Exeter City v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview
By Matthew Jones
February 28 2011
Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news you need to know ahead of Tuesday night's long trip to Exeter...
Copyright Historical Football Kits and reproduced by kind permission.
The Grecians, one of Tranmere's rivals in the bottom half of League One, are the only side Rovers haven't met so far this season, and Les Parry's side will be keen to pick up a win that would see them end a run of three successive losses.
Exeter City Factfile:
Ground: St. James' ParkFormed: 1904
Nickname: The Grecians
Manager: Paul Tisdale
League Finish 2009/10: 18th
Kit Colours: Red and white striped shirt, blacks shorts and socks (home), White shirt with red collar, black stripe and red trim on sleeves, white shorts and socks
Previous Meetings:
Each side picked up one win against the other when the two sides met last season, starting with a 2-1 win for Exeter at St. James' Park on September 19th.
Exeter dominated the game, holding 60% of the possession, and it was no surprise when they took the lead midway through the first half as Stansfield netted from Noone's cross.
The striker, who sadly died in 2010 after a long illess, then netted his second of the game on 54 minutes, slotting home the rebound from Noone's saved cross and whilst Michael Ricketts got one back for Rovers shortly after the hour mark, latching on to Ian Goodison's flick on, it was no more than a consolation for Rovers as they suffered their seventh successive defeat.
The sides next met in April and Tranmere picked up a vital three points that would eventually help them see off relegation to League Two.
This time, Tranmere dominated the game, with 63% of the possession and 21 shots to Exeter's eight, and it was therefore no surprise this time when they took the lead on 43 minutes, Curran heading home from Bakayogo's cross, though only after James Dunne had been sent off for the Grecian's for two fouls on Labadie that both earnt him yellow cards.
After the break, Tranmere pressed home their one man advantage and just a minute before the hour mark, Joss Labadie made it 2-0, slotting home from 30 yards as Paul Jones struggled to get back to his goal after throwing the ball out to Steve Tully.
Hearts were in mouths for Tranmere on 85 minutes as Stuart Fleetwood tapped in at the near post after Goodison failed to clear a cross, but Edds made the points safe three minutes later as he netted from Bain's pass after good work by Thomas-Moore.
Vital Stats:
In fourteen previous trips to St. James' Park, Tranmere have picked up five wins, losing on eight occasions
In these fourteen matches, Tranmere have scored thirteen goals and conceded on 20 occasions
Of the last thirteen goals Tranmere have conceded, 11 have been in the second half of matches
Tranmere are unbeaten against Exeter when the two sides have met in March, picking up one win and one draw
Tranmere have won just two of nine games when Joss Labadie has been absent this season
On This Day:
2008: Ronnie Moore's Tranmere are defeated 1-0 at Prenton Park by Doncaster Rovers
2003: Iain Hume and Ian Sharps score as Ray Mathias' Rovers side keep up their play-off ambitions with a 2-1 win at Griffin Park against Brentford
2000: Portsmouth are beaten 2-1 by Tranmere in Division One only days after Rovers' appearance in the League Cup final at Wembley
Tranmere have played fifteen previous games on this day, picking up five wins, four draws and six defeats. In these fifteen games, they have scored 25 goals and conceded 26.
Four of their five wins on this day have come away from home, though they have played ten away games on this day and have won just two of their last seven matches on March 1st.
The Form Book:
Exeter City last six home games: LLLLWD
Tranmere Rovers last six away games: LLWDLL
Exeter City are a side on a poor run of form, and having lost their last four home games, and won just three times in their last fourteen matches, home and away, Tranmere will be hopeful of taking at least a point from this match.
Paul Tisdale's side started their six match sequence by going two games unbeaten, starting with a 1-1 draw with the MK Dons, before Duffy and Nardiello scored a in 2-1 win over Walsall.
Since that win against Walsall on January 22nd, the Grecians have played four games at home and lost them all, starting with a 2-1 defeat against Southampton, before Huddersfield hammered them 4-1 four days later, Nardiello scoring in both games.
The former Barnsley and Manchester United striker was then on target again in Exeter's next home game, but once against they were beaten, this time 2-1 by Brentford, before in their most recent match on home soil on Saturday, Paul Tisdale's side were beaten 2-1 against Hartlepool.
Other notable results on home soil this season for Exeter include successes over Sheffield Wednesday (5-1), Notts County (3-1), Carlisle United (2-1) and Charlton Athletic (1-0).
The Grecians have so far played fifteen games at St. James' Park this season,
picking up 19of an available 45 points, this thanks to five wins, four
draws and six defeats.
Impressive
results away from home for Paul Tisdale's side include victories over Notts County (2-0), Huddersfield Town (1-0) and Yeovil (3-1).
Exeter come into this fixture in fifteenth place in the League One table, three places and five points above Tranmere in the table, having picked up 42 of an available 96 points from 32 games, this thanks to eleven wins, nine draws and twelve defeats.
With successive defeats at the start and end of their six match sequence, there are few positives to take for Tranmere going into this game results wise, especially as they have also lost their last three matches.
Tranmere started their six match sequence with successive defeats, starting with a 3-2 loss against Rochdale on New Years Day, before Rovers retained only 26% of the possession as they were defeated 2-0 by MK Dons after a dismal display.
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 15 away league games this season and picked up 15 of an
available 45 points, this thanks to four wins, three draws and eight
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 18th place in League One, having picked
up 37 of an available 93 points from 31 games, thanks to ten wins, seven
draws and thirteen defeats.
Double Hit:
One link between the two clubs is former Spurs and Manchester City midfielder Neil McNab, who played for Tranmere between 1990 and 1992, and managed Exeter in 2002.Scotsman McNab started his career with Greenock Morton in 1972, moving to England two years later with Spurs. He would remain with Spurs for four years, playing 72 league games for the club before moving to Bolton in 1978.
Two years at Bolton were followed by a spell at Brighton, when he also spent time out on loan at Leeds and Portsmouth, before he started a seven year spell at Manchester City in 1983.
These seven years saw McNab make well over 200 appearances for the club and he helped them win promotion from the second division in 1989. Believed by many to be City's best player of the 1980s, he won the player of the season award for the club twice and was a well liked player at Maine Road.
In 1990, McNab left City for Tranmere Rovers, who spent £125,000 on the player. He played over 100 games in two years for John King's side, winning the Leyland DAF trophy and helping the side up into Division Two.
He spent time on loan at Huddersfield before leaving Tranmere, and had further spells with Ayr, Darlingon, Derry City and Witton Albion before he retired from football in the mid 1990s.
In 1994, McNab rejoined Manchesater City as a coach before having a spell as youth development coach with Portsmouth.
In October 2002, McNab joined Exeter City as manager, though he only last four months with the Grecians, as they won just six of this 26 matches in charge, losing twelve, which resulted in his sacking in February 2003.One To Watch:
Midfielder Ryan Harley is on loan at Exeter City from Championship side Swansea. Having transferred to the Jacks in January, he was sent back to St. James' Park immediately on loan until the end of the 2010/11 season.
Harley started his career with Bristol City, where he came through the youth ranks, but he made just three appearances for the Ashton Gate side between 2004 and 2006 before being released.
He spent a month on loan at Forest Green whilst at Bristol City, playing three times for the club, before moving into Non-League football permanently in 2006 with Weston-super-Mare upon his release by Bristol.
Whislt
at Weston-super-Mare, he made 26 league appearances, scoring six goals,
before signing for Exeter in November 2007, stating his desire to be a
full-time professional footballer.
Two
months later, he made his debut for the Grecians and has impressed when
playing ever since, leading to the midfielder signing a new contract
with the club in September 2009.
After weighing in with ten goals for the club during their first campaign back in League One last season, Harley was subject to transfer speculation, but Exeter managed to retain his services.
An explosive start to this campaign, however, for the midfielder saw the rumours grow, and having netted a further eleven goals for the club, he joined Swansea in January.
However, upon his immediate return to St. James' Park, the goals have continued to flow for Harley as he's scored three times in the eight games he's played since rejoining the club.
Since joining the club in 2007,
Harley has played 130 games for the club, scoring a hugely impressive 31 goals. He is the club's leading scorer so far this campaign.
A goalscoring midfielder,
the Exeter number seven is a key player for the club, who regularly gets
forward but will also get back to help his team defend.
Around League One:
There are only seven fixtures on League One on Tuesday evening, all rearranged games following postponed matches during the cold winter snap:
Brentford vs. Notts County
Bristol Rovers vs. Colchester
Charlton vs. Carlisle
Exeter vs. Tranmere
Hartlepool vs. Huddersfield
Walsall vs. Southamtpon
Yeovil vs. Brighton
Team News:
After three successive defeats, Les Parry is expected to shake his team up for Tuesday's game, with Adam McGurk and Andy Robinson both expected to come into the side in place of, most likely, Robbie Weir and Lucas Akins.
This would mean Tranmere playing a 4-4-2 formation, with Robinson and Elford-Alliyu on the wings and Enoch Showunmi partnering Adam McGurk up front.
Rovers are without midfielder Joss Labadie, who sits out the final match of a two game ban and Aaron Cresswell (hip), whilst substitute left-back Zoumana Bakayogo could also miss out after picking up a foot injury on Saturday. A further injury worry for Tranmere is Dale Jennings, who has missed the last few weeks with a calf injury.
Max Blanchard returned to Tranmere's bench for their defeat to Yeovil on Saturday, but Rovers remain without injured trio Alan Mahon (hamstring), Marlon Broomes (knee) and Ryan Fraughan (knee).
Jones' Prediction: Exeter City 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
This will be a very tough game for Tranmere, as following three successive defeats they will be low on confidence and possibly tired following their recent run of matches.
However, in both their away games last week they showed promise and arguably didn't deserve to lose, whilst with Les Parry set to make changes to the side and give some other players a chance to impress, we can expect a more hardworking performance from the Prenton Park side.
Rovers' problems in their last three games have been clear: A failure to concentrate for the full 90 minutes of matches, resulting in them conceding second half goals in each match, whilst they have also struggled to convert chances when they've come their way.
Les Parry and his coaching staff must address this problem, as it's crucial Rovers start picking up points again after a solid run of form in in January and early February.
If Rovers can concentrate all game, then they will be well capable of keeping the Grecians down, whilst the chances will then surely come their way that the likes of Showunmi and Elford-Alliyu must take.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:03:11:01:41 by Mikey.
which team will turn out?
saturdays team will lose heavily
the one from 10 days ago will win 3-1
so hey a draw 0-0
Does it take a succession of defeats for parry to recognise the limitions of Akin? I hope that we do not need to play him again this season
He works hard, has some strength and a decent bit of pace but quality wise he is ten times worse than Craig Curran, and even Curran was quicker (and a bit stronger) than him!
At least his persistence sometimes paid off, Akins just hasn't got into and dangerous position and has rarely caused the defence any problems.
I'd much prefer to see Robbo start as he clearly has the talent and match time will increase his fitness thus having eventual benefits to the team.
Obviously it's hard to predict this but had we known we were going to lose the last three we'd of all wanted Robbo to play because we know when he's fit he is capable of that magical moment, so rather than wasting more time with Akins on the pitch why not try to get Robbo fit...
I can understand why Akins was signed, because other better signings he tried to get cost too much and at least having players like Akins and McGurk is better than having a striker shortage and then he night have had to do what Everton do with Cahill and Osman and consider using midfielders upfront, when there were suspensions and inuries.
There would have been grounds for instant dismissal, if he'd ever given Mcclaren so much as 60 seconds upfront.
The club certainly couldn't have started the season with just Moore, Showunmi and Gornell as the only strike options.
The fact is though, Akins is not a valid selection anymore, assuming he ever was and it now must come to Les to see this and make change. Robbo would be the ideal selection right now, but McGurk would be better or even Morrow, assuming he won't chance Stockton just yet.
The only other thing is if Akins moved, had nowhere to live and dossed in Les's spare room and now he can't afford the rent, so he's playing to work off his debts.
Not likely though I admit
would you like to share it with the Whole group ?
When have I ever asked you where you go or what you do before?
The comment was made in jest about you making what I perceive to be an absolute joke prediction (if it was sarcastic then apologies) but grow up, as if I actually give one about you.
Don't even know you.
I hope that I am wrong but I anticipate a poor game and a narrow Exeter win.
It is going to be hard though as there's no Labadie, Jennings, Cresswell or Bakayogo, but even so I think Tranmere can get a 1-0 and push on from there.
I do think though Weir will have to step up to the plate tonught, becasue if Tranmere have ideas about signing him next season, to me, the's no point if he's not even better than Taylor.
Signing a 22 year old next season, who may only be as good as Fraughn, would mean you wouldn't even get someone that could strengthen your 4-3-3, if he wasn't better than Taylor and being 22 he could cost more than players like Fraughn do, in which case either.
A: get a free transfer 18 year old and pay him what Fraughn gets,
B: promote a suitable youth player.
Weir needs to make a point and he's only got tonight to do it, so I expect good things from him.
.
Why can't Tranmere have him instead of Weir perhaps?
I think Weir seemed from what I could ascertain on the respots, to be a better player than on Saturday, but I still think he might not be quite as interesting or clinical to watch as Ledesma and he won't get many opportunities to prove himself, with Labadie coming back.
Though he was playing in a different position today.