Preview: MK Dons v Tranmere (Sat 7th May 3pm)


By Deadly Submarine
May 7 2005

Tranmere’s final league game sees them travel to Milton Keynes’ National Hockey Stadium this Saturday to face the team formerly known as Wimbledon. A win for the visitors will see the home side relegated to League 2. Rovers will be looking to go into the play-offs on a high by winning the game.

Tranmere go into the match on the back of a 1-0 home win against Port Vale last Friday night that could so easily have seen them win by a bigger margin.  Danny Wilson’s Dons also go into the game on a high after beating already Peterborough at London Road last Saturday to ensure that their own fight for League One survival goes into the final weekend.

 

The Dons’ home record is rather poor with their last home win coming back on March 5th when they beat Stockport County 2-0.  That victory two months ago was also the last time the Dons kept a clean sheet both home and away in the league.  Tranmere’s last clean sheet was in their most recent game at home against Port Vale but the last clean sheet on their travels was in the 1-0 win at Hartlepool on March 12th.  Rovers’ last win away from home was at Sheffield Wednesday in April.

 

In the other meeting between the two sides this season, at Prenton Park in November, a half-time scoreline of 0-0 was soon altered when Paul Hall put Rovers in front on 53 minutes before Jamaican midfielder Theo Whitmore added a second six minutes from time to give Rovers a 2-0 win.

 

As MK Dons are effectively a new team, there have been no other previous meetings between the sides prior to this season.  When Tranmere last faced Wimbledon in the season that Rovers were relegated from what is now the Championship, the Dons were held to a 0-0 draw by Rovers at Selhurst Park in the August of 2000.  Just four months later on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon, Rovers were trounced 4-0 by the visitors in a one sided game.

 

DEADLY'S MATCH PREDICTION - MK DONS 1-1 TRANMERE ROVERS

 

Team News

 

MK Dons are likely to name an unchanged side from that which won at Peterborough last week as they look for the win that could keep them in League One if Oldham and Torquay slip up.

 

Tranmere are likely to be without  Ryan Taylor (ankle) and  Gareth Roberts (shoulder) as Brian Little tries to ensure their injuries clear up before the play-offs.  With the play-offs in mind next week, Little may once again decide to rest veteran midfield pair Jason McAteer and Mark Rankine rest

 

Probable Rovers Team: Achterberg, Goodison, Sharps, Linwood, Jackson, Tremarco, Harrison, Jennings, Hall, Whitmore, Dadi, Hume.

 

Referee – Mr Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)

 

 

 

Stat Attack!!

 

Past Meetings:

 

Last League Meeting – 27th November 2004 – Coca-Cola League One

 

Tranmere Rovers  2 – 0 MK Dons

Hall 53

Whitmore 84

 

 

 

NO OTHER PREVIOUS MEETINGS

 

Top Scorers:

 

MK Dons: Izale McLeod – 18 Goals

 

Tranmere Rovers:  Iain Hume – 16 Goals

 

 

Summary of Past Meetings:

 

NO OTHER PAST MEETINGS

 

 

Current Form Guide:

 

MK Dons:

 

Last Six Games – WDLLLW                     Last Six Games at Home: DWDDDL

 

Tranmere:

 

Last Six Games – WWLDLW                    Last Six Games Away: DWDWLL

 

 

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