Sheffield Wednesday v Tranmere Rovers Match Preview

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Sheffield Wednesday Factfile:

Ground: Hillsborough
Formed: 1867
Nickname:  The Owls
Manager: Gary Megson
League Finish 2009/10: 22nd (Championship)
Kit Colours: Blue and white striped shirt, black shorts and blue socks (home), black shirt with thin yellow stripes, black shorts and socks (away)

Previous Meetings:

Tranmere Rovers continued their strong New Year form against Sheffield Wednesday when these two sides met at Prenton Park in February.

A 3-0 success for Les Parry's side made it just one defeat in eight, with all of the goals coming in the second half after the first 45 minutes had ended goalless, with Elford-Alliyu and John Welsh coming closest to opening the scoring for Tranmere.

Tranmere eventually opened the scoring on the hour, this after Warner had made a great save from Madine.

The goal was scored by Elford-Alliyu, who jumped high at the back post to head home John Welsh's excellent cross from the right after great work by Showunmi, whilst four minutes later Sheffield Wednesday's task was made harder when Coke was sent off for a ill-timed two footed lunge on John Welsh.

From the resulting free-kick, Rovers made it 2-0.  Cresswell curled a perfect, brilliant free-kick into the penalty area and Ian Goodison was on the end of it, not having to break  his stride as he headed home powerfully.

Alliyu saw another shot saved shortly afterwards but Tranmere did eventually finish the game off with a third with just a few minutes left as after his initial shot had been saved by Weaver, Showunmi fired home on the volley from Labadie's lay-off.

Vital Stats: 

In eight previous trips to Hillsborough, Tranmere have never drawn, picking up two wins and six defeats

Tranmere are unbeaten in their last four games against Sheffield Wednesday, and have won the last three

Both of Tranmere's wins at Hillsborough have been 2-1 victories in the month of April

Sheffield Wednesday have scored fifteen goals to Tranmere's five when the two sides have met at Hillsborough

These two sides have never endured a 0-0 draw

On This Day:

2010: Rovers endure a 3-0 Easter Monday defeat to Swindon Town, with all the goals coming after Les Parry's side have had Terry Gornell sent off

2009: Aaron Cresswell scores his first goal for Tranmere as Ronnie Moore's side keep up their play-off ambitions with a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers

2008: Jennison Myrie-Williams gives Tranmere the lead before Rovers suffer a 2-1 defeat to Walsall at the Bescott Stadium, with Ben Chorley sent off for Ronnie Moore's side

Tranmere Rovers have played sixteen previous games on this day, picking up nine wins, four draws and three defeats.  In these sixteen games, they have scored 29 goals and conceded on 17 occasions.

Rovers however have won just once on this day since 1989, playing six games since, whilst they've lost just two of eight away games on this day, picking up five wins.

The Form Book:

Sheffield Wednesday last six home games:  WLLLLD
Tranmere Rovers last six away games: DLDDLL

Sheffield Wednesday are in uninspiring form at Hillsborough this season, with Gary Megson's side having gone seven league games at home without a win before their most recent game.

They started their six match sequence with a 2-2 draw against MK Dons, Mellor and Morrison scoring second half goals to earn the Owls a draw from being 2-0 down at half time, before they suffered a 4-2 defeat against relegation threatened Plymouth Argyle.

A 1-0 defeat against Notts County followed next time out on home soil, before a strike from Paul Heffernan was no more than a consolation, as Gary Megson's side went down 4-1 against promotion chasing Peterborough United.

Despite taking an early lead through a strike from ex-Wolves player Jones in their next home game, the Owls made it four successive defeats on home soil as they lost 3-1 against Brentford, but in their most recent home game, Sheffield Wednesday picked up their first home win since January 11th, beating Colchester United 2-1 thanks to a brace from Neil Mellor.

Other notable results on home soil this season for Gary Megson's side include wins over Bristol Rovers (6-2), Walsall (3-0), Rochdale (2-0) and Brighton (1-0).

The Owls have played nineteen home games so far this season, picking up 26 of an available 57 points, this thanks to seven wins, five draws and seven defeats.

Impressive results on the road for the Hillsborough club this season include wins over Notts County (2-0), Yeovil (2-0), MK Dons (4-1) and Carlisle United (1-0).

Sheffield Wednesday come into this game in sixteenth place in the League One table having picked up 47 of an available 117 points for 39 games so far, this thanks to thirteen wins, eight draws and eighteen defeats.

Tranmere Rovers come into this game without a win in their last six matches on the road and with just four on their travels all season, meaning this game will, without doubt, be a tough one for Les Parry's side.

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 19 away league games this season and picked up 18 of an available 57 points, this thanks to four wins, six draws and nine 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 43 of an available 114 points from 38 games, thanks to eleven wins, ten draws and seventeen defeats.

Double Hit:

Along with Eric Nixon and Paul McLaren, one man who has featured for both sides is current Sheffield Wednesday player Richard Hinds.

Hinds started his career with Tranmere Rovers, where he came through the youth ranks and made his debut for the club during the 1998/99 season, playing in the final two games of the campaign.

Although he didn't play in any of Rovers' famous cup games during the 1999/2000 campaign, Hinds was still part of the Tranmere squad that was so successful in the cups under John Aldridge and started to make his way into the first team in Rovers' league games during the season that they got to Wembley.

In the following season, Hinds was a first team regular and played in many of Tranmere's famous cup games, featuring against the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Southampton and Leeds, all Premier League sides at the time.

He remained with Tranmere for two years following their relegation to Division Two in 2001, eventually racking up 69 appearances for the Wirral side before joining Hull City in 2003.

With Hull, Hinds won two promotions, moving from League Two to the Championship and making 49 appearances in the process before joining Scunthorpe United on a free transfer.

Two seasons with Scunthorpe saw Hinds win another promotion to the Championship as he made 98 appearances for the club and scored an impressive tally of nine goals - eight more than he'd scored whilst with his two other clubs combined!

At the end of the 2006/07 season, Hinds rejected the chance to stay with Scunthorpe, instead joining boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer.

Hinds became a firm fans favourite with the Owls, but a horrific leg injury in only the second game of the 2008/09 season whilst kept him out until the end of the season.

He returned to the Wednesday squad for their relegation campaign last season, but after relegation to League One, he made just one appearance under Alan Irvine, this in the cup against former club Scunthorpe, against whom he got sent off.

After Gary Megson was appointed manager, Hinds came back into the first team frame, and has played five matches under the new Owls boss.

Now aged 30, Hinds has so far made 75 appearances since moving to Hillsborough in 2007.

One To Watch:

Experienced goalkeeper Nicky Weaver joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in August despite interest from Tranmere Rovers.

Weaver started his career with Mansfield Town where he made just one appearance before being snapped up by Manchester City for £200,000 in August 1997.

A former England U21 international, Weaver stayed with City for ten years, though between 2002/03 season and 2004/05 he was blighted by injury and made just one appearance for the club.

His first five years with the club were hugely successful though as City made the City number 1 jersey his own in making 146 league appearances for the club.

However, after his injury he struggled to get back in the team and joined Sheffield Wednesday for the first time on loan in November 2005.

It was a dream come true for Weaver, as he supported the Owls as a boy and during a two and a half month loan deal he played fourteen times for the club.

A return to Manchester City resulted in a further 31 appearances before he joined Charlton Athletic in July 2007 on a free transfer having made 207 appearances over ten years with the club.

Weaver was number one at Charlton over his two seasons with the club and made a further 70 league and cup appearances before joining Dundee United in August 2009 on a free transfer.

Five months later, having made eighteen appearances for the Scottish club, Weaver returned to England to play for Burnley, but failed to play a single game before his release at the end of the same season.

Upon his release, Weaver eventually joined Sheffield Wednesday and after Darren Purse was released by the club, he captained the side on a handful of occasions.

Now Number One with Sheffield Wednesday, the 32 year old is a dominating figure in the Wednesday goal who commands his area well and is a very strong shot stopper.

Around League One:

There are only six games in npower League One this Tuesday, all rearranged fixtures from matches postponed earlier in the season:

Bristol Rovers vs. Bournemouth
Dagenham and Redridge vs. Peterborough
Leyton Orient vs. Plymouth
Notts County vs. Rochdale
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Tranmere
Southampton vs. Charlton

Team News:

After a 2-0 defeat to Huddersfield on Saturday, Les Parry is likely to make changes to his Tranmere side for this fixture against Sheffield Wednesday.