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Southend United v Tranmere Rovers - Sat Sept 15th
By Deadly Submarine
September 26 2005
This Saturday sees the Super White Army make yet another long early season away trip this time to Roots Hall in Essex, the home of recently promoted Southend United. United are currently well in form having won their last three games so the match is sure to be tough for Brian Little’s men.

SOUTHEND UTD  Vs TRANMERE ROVERS

Saturday 17th September 2005 – Kick Off 3.00pm

 

Tranmere are on their travels again this weekend and once again they find themselves travelling a considerable distance at this early stage of the season.  With just over a month of the season gone, Rovers have already endured away trips to Swansea, Bournemouth, Brentford and Scunthorpe and now they travel to Southend for what is sure to be a tricky away game.

 

Southend, after a less than convincing start to their new life in League One following promotion last season, can now consider themselves to be bang in form having recorded three straight wins in their last three games.  Of their five home games so far this season though, they have only managed to record two victories

 

Last years League Two Play-Off Winners and LDV Vans Trophy runners-up have already been something of a surprise this season, finding themselves in sixth place and three places ahead of Rovers.

 

Rovers have not lost at away from home for two games (a win and a draw) but a failure to win at home to Bradford City last Friday makes getting something from Roots Hall all the more important as the League Table begins to pan out.  Rovers have only won two of their last six games in League One.

 

The two sides have not met in the League since the 1996-97 season which saw Rovers take four points from the two games that season.  The first meeting of the season was at Roots Hall and saw Rovers get their season off to the worst possible start on the opening day by going a goal down after just a minute of the game.  Rovers recovered and a first half Johnny Morrissey goal levelled the scores and earned Rovers a point in a 1-1 draw.

 

The return game at Prenton Park in March of 1997 was very special for one particular Tranmere player.  John Aldridge went into the game requiring just one goal to beat Jimmy Greaves’ all-time goal scoring record in English football and with Rovers already 2-0 up thanks to Kenny Irons and Lee Jones, Aldridge grabbed his side’s third and the record as Rovers won 3-0.  Southend went on to be relegated from Division 1 that season and have never faced Rovers since until now.

 

DEADLY’S MATCH PREDICTION: SOUTHEND   2 - 1   TRANMERE

 

Southend United’s One to Watch:

 

Shaun Goater – The former Manchester City striker signed for Southend in the summer after being released by Championship side Reading.  The Bermudan International is currently Southend’s joint top-scorer on three goals along with Wayne Gray and his 6ft 1ins of height will be a potential trouble spot for Rovers.

 

 

Team News

 

 

Southend United: – Last season’s top-scorer Freddy Eastwood returns for Southend after serving a four match ban but new loan signing Jamal Campbell-Ryce from Rotherham is ineligible to play until the end of September.

 

Tranmere Rovers – Rovers are still without the services of Ian Sharps (knee) and Calvin Zola (foot) but young striker Steve Davies returns to the squad after a knee injury had kept him out of recent games.

 

New signing Nicky Summerbee is available for Rovers after signing on a four month contract.

 

Probable Rovers Team: Achterberg, Bruce, Goodison, Jackson, Roberts, Summerbee, McAteer, Rankine, Aiston, Facey, Greenacre.

 

Referee – Ray Olivier (West Midlands)

 

 

Current Form

 

 

Southend United:

                                               

Last Six Games At Home – WLDLWW                   

 

Last Six Games - DLLWWW      

 

 

Tranmere Rovers:

           

Last Six Games Away – LLLLWD

 

Last Six Games - LLWWDD

 

 

Last Meetings – (Season 1996/97)

 

 

17th August 1996 – Football League Division 1 – Roots Hall

 

Southend United  1 – 1  Tranmere Rovers

Rammell           1                      Morrissey 22

                                   

                          Rogers s/off 69

 

Attendance: 4,264

 

 

28th March 1997 – Football League Division 1 – Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  3 – 0  Southend United 

Irons 6

L Jones 23

Aldridge 35                   

 

Attendance: 7,563

 

 

Hotshots

 

 

Top Scorers in 2005-06 Season:

 

Southend United – Wayne Gray and Shaun Goater (3 Goals)

 

Tranmere Rovers – Chris Greenacre (5 Goals)

 

 

 

 

Head to Head

 

Summary of Past Meetings

 

All Matches:

Matches Played = 40

Southend Wins = 11

Tranmere Wins = 18

Matches Drawn = 11

 

Southend Goals = 48

Tranmere Goals = 58

 

At Southend (Roots Hall):

Matches Played = 20

Southend Wins = 7

Tranmere Wins = 7

Matches Drawn = 6

 

Southend Goals = 29

Tranmere Goals = 22

 

 

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