Tranmere Rovers v Bradford City Match Preview


By Deadly Submarine
September 8 2005

Rovers take on Bradford City at Prenton Park on Friday looking to build on their recent good form and maintain their unbeaten start to the season at home. Total Tranmere brings you all the latest team news, statistics and information in preparation for this further feast of Friday Night Football.

TRANMERE ROVERS Vs BRADFORD CITY

Friday 9th September 2005 – Kick Off 7.45pm

 

With three successive clean sheets and seven points from their last three games, Rovers have every reason to be confident going into this game against Bradford.  Having not conceded a goal for 278 minutes of football (since conceding the second goal at Scunthorpe in the 2-1 Carling Cup defeat at Glanford Park) Rovers’ fans have every reason to expect a positive result on Friday.

 

However, if there is one game in recent memory that highlights the utter unpredictability of the game that is football, it is last season’s meeting between these two sides at Prenton Park back in October 2004.  Rovers’ went into that game having not lost since the opening day of the season (ten games) and having only conceded more than one goal in only one of those games.

 

All this meant very little in the end as on that wacky October afternoon, Rovers scored four goals and still ended up on the losing side as Bradford ran out 5-4 winners in the dying seconds thanks to a David Wetherall goal.  After coming back from 4-2 down with eight minutes remaining, Wetherall’s winner was a real choker and yet if pushed to say which game of last season I enjoyed most it would be that very game.

 

Rovers will be looking for another three points to lift them towards the summit of the table and Bradford having won only two of their six matches so far this season will be looking to start getting some points on the board.  The Bantams have also only one of their last six games on their travels.

 

Bradford were defeated 1-0 by Blackpool on Friday night and currently lie in a mid-table position but at this early stage of the season it is perhaps still too early to predict how teams will fare.

 

In the other meeting between the sides last season Rovers took the lead after just 45 seconds through Iain Hume but Dean Windass equalised on 70 minutes before Gareth Roberts was wrongly sent-off in a case of mistaken identity which was later overturned.  Rovers will have to be on the ball to keep out Windass again this season has he has already bagged seven goals in the opening six games and has a veteran strike partner in Steve Claridge.

 

Player Connections

Hopefully the past player connection for this game will not see a former player score against us as Bradford are likely to start with former Rovers reserve goalkeeper Russell Howarth between the sticks.  Russell now seems to have at last found himself first team football at Valley Parade after being released in the summer.

 

DEADLY’S MATCH PREDICTION:  TRANMERE  2 - 1  BRADFORD

 

Team News

 

 

Tranmere Rovers – Despite suffering from sore ribs all week, Rovers striker Chris Greenacre should be fit to play.  Fellow striker Steve Davies (knee) is a doubt whilst Ian Sharps (knee) and Calvin Zola (foot) are definite absentees.

 

Rovers are boosted by the return of Gareth Roberts from international duty with Wales whilst Delroy Facey may well make his home debut upfront.

 

 

Bradford City – The Bantams are boosted by the return to the squad of Bobby Petta and Danny Cadamarteri from injury Darren Holloway (ankle) and Steven Schumacher (hamstring) are both doubtful. 

 

Veteran striker Steve Claridge looks set to once again partner Dean Windass upfront.

 

 

Probable Rovers Team: Achterberg, Bruce, Goodison, Jackson, Jennings, Roberts, McAteer, Harrison, Aiston, Facey, Greenacre.

 

Referee – Graham Laws (Tyne and Wear)

 

 

Current Form

 

 

Tranmere Rovers:

           

Last Six Games Home – DWWDWW

 

Last Six Games – WDWLWW

 

 

Bradford City: 

                                               

Last Six Games Away – DDLWDL                     

 

Last Six Games - WLWDLL       

 

 

Hotshots

 

 

Tranmere Rovers: Chris Greenacre – 4 Goals

 

Bradford City: Dean Windass – 7 Goals

 

 

Last Season

 

 

16th October 2004 – Coca-Cola League One – Prenton Park

 

Tranmere Rovers  4 – 5 Bradford City

Taylor 45 (pen)                         Schumacher 33

Hume 66                                    Summerbee 53

Bereford 82                               Windass 70

Hume 87                                    Muirhead 81

                                     Wetherall 90

                         

Attendance: 8,901

 

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire)

 

___________________________________________________

 

5th February 2005 – Coca-Cola League One – Valley Parade

 

Bradford City  1 – 1 Tranmere Rovers 

Windass 77                        Hume 1     

                                 Roberts Sent Off (Later Rescinded)

 

Attendance: 8,129

 

Referee: Paul Danson (Leicestershire)

 

 

Head to Head

 

                                     Summary of Past Meetings

 

All Matches:

Matches Played = 76

Tranmere Wins = 33

Bradford City Wins = 27

Matches Drawn = 16

 

Tranmere Goals = 121

Bradford City Goals = 113

 

At Prenton Park:

Matches Played = 37

Tranmere Wins = 24

Bradford City Wins = 5

Matches Drawn = 8

 

Tranmere Goals = 76

Bradford City Goals = 36