Battle for Survival: Team News
By Matthew Jones
May 7 2010
Ahead of all the huge games in the relegation battle, Total Tranmere brings you all the team news you need to know from the teams in the relegatiob battle
Saturday is D-Day. One team must go. Four teams battle in four seperate game to beat the drop to League Two, hoping to play for at least one more year in England's third tier.
Gillingham go into the weekend in poll position, they're two points clear of Tranmere and Exeter, whilst Hartlepool are one point following their points deduction yesterday for playing the suspended Gary Liddle against Brighton.
The fixtures for the weekend though make for interesting reading. Gillingham, without an away win all season and with the worst away record in the Football League, travel to Wycombe who will be keen to put in a good display for their fans after being relegated last weekend.
Exeter host Huddersfield, and despite Exeter's strong home form, this will not be an easy game for the Grecians who play a Huddersfield side that are still capable of finishing second if results go their way.
Hartlepool, no doubt lacking in confidence after their points deduction on Thursday, travel to Brentford, who've lost just twice at home all season and are undefeated at Griffin Park since October, whilst Tranmere and Stockport come head to head at Edgely Park, Stockport without a win in thirteen and Tranmere without a win on the road in seven.
It is going to be close then this weekend and no doubt fans of all four clubs will be keeping up to date via text updates, radio updates and the internet on how the teams around them are doing in their respective games.
Ahead of those big fixtures, we bring you all the team news for those games.
Brentford vs. Hartlepool
Despite being given a one-match ban for playing in that now infamous game againt Brighton whilst suspended, Gary Liddle is available for this game for Hartlepool as this suspension takes fourteen days to come in to place, and therefore will only be affective as of next season.
Hartlepool meanwhile though expect to have no other absentee's for the game, with Leon McSweeney expected to recover from a knock picked up last weekend against Exeter.
Brentford meanwhile are without on-loan defender Kim Balkestein who misses the game due to a nose injury but other than that manager Andy Scott has a fully fit squad to choose from.
Exeter vs. Huddersfield
For Exeter, striker Barry Corr is available again as he made his comeback from injury against Hartlepool last weekend, whilst Marcus Stewart and Stuart Fleetwood are also available for selection.
Huddersfield, with of course former Rovers favourite Antony Kay in their line up, are set to be boosted by the return of Michael Collins in midfield and Robbie Simpson returns to the line up after a long-term thigh injury.
Stockport vs. Tranmere
Already relegated Stockport will give late fitness tests to former Liverpool player Ritchie Partridge and David Poole, with both complaining of injuries following last Saturday's defeat to Southend.
The Hatters are however without several players, with Johnny Mullins, Matty Mainwaring and Grey Tansey all missing through injury.
Tranmere manager Les Parry will be without midfielder Paul McLaren, who remain on the sidelines with a thigh injury, whilst goalkeepers Luke Daniels and Joe Collister are also missing, with on-loan Liverpool youngster Peter Gulacsi set to continue in goal.
Other than this though, the Wirral side have no fresh injury worries ahead of the fixture.
Wycombe vs. Gillingham
Wycombe are without striker Stuart Beavon, who is out until August at least with a broken leg whilst fellow frontman Alex Revel is unavailable after his loan spell with the club expired.
Captain Adam Hinshelwood remains sidelined with a knee injury for the Chairboys, though some better news for the Adams Park side is the return of Leon Johnson.
Gillingham are also without a striker who's loan spell has expired, after Chris Dickson returned to Charlton this week, whilst the side with the worst away record in the league are also without Simon King and Garry Richards who both have ankle injuries and Barry Fuller who has a broken nose.
That concludes all the team news ahead of the games for teams involved in the relegation battle in League One this weekend.
For more latest news and feature articles ahead of the games, don't forget to keep checking back to Total Tranmere, whilst to keep up to date with news before it breaks on Total Tranmere, don't forget to follow us on Twitter.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
are we sure this isnt a blag?
