Tranmere Rovers v Walsall Match Preview

Ahead of Saturday's Coca-Cola League One match at home to Walsall, Matthew Jones provides us with his regular pre-match information and views on the forthcoming game including the latest pre-match stats and team news as Rovers look for their first win in six matches in all competitions under John Barnes.....

Saturday 12th September 2009 - Kick_Off 3.00pm

Tranmere Rovers Vs Walsall

Coca-Cola League One at Prenton Park

Following another hugely disappointing result last weekend, Tranmere Rovers will be looking to get back on track this weekend as they host Walsall at Prenton Park in Coca Cola League One.

Rovers have lost five on the bounce coming into this game, failing to score in any of the games too, and with the pressure mounting on John Barnes, the former Liverpool and England winger will be hoping that he can turn things around and get Tranmere moving up the table.

Walsall come to Prenton Park looking for their first goal in over four matches too, and with just one win to their name all season, so this is a key game for both sides as they look to kick start their season.

Walsall Team Profile:

Formed: 1888
Ground: Bescot Stadium
Manager:  Chris Hutchings
Nickname: The Saddlers
Season Finish 2007/08: 13th

Previous Meetings:

Tranmere Rovers completed an impressive double over Walsall last season, picking up six hugely important points in their ultimately unsuccessful race for the play-offs.

The first meeting between the two sides came at Prenton Park over the Christmas period, when, following on from a 2-2 draw at Hereford, Ronnie Moore's side picked up a 2-1 win over the Saddlers.

Tranmere took the lead through an unlikely source in the first half, when Jamaican defender Ian Goodison tapped home Chris Shuker's wayward shot at the back post, netting into an open goal from close range.

Walsall however equalised just after half time when Reich netted from the penalty spot following a foul on Ibehre by goals corer Goodison.

Both teams came close to a second, particularly Sonko for Tranmere, hitting the post against his former club, but it looked like both teams would have to settle for a draw, until Antony Kay popped up with a winner for Rovers.

It wasn't Tranmere's best performance of the season, but thankfully they picked up the three points thanks to captain Antony Kay's late injury time winner, with the Yorkshire man netting after some hard work by striker Ian Moore.

At the Bescot Stadium later in the season, Tranmere Rovers picked up their fifth and final away win of the season, thanks to a crucial, crucial goal from Bas Savage, his eighth of the season.

Bas Savage was on Target Against Walsall Last Season

Played over the Easter Weekend, Rovers knew that only a win would really do if they were to keep their play-off ambitions alive, but it was Walsall who started the stronger of the two sides, Michael Ricketts, now with Rovers, hitting the bar for the hosts early on.

Walsall ‘keeper Gilmartin though was to thank for keeping the scores level for so long, as he made excellent saves from Antony Kay, twice, and Charlie Barnett, before Coyne saved from Deeney at the other end, with Ibehre twice firing wide.

Again, then, Tranmere left it late, but they still picked up the three points thanks to striker Bas Savage, who headed home Eddrissa Sonko's cross, heading his side into the play-off zone, with four weeks of the season remaining.

Vital Stats:

Tranmere have won fifteen of their thirty home games against Walsall, losing on just eight occasions

Seven of the last twelve games between the two sides have finished 2-1

In 31 home games against Walsall, Tranmere have scored 51 goals, conceding just 29

Tranmere have won just two of nine September meetings between the two sides

Though these two sides have met on sixty occasions, the two teams have only met outside the bottom two division during one season, 1999/2000, with Walsall relegated straight back down to Division Two. 

On This Day:

2006: Ronnie Moore's Tranmere side lose a tough Tuesday night away fixture at Rotherham 2-1, with Kevin Ellison netting the Rovers goal

2000:  In their relegation season from Division One, Tranmere lose 2-0 at Fratton Park against Portsmouth

1995:  John King's Tranmere draw 2-2 at home to West Brom in Division One

Tranmere have played seventeen previous fixtures on September 12^th, picking up five wins and seven draws, as well as seven defeats.  In their seventeen games on this day, they have scored 29 goals, whilst conceding 27.  Their last win on this day came in 1977, when Rovers won 3-0 against Wrexham.

The Form Book:

Tranmere last six games:  LLLLLW
Walsall last six games:  DDDLLD

Tranmere Rovers come into this game in their worst run of form since the 2000/01 season, the year in which they were relegated from Division One, having lost five games in a row and failed to score in any of those matches.

The start of Tranmere's six match run saw them pick up their first league win of the season, a 4-2 success over Gillingham, thanks to goals from Ian Moore (x2), John Welsh and Terry Gornell, but it has all been down hill for John Barnes' side ever since.

Firstly, the Prenton Park side lost 1-0 to a lot goal against MK Dons, before putting in an embarrassing display as they lost 3-0 at Elland Road against high-flying Leeds United.

Next up for Tranmere was a cup game against rivals Bolton Wanderers, and indeed Tranmere's performance improved greatly against the Premier League side, but they still lost as Mark Davies scored just before half time to hand Bolton a 1-0 win.

That much improved performance was just a false dawn for Rovers though, who have since lost twice, again without scoring, and each time unacceptably and abysmally.

Firstly, table topping Charlton Athletic travelled to Prenton Park and hammered Rovers 4-0 with two goals either side of half-time, whilst a week later, Rovers lost 3-0 at Carlisle United, though they played much of the game with only ten men, following the dismissal of Shay Logan.

Shay Logan is Suspended After his Red Card at Carlisle

In their other two games this season, Tranmere picked up a 4-0 League Cup first round win over Grimsby Town at Prenton Park, but on the opening day of the season, they lost 2-0 at Yeovil Town, a sign of, so far, what was to follow for Tranmere this season.

Rovers come into this game having played six league matches this season, picking up three of an available eighteen points, thanks to one win and five defeats.

They lie 23^rd in the League One table, though if it wasn't for Southampton's ten point deduction, Rovers would lie bottom of the table, one point behind the Saints.

Walsall are on a similarly poor run of form to Tranmere at the moment, coming into this game without a win since the opening day of the season, and having not scored in four games, but three draws see them lie three points above Rovers in the table.

Chris Hutchings' side started their six match sequence with a draw and a defeat, as firstly they drew 2-2 with Southend United, Jones and Parkin netting for the Saddlers, before they suffered their first league defeat of the season at the hands of Leeds United three days later, when a Sam Parkin penalty wasn't enough in a 2-1 defeat for the Midlands based side.

Four days later they lost 2-0 at the Valley against Charlton Athletic, their only other league defeat of the season to date, before they started a run of three successive 0-0 draws against Gillingham.

In the Johnstone's Paints Trophy three days later, a 0-0 draw at home to Bury was followed by a 5-4 penalty shoot out defeat, with Bury drawn against Tranmere in the next round, whilst last weekend, the Saddlers drew 0-0 with ever improving Norwich at Carrow Road.

In their other two games this season, the Saddlers have picked up a win and a defeat, firstly opening the season with a 1-0 success over Brighton and Hove Albion, before suffering a 1-0 defeat in the League Cup first round against Accrington Stanley three days later.

The Saddlers come into this fixture in fifteenth place in the League One table, having played six matches and picked up six of an available eighteen points, thanks to one win, three draws and two defeats.

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