Tranmere Rovers v Crewe Alexandra Match Preview
By Deadly Submarine
October 23 2008
Total Tranmere's Deadly Submarine takes a look ahead to Friday night's game at home to Crewe Alexandra in League One as Rovers look to cap a perfect seven days with three wins out of three after successes away at Leyton Orient and at home to Cheltenham Town.
Friday 24th October 2008 - Kick Off 7.45pm
Tranmere R v Crewe Alex
Coca-Cola League One at Prenton Park
After notching a first home win in four matches on Tuesday night after a 2-0 success over struggling Cheltenham Town, the prospect of facing the team that are currently bottom of League One having not won away from home this season might seem like an ideal follow-up fixture.
However as the meeting between the sides earlier this season in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy proves, any game can be tight with Rovers only scraping past Alex by a single second half goal from Chris Shuker to progress to the forthcoming tie against Morecambe in the next round.
Away from home, Crewe have played six matches this season in the League and have drawn one and lost five of them with the most recent defeat coming at Yeovil Town on Tuesday night where they lost 3-2.
Even at home, Crewe have not fared much better with no wins home or away in their last six matches.
Rovers may of course come up against two former players tomorrow night in Chris McCready and Calvin Zola with the latter having only moved to Gresty Road in the summer for a fee of £200,000. Zola was the scorer in the League meeting of the sides at Prenton Park last season for Rovers shortly after Crewe had taken the lead from the penalty spot.
In past meetings between the sides, Rovers have the edge having won 47 out of the 110 league meetings and with a further 26 being draws. Rovers have lost just 11 times in 55 matches to Alexandra at Prenton Park and will be hoping that total remains at 11 by 9.30pm on Friday.
Tuesday's attendance against Cheltenham was a disappointing affair with less than 5,000 inside Prenton Park but hopefully the closer location of the opponents (despite their poor form) and the recent successes of Friday night games will see that attendance boosted slightly for this game.
If you are going to the game get behind the lads and enjoy it - let's hope for a further three points to put Rovers in the play-offs overnight at least.
Tranmere Team News
Craig Curran (groin) continues to be sidelined but Ronnie Moore will otherwise have a full squad to choose from and is likely to start with the same team that beat Cheltenham Town 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Match Officials
Referee
Stuart Atwell (Warwickshire)
Assistant Referees
Michael Murphy (West Midlands)
Adam Watts (Worcestershire)
Fourth Official
Anthony Bates (Staffordshire)
Top-Scorers
Tranmere Rovers - Bas Savage (4 Goals)
Crewe Alexandra - Michael O'Connor and Tom Pope (4 Goals)
Head-to-Head (League)
Tranmere Record Vs Crewe Alexandra:
Overall: P110 W47 D26 L37 F182 A153
Home: P55 W32 D12 L11 F117 A63
Form Guide
Tranmere Rovers
Overall - DLWLWW
Home - WWLLLW
Crewe Alexandra
Overall - LDLLDL
Away - LLLDLL
Current Season Record
Tranmere Rovers
Overall - P12 W6 D1 L5 F20 A19 (Points 19 Position 9th)
Home - P6 W3 D0 L3 F11 A9
Crewe Alexandra
Overall - P12 W2 D2 L8 F17 A29 (Points 8 Position 24th)
Away - P5 W0 D1 L5 F6 A17
Last Season at Prenton Park
Saturday 2nd October 2007 - Prenton Park
Tranmere Rovers 1 - 1 Crewe Alexandra
Shuker 65 Roberts (pen) 56
Tranmere Team: Achterberg, Stockdale, Chorley, Goodison, Sherriff, Shuker, McLaren (Kay 86), Jennings, Jones (Curran 77), G.Taylor, Greenacre.
Subs Not Used: Tremarco, Ahmed, McWeeney.
Prenton Park Stadium Information
Click Here for Information on Prenton Park
