Next Match: Brentford v Tranmere Rovers
By Deadly Submarine
April 12 2005
Tranmere travel to Brentford this Tuesday night for their game in hand and on the back of two straight wins. The game which was originally scheduled for March 1st but was postponed due to the Bees involvement in the FA Cup against Southampton which they subsequently lost. Kick Off is at 7.45pm.
Rovers will be looking for the three points they need to take them to the brink of a definite play-off place in May. A win on Tuesday night against their fellow play-off hopefuls will see Tranmere needing just one point or a failure to win from Bournemouth away at Chesterfield on Saturday to secure a play-off place.
A win for The Bees however, will see them leapfrog the three sides above them in the table (Bournemouth, Hartlepool and Sheffield Wednesday) and move in to fourth place – six points behind Tranmere.
Tranmere go into the match on a the back of two consecutive victories away at Sheffield Wednesday and at home to Stockport County and have still scored in every match since January 10th when they lost 1-0 at home to Bristol City. In fact in forty league games played so far this season, Rovers have only failed to score in five of them and only one of those was at home.
Brentford are also on something of a high note having also won their last two games and are unbeaten in their last three matches. The Bees last defeat was at Blackpool on March 22nd. Tranmere’s last defeat on the road was away at Hull back in December whilst Brentford’s last home defeat was also in December when they lost 3-1 against Torquay United on Boxing Day.
In the previous meeting between the sides this season at Prenton Park in October, an Ian Sharps goal just after half-time was enough to give Tranmere a 1-0 win and therefore all three points.
In the last meeting at Griffin Park last season Eugene Dadi put Rovers ahead twice only for them to pegged back twice by goals from Hunt and May for a 2-2 draw that was overshadowed heavily a by a double leg break for Simon Haworth.
In the other past meetings between the sides at Brentford since 1992, Tranmere have only lost one game at Griffin Park but that single defeat is one which brings painful memories as Rovers were beaten 4-0 two seasons ago and fans who had travelled on official club coaches were refunded their money.
DEADLY’S MATCH PREDICTION: BRENTFORD 1-1 TRANMERE ROVERS
Team News
Brentford manager Martin Allen will again be without the services of captain Michael Dobson (fractured arm) but has no other new injury problems from Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bristol City.
Tranmere have no new injury worries ahead of the tie with only long term absentees Gary Jones (toe) and David Beresford (hamstring) unavailable, along with suspended striker Eugene Dadi who serves the third and final game of his three match ban for his sending off against Doncaster.
Probable Rovers Team: Achterberg, Taylor, Sharps, Jackson, Goodison, Roberts, Rankine, Harrison, Whitmore, Hall, Hume.
Referee – Mr Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire)
Stat Attack!!
Past Meetings:
Last Meeting – 30th October 2004 – Coca-Cola League One (Prenton Park)
Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Brentford
Sharps 53
Last Meeting at Griffin Park – 10th January 2004 – Coca-Cola League One
Brentford 2-2 Tranmere Rovers
Hunt 18 Dadi 9
May 62 Dadi 60
Top Scorers:
Tranmere Rovers: Iain Hume – 16 Goals
Brentford: Deon Burton – 9 Goals
Summary of Past Meetings (Since 1992-93 Season):
At Griffin Park:
Games Played = 4
Tranmere Wins = 2
Brentford Wins = 1
Drawn = 1
Total in All Games:
Games Played = 9
Tranmere Wins = 7
Brentford Wins = 1
Drawn = 1
Current Form Guide:
Tranmere:
Last Six Games – WWDLWW Last Six Games Away: DDDWDW
Brentford:
Last Six Games – WDLDWW Last Six Games At Home: DWDDDW
