By Albatross
March 11 2005

Not so long ago we were hoping that this might be to see who would be in second place - but recent results for both sides mean that when Hartlepool United take on Tranmere Rovers at Victoria Park it's more likely to be two playoff contenders jockeying for position. Four points ahead of Pools and with the same number of games played, Tranmere still have an outside chance of promotion - but last weekend's defeat at home to Hull dealt those hope a severe blow. Defeat against Pools as well would probably see them having to settle for the playoffs.

It has to be said that this is largely of their own making. There have been too many draws for the Prenton Park team, and that's allowed Luton and Hull to pull away. Last weekend's 3-1 reverse may have been their first loss in the League in eight games, but look at their last six and you'll see that they have won just once. Luton, Bradford, Colchester and Bournemouth have all held Rovers to a draw in recent weeks, and although Brian Little is still talking about promotion as achievable you can't help feeling he'll be ruing some of those results.

Top scorer for Rovers this season is Canadian International Ian Hume, with 14 goals in all competitions; however, he's not always had a regular partner. Eugene Dadi has scored seven times but has come off the bench as often as he's started games; Calvin Zola scored four goals but has spent time on the sidelines injured and hasn't appeared since being sent off in November. Ryan Taylor and Paul Hall have both scored seven in the league, and Taylor has a bit of previous with Pools - he scored on his debut against us in the League Cup a couple of seasons back, and grabbed their equaliser as Rovers beat us 2-1 at Prenton Park early this season.

Rovers have plenty of quality in their midfield, with the likes of McAteer, Goodison and Hall and that may be the key to the winners of this game.

As for team news, Hume has been struggling with illness this week but is expected to be available, and he will most likely to be partnered by Dadi; Zola and Howarth are both missing, and Chris Dagnall - harshly sent off for over-celebrating what turned out to be the winner against us at Prenton Park - will probably be on the bench. Mike Jackson is available after suspension, and Paul Linwood after injury; Steve Jennings though is suspended.

Pools have been able to welcome Chris Westwood and Mark Tinkler back to training this week, but neither is expected to take part in tomorrow's game; Jack Ross is of course out for a while, and there's no sign of Darrell Clarke being fit to take part either. We're unlikely to see Steve Howey either unless Cooper is impressed enough to register him with the authorities quickly. Hugh Robertson looks like the only player that may come back into the side after coming through a game for the reserves in midweek. I don't expect Coops to make changes from Tuesday Night unless he's forced to - but a change of system to 3-5-2 to try and shut down the space for the likes of McAteer and Hall may be a possibility.

We were wondering if this would be a crunch game, and in reality it probably is - but not in the way either side would have hoped for. Pools desperately need to pick up three points to steady the ship a bit and preserve our playoff place; Tranmere know that a defeat might effectively finish off their own receding hopes of automatic promotion. I think that Pools will shade it - just - but that it will be a relatively dour game with a Boyd Penalty the difference between the two sides as we claim a 1-0 win.