Match Preview: Tranmere Rovers v Forest Green Rovers

As Tranmere prepare to host Forest Green Rovers on Saturday afternoon, Louise Formston returns with her match preview ahead of the game.....  

This Saturday sees Affordable Live Football return to Prenton Park, as Tranmere host Forest Green Rovers in Vanarama National League.  Rovers are in need of all three points to secure a playoff place as the end of the season closes in whilst Forest Green are aiming to close the gap on Cheltenham Town and finish top of the league come April.

Previous Meeting:

Rovers met Forest Green at the New Lawn Stadium back in October and came away with all three points thanks to goals from former FGR player James Norwood and at the time, brand new signing Gary Taylor-Fletcher.  It was a welcome win for Rovers who had struggled at the start of October, but the result was merely a blip in a patch of bad form for the Whites.

Form Guide:

As previously mentioned, FGR are second in the table, two points behind leaders Cheltenham.  FGR did occupy that top spot for the early part of the season, setting club records in terms of games won but have fallen away of late and are now fighting to get back up there.  FGR have lost just one of their last ten games (1-0 Grimsby) and drawn two of them (Wrexham, Barrow) so head into this game in reasonable form.

Winning most of their games by just a single goal, FGR don’t concede many either of late – sounding familiar here?  However, they’ve won the most games so far this season at 25 - one more than Cheltenham.   Rovers meanwhile slipped out of the play off places in midweek as the teams around them played some of their games in hand and picked up points.

There are now four teams on 62 points, (Dover, Braintree, Rovers and Eastleigh) but Rovers have played the most games.  A win, and results going our way elsewhere would see us return to the play offs on Saturda but getting those three points won’t be easy, we’ve scored an alarming lack of goals for playoff challengers but thankfully, don’t often concede either.

Injuries and Suspensions:

Steve McNulty overcame his injury to take his place in the starting 11 against Dover on Saturday, meaning Rovers used the same team for the fourth successive game.  However, Higdon was removed at half time through injury and is a doubt ahead of the weekend’s game.  James Norwood also missed training this week (Thursday) just as a precaution.

Forest Green Rovers Squad:

With Ady Pennock still in charge, and doing a fantastic job by all accounts he has almost a full squad to choose from ahead of Saturday.  Top scorer Jon Parkin has thirteen goals this season (BBC), one less than Norwood whilst Kurtis Guthrie has nine and Keanu Marsh-Brown has eight to their names.

Midfielder Elliot Frear has played 37 games this season, missing just the one and chips in with a few goals along the way.  FGR have their own Jennings, James Jennings who scored the winner against Gateshead last weekend.

Around the League:

Braintree vs Cheltenham – here’s hoping for an away win to keep us in touch with the pack.

Halifax vs Eastleigh – this has been postponed due to Halifax’s involvement in the FA Trophy.

Guiseley vs Dover – a home win would be ideal in this match for Rovers.

Lincoln City vs Kidderminster – Rovers face both these teams over the upcoming Easter weekend.

Welling vs Gateshead – Gateshead have an outside chance of making the playoffs depending on other results so another home win here please!

My Starting XI:

 Davies

Vaughan       McNulty         Ihiekwe          Ridehalgh

Kirby               Jennings       Harris             Mekki

     GTF

       Norwood

I think we need the most attacking team possible on Saturday.  Go at FGR from the very start and get the first goal – so basically Brabin will do the exact opposite and we’ll park the bus and play the counter.  Kirby and Mekki have been fantastic down the wings of late, and I don’t believe the argument we don’t make chances – we don’t take chances.

The ball is going into the box all the time, even at home the issue is we don’t have players that either gamble on it or have the quality to do something with it.  This weekend, everything goes out of the window and I don’t care if McNulty is hurling himself into the opposition box as long as we score.