Tranmere Rovers v Brighton and HA – Match Preview

A look ahead to tomorrow afternoon as Rovers and their stand-in Manager Les Parry prepare to face Brighton and Hove Albion at Prenton Park in a bid to finally start picking up some points towards avoiding the possibility of an early relegation to League Two for next season following the awful start under recently departed Boss John Barnes.

Tranmere Vs Brighton and HA

Coca-Cola League One - Saturday 17th October

Prenton Park - Kick-Off 3.00pm

Exactly a week ago, the John Barnes circus left town for good and whilst most fans celebrated long into the weekend, it became clear last Monday night in the televised match at home to Stockport County that the mess left behind by the Digger and Trigger show will take a lot longer to clear up than their Rovers careers ultimately lasted.

Another defeat in that Stockport game, Rovers ninth defeat in the twelve League One matches played so far this season, saw a perhaps more organised but ultimately still fruitless and hardly encouraging display from the men in white as a second half penalty gave the visitors a perhaps undeserved 1-0 win.

The penalty of course resulted in goalkeeper Luke Daniels being somewhat harshly sent off which will now rule him out of first-team action until November - the last thing caretaker Manager Les Parry would have wanted ahead of his second game in charge.

Brighton have themselves struggled this season but picked up an important win on Tuesday night at home to Gillingham and seem to have a capable goalscorer in Nicky Forster who once again this season is scoring with ease for the South Coast Club with seven goals already so far in twelve games.

Brighton's Nicky Forster is Once Again Scoring Brighton's Goals

Last season in this fixture at Prenton Park, Tranmere claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to an injury-time header from Antony Kay whilst in the last meeting of the sides at Brighton's Withdean Stadium there were no goals in the game as Rovers came away with a deserved point in a 0-0 draw.

Albion have only won once on the road this season thanks to a a 2-0 win at Carlisle where Rovers themselves failed to win earlier this season but four draws on their travels have also ensured that they have also only lost once away from the Withdean although that defeat was a mammoth 7-1 thumping at Huddersfield Town back in late August.

Monday night's home defeat to Stockport County in front of the nation on Sky TV ensured that Rovers have now lost more games at home in 2009/10 than they did in the whole of last season and that record in itself sees them deservedly in the bottom four of League One at this point in time.

Hopefully though, having now had a full week to work with the players and coaches Shaun Garnett and Wayne Allison, caretaker Manager Les Parry may be able to get Rovers a result against a struggling Brighton on Saturday ahead of the expected announcement of a new Manager next week.

DEADLY SUBMARINE PREDICTS............ROVERS 2 - 1 BRIGHTON AND HA

Rovers Team News

Rovers will be without suspended goalkeeper Luke Daniels so new loan signing David Martin from Liverpool is expected to start between the posts for Les Parry's men.

Striker Bas Savage (achilles) is a long-term absentee for Rovers but there are other real injury concerns for the Physio turned caretaker Manager.

The Form Guide

Home and Away (Last Six Games)

ROVERS AT HOME: WLLLDL        BRIGHTON AWAY: DLDWDD

Home and Away (Season Record)

ROVERS HOME: P6 W1 D1 L4 F7 A12   BRIGHTON AWAY: P6 W1 D4 L1 F7 A11

2009/10 (Last Six Games)

ROVERS: LLDWLL        BRIGHTON: WLDLDW

2009/10 (Season Record so Far)

ROVERS: P12 W2 D1 L9 F9 A27        BRIGHTON: P12 W3 D4 L5 F14 A20