, with Logan, Thomas-Moore and Ian Goodison all coming close in the opening twenty minutes, whilst at the other end Daniels was called into action a couple of times to make some comfortable saves.

Les Parry's side eventually got the break through with 29 minutes on the clock, as striker Craig Curran netted his fifth, though unfortunately his most recent goal of the season.  The goal though was a stunner, as the Rovers youth product picked the ball up on the edge of the area and curled a perfect shot into the top corner with his left-foot.

Gornell came close for Tranmere late on in the first half, whilst just after the break Bristol Rovers hit the bar through Williams, but moments later Tranmere doubled their lead through Gareth Edds, who calmly volley home from inside the area after controlling Ian Thomas-Moore's flick on from Bakayogo's cross.

Curran, Edds and Thomas-Moore and came close to increasing Tranmere's lead in the remaining half hour, but the score remained at 2-0 as Tranmere picked up a vital three points in their battle for survival.

Vital Stats:

Tranmere won their only trophy (excluding the Welsh Cup) against Bristol Rovers, when they beat the Gas 2-1 in the final of the Leyland Daf trophy at Wembley stadium in May 1990

Rovers have travelled to Bristol on twelve occasions but have an awful record against the Pirates, picking up just two wins, as they have lost nine times and drawn once

Tranmere have scored just six goals to Rovers' 18 on their travels to Bristol

Four of the last five meetings between these two sides have ended 2-0

Tranmere have never completed the double over the Pirates

On This Day: 

Bristol Rovers have played seventeen home league games so far this season, and picked up a hugely impressive 34 of an available 51 points, thanks to eleven wins, one draw and five defeats.

Impressive results on the road for Bristol Rovers this season include victories over Southampton (3-2), Hartlepool (2-1), Stockport County (2-0) and Brentford (3-1).

Bristol Rovers come into this game in ninth place in the League One table, three places and nine points behind sixth placed Swindon, having picked up 51 of an available 106 points, thanks to sixteen wins, three draws and fifteen defeats.

Tranmere haven't actually played an away game for a month, after their away trip to Brentford on 27th February was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.  However, Rovers' away form since the turn of the year has been much improved, with just one defeat away from Prenton Park all season, and with Les Parry's side coming into this game having not lost any of their last three matches on the road.

However, Tranmere did start their six match sequence with a defeat, losing 3-0 to high flying Southampton United, with Rickie Lambert scoring two goals for the Saints, including one stunning long range effort.

Tranmere had to wait over a month for their next away game though, as the weather saw several of their games postponed.  When they did get back on the road though, Tranmere managed to pick up an important point over relegation rivals Oldham Athletic thanks to a 0-0 draw.

Rovers then lost 1-0 against MK Dons in their next away game three days later, Jason Puncheon scoring an early goal for the Dons from which Tranmere never recovered, before in their next away game a week later, Tranmere put in a much improved performance as they drew 1-1 at the Valley against Charlton Athletic in a game they were unlucky not to win.

Les Parry then guided his Tranmere side to their first away league win since September when they beat Gillingham 1-0 at Priestfield thanks to a strike from Ian Thomas-Moore, before Ian Goodison was on a target four days later when Rovers came from behind to draw 1-1 at Roots Hall against Southend United.

Tranmere's only other notable results on the road this season were a 1-0 win at Wycombe courtesy of a Ian Thomas-Moore goal when John Barnes was still in charge of the club, a 1-0 F.A. Cup win at Leyton Orient and a 3-3 draw with Huddersfield Town.
 
Rovers come into this game having picked up just ten of an available 48 points on the road this season, having won two, drawn four and lost ten of their sixteen games on the road.
 
Notable results at Prenton Park for Tranmere this season include wins over Gillingham (4-2), Bristol Rovers (2-0), Southampton (2-1) and Southend United (2-0). 
 
Les Parry's side come into this match in  20th place in the League One table, lying fours points and one place above the League One relegation zone, having picked up 36 of an available 102 points from their 34 games, thanks to ten wins, six draws and eighteen 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:  Joe Kuffour

A striker of undoubted quality, Joe Kuffour started his career at Arsenal as a trainee, before moving on to Torquay in 2002, after failing to ever make a first team appearance for the Gunners and having played just thirteen professional games in his career, these coming whilst out on loan at Swindon.

It was at Torquay where Kuffour began to make a name for himself though, as they youngster became a regular fixture in the match day squad over four seasons with the South coast club.

However, a striker, Kuffour was never prolific at Torquay, though he did play several games in midfield.  His return of 33 goals in 160 games for the club could hardly be called inspiring form though, so many believed his move to Brentford in 2006 on a free-transfer to be somewhat of a gamble for the League One club.

Kuffour though slotted right in at Griffin Park, and playing more regularly in attack, he began to to show the form he had once promised at Arsenal, scoring fourteen goals in his one and only season with the club.

A 2007 move to Bournemouth was followed a year later by his move to Bristol Rovers following the Cherries relegation to League Two, and Kuffour has found his best form in the game to date whilst at the Memorial Ground over the past 18 months, returning twenty goals in 77 games for the club, nine of those goals coming this season, including two in his last three games.

With electric pace and a strong finish in front of goal, Kuffour is a player Tranmere's defence will definitely have to be wary of on Saturday, especially with the former Arsenal man in decent form at the moment.

Now 29, the Canadian born striker wears the number seventeen shirt for the Gas.

League One Fixtures:

For the first time in several weeks, there is a full round of fixtures in Coca Cola League One on Saturday afternoon, with all 24 teams kicking off at 3.00pm.

Brentford vs. MK Dons
Brighton vs. Swindon
Bristol Rovers vs. Tranmere
Carlisle vs. Colchester
Huddersfield vs. Norwich
Leyton Orient vs. Walsall
Millwall vs. Charlton
Oldham vs. Wycombe
Southampton vs. Leeds United
Southend vs. Exeter
Stockport vs. Gillingham
Yeovil vs. Hartlepool

Team News:
 
Manager Les Parry has several key decisions to make ahead of this game, having already hinted to the press this week that he may well make changes to Tranmere's starting line up ahead of this game.

Shay Logan may come back in to replace Luke O'Neill, whilst Ash Taylor could return from injury to slot into either defence as a replacement for Broomes, or in midfield ahead of any of McLaren, Welsh or Edds.  Alan Mahon has also showed glimpses of his old self in the past week, so he is pushing for a starting place, whilst Bas Savage is likely to feature yet again.

However, Parry will be without strikers Terry Gornell and Kithson Bain, who remain absent with the Mumps and a hamstring injury respectively.

Jones' Prediction:  Bristol Rovers 1-1 Tranmere Rovers Tranmere's 4-1 defeat to Leeds United on Tuesday night was no doubt confidence draining and energy sapping, but Rovers have very rarely lost two on the bounce under Les Parry and the Rovers boss will have his side fired up for this game on Saturday.

Bristol Rovers are a good side without a doubt, but with Ash Taylor returning for Tranmere, and Bas Savage battling for a starting place, Rovers are, without a doubt, beginning to look stronger in terms of strength and depth, and with these two important players slotting back into the side, though it is doubtful both will start, Tranmere could well pick up at least a point in this match.

For me, it's crucial that midfielder Alan Mahon starts the match.  The talented Irishman has more creativity in him than most of the Tranmere team put together and though he has been off form when he has played on the main this season, in Tranmere's last two matches he has impressed as a substitute, leading to calls for him to come into the side.

Mahon could be crucial if he starts.  The former Blackburn player is deadly from set pieces and could be the player to put through those killer balls to Thomas-Moore, Sordell and Curran.

Rovers though will be coming up against a strong Bristol Rovers side who score lots of goals, so it will be important that their main focus for this game is defensively, especially with the game taking place at the Memorial Ground, with the likes of Edds and Welsh required to protect their back four all the time.

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Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Total Tranmere (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 00:02

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:03:12:00:14:12 by Deadly Submarine.

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Deadly Submarine (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 00:14

I'm predicting a defeat and looking at our past history on this day I was tempted by 3-2 but I think 2-0 or 2-1 to the home side.

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Deadly Submarine

"Will you stop saying you threw a monkey into the sea!"

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Matthew the rover (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 00:20

Our form away to them is abysmal

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www.twitter.com/totaltranmere

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Deadly Submarine (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 07:53

Indeed so that either means another defeat this time around or we're due a win there!

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Deadly Submarine

"Will you stop saying you threw a monkey into the sea!"

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Matthew the rover (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 10:14

Definitely due a win there! We can say we've seen Tranmere's only ever away draw to Bristol Rovers at the moment though!

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: Mikey (IP Logged)

Date: 12/03/2010 17:08

Our current away form though is decent (especially for a team that never performs well away from home... even last year.)

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Re: Bristol Rovers v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

Posted by: bigmart (IP Logged)

Date: 13/03/2010 10:40

easy home win 2 0

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