Brentford v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

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Brentford Factfile:

Previous Meetings:

Brentford dealt Tranmere a tough and heavy defeat when the two sides met at Prenton Park in October, with a 3-0 win for the visitors extending a dismal running of form to just one win in seven for Les Parry's side.

The game actually saw Tranmere have more possession and more shots than their opponents, but they weren't able to capitalise and make their chances pay as they slipped to a hugely disappointing defeat against a side who were picking up their first away league win of the season.

Brentford took the lead after just seven minutes from the penalty spot, O'Connor stepping forward to slot the ball past Gulacsi after a the referee awarded a penalty against Tranmere for hand ball.

Rovers pressed for the next hour, with Jennings and Showunmi having Tranmere's best chances, but on 67 minutes, O'Connor got his second of the game as his inswinging free kick avoided everybody and slipped in at the far post.

The stuffing had now well and truly been knocked out of Tranmere and it was hardly surprising as, with the home side pushing men forward, Brentford got their third goal on the counter attack, Marcus Bean scoring from in side the six yard box as he found himself on the end of a low cross.

Vital Stats: 

In 20 previous trips to Griffin Park, Tranmere have picked up just five wins, losing on ten occasions

Tranmere have won just one of their last eight games against the Bees, both home and away

Rovers have conceded 37 times in their 20 away games against the London side, scoring on 21 occasions

Tranmere's last away win against Brentford came in the 2002/03 season (Hume and Sharps scoring a in 2-1 success) - the two sides have met five times at Griffin Park since

Rovers have won two of five games against Brentford played on Tuesdays

On This Day:

2005: Dadi, Hume and Roberts score for Tranmere as they defeat Huddersfield Town 3-0 on their way to finishing third in League One

2003: Over 9,000 fans are present at Prenton Park as two strikes from Iain Hume secures Trnamere a 2-1 win over Blackpool

2002: Dave Watson's Tranmere draw 0-0 with Swindon Town in Division One

Tranmere have played twelve previous games on this day, picking up four wins, two draws and six defeats.  In these twelve games, they have scored ten goals and conceded on fourteen occasions.

Rovers, however, are unbeaten in their last five games on this day, picking up three wins in that time, but they have lost four of the five away games they have played on February 22nd.

The Form Book:

Brentford last six home games:  WLDDWD
Tranmere Rovers last six away games:  LWDLLW

Brentford have struggled at times this season, and that led to manager Andy Scott, who guided them into League One eighteen months ago, losing his job earlier this month.

They have picked up five home wins so far this season, but with just two in their last six on home soil, and only two in their last eleven matches both home and away, they are a side certainly struggling for form.

The Bees started their six match sequence with four successive games without defeat, starting with a draw against Charlton in the Johnstons Paints Trophy, a game Brentford won on penalties after the match had ended 0-0.

Simpson and Alexander then scored as Brentford beat Dagenham and Redbridge 2-1 in the league before another draw, this time against Exeter City (1-1) made it three games without defeat.

The Bees then met Brentford again, this time in the Johnstons Paint Trophy area final, once again drawing 1-1 thanks to a strike from Alexander.  Brentford eventually progressed to the final of the competition after beating The Grecians 2-1 at St. James Park three weeks later.

Brentford lost their four match unbeaten run in their next home game, suffering a 2-1 defeat against in form Yeovil Town, before in their most recent match at Griffin Park the Bees turned their form around to beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0.

Other impressive results on home soil for the Londoners this season include successes over Peterborough United (2-1), Sheffield Wednesday (1-0) and Charlton (2-1), whilst they also beat Hull City (2-1) and Everton (4-3 on penalties) in the League Cup.

The Bees have so far played thirteen games at Griffin Park this season, picking up 18 of an available 39 points, this thanks to five wins, three draws and five defeats.

Impressive results away from home for Darren Ferguson's side include successes over Tranmere Rovers (3-0), Exeter City (4-2), Southampton (2-0) and Colchester United (2-0).

Brentford come into this fixture in seventeenth place in the League One table, two places and one point behind Tranmere in the table, having picked up 36 of an available 87 points from 29 games, this thanks to ten wins, six draws and thirteen defeats.

Though they have picked up just two wins in their last six away games, Tranmere put in a promising display away at Peterborough on Saturday and have already surpassed last season's total of three away league victories.

Tranmere picked up a victory at the start of their six match sequence, with a goal from Enoch Showunmi enough to secure a 1-0 victory over Notts County, before in their next away game, not until six weeks later on New Years day, Tranmere twice came from behind but it wasn't enough as they lost 3-2 against Rochdale at Spotland.

Other impressive results away from home for Tranmere this season include wins over Bristol Rovers (1-0) and Walsall (4-1) and another win over Walsall, this time 1-0 in the League Cup.

Les Parry's side have played 14 away league games this season and picked up 15 of an available 42 points, this thanks to four wins, three draws and seven defeats.

Notable results at Prenton Park for Tranmere this season include victories over Southampton (2-0), MK Dons (4-2), Sheffield Wednesday (3-0) and Peterborough United (1-0).

Les Parry's side currently lie in 15th place in League One, having picked up 37 of an available 87 points from 29 games, thanks to ten wins, seven draws and twelve defeats.

Double Hit: 

Winger Jason Price was signed by Tranmere from Brentford in November 2001 by then manager Dave Watson, as Rovers looked to add some fire power to their squad in their push for promotion.

The versatile Welshman enjoyed a six year stint with Swansea between 1995 and 2001, before joining Brentford after being released>

He remained at Griffin Park for just three months, making eighteen appearances before his move to Tranmere, when his career really took off. 

Watson moved Price in to a more attacking role, either up front or on the wing, and he was immediately successful, scoring eleven goals in his first twelve games for the club.  He remained at Prenton Park for two years before rejecting a new contract from Rovers, opting instead to join Hull City, with whom Price would jump from League Two to the Championship in two years after successive promotions.

Price played nearly 90 games for Hull before moving on to Doncaster in 2006, where he remained for a further three years, making over 100 appearances, before joining Millwall after an initial successful loan stint at the club in 2009.

However, Price failed to ever catch the eye at Millwall after signing permanently, and spent time out on loan at Oldham Athletic last season, making his debut for the club in February.

After a month on loan with Oldham, he joined Carlisle on loan, and played well for the club as he scored four times in nine games for the Northern side, enough to convince the club to sign him permanently upon his release by Millwall at the end of the season.

However, Price has failed to recapture such form this season making just four appearances as a substitute for the Blues before joining Bradford on loan in October.

His form with the Bantams was impressive as he scored once in eleven games before joining Walsall on a free transfer in January.

Since joining the Saddlers, Price has played four times but is yet to score.

One To Watch:

London born striker Charlie McDonald enjoyed another successful season at Griffin Park last year, netting 17 goals in all competitions, and he will be hoping he can rekindle some of that form soon as Brentford look to move away from the relegation zone.

McDonald started his career not far away from Brentford at Charlton Athletic, but he made just thirteen appearances for the club, scoring twice, as well as spending time out on loan at Cheltenham, Torquay and Colchester during his four year stint as a professional with the club.

After failing to make a name for himself at the Valley, McDonald was released and spent time in the non-League wilderness with Margate, Stevenage and Crawley over the next three years, before moving to Ebbsfleet in May 2005, a move that kick-started his career.

McDonald stayed with Ebbsfleet for two seasons, but in that time managed to score a hugely impressive forty goals in just 63 games for the cub, a record of nearly two goals every three games.

His form caught the attention of Southend, who signed the played in June 2007 on a free-transfer, but, now back in League football, McDonald again failed to hold down a regular first team place, and after scoring just five goals in 34 appearances for the club, he joined Brentford in 2008 for an undisclosed fee.

This was a match made in heaven, as McDonald helped propell his new team back up to League One with eighteen goals in his first season for the club, adding a further 26 goals to his tally since the club won promotion 18 months ago.

Now 29, McDonald, who stands at just 5'07" and has scored nine times in 35 games so far this season, is far from the tallest of strikers, but is a great poacher in and around the six yard box, and possesses good pace to help him get away from his man.

McDonald wears the number ten shirt for the Bees.

Around League One:

There are just eight fixtures in League One this Tuesday evening, all re-arranged games following postponements due to the bad weather at the back end of 2010:

Bournemouth vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Brentford vs. Tranmere
Brighton vs. Plymouth
Carlisle vs. Exeter
Dagenham and Redbridge vs. Huddersifield
Hartlepool vs. Southampton
MK Dons vs. Oldham
Peterborough vs. Colchester

Team News:

Dale Jennings has missed the last three games with a slight muscle injury but could return to the Tranmere squad for this game, but the only change Les Parry may choose to make to his side for this game would be replacing Lucas Akins, who was impressive against Peterborough, with Andy Robinson.

Otherwise, however, Tranmere don't fare too badly for injuries, with Bakayogo and Cathalina both returning to the Tranmere squad in recent weeks, whilst Robbie Weir made his Rovers debut on Saturday against Peterborough, leaving with Les Parry with extra options from the bench.

Tranmere will however be without Ryan Fraughan and Marlon Broomes who will both be out for some time with knee ligament injuries, whilst this game comes too early for Max Blanchard who only returned to training last week and needs reserve team matches first.