Sky Bet League 2 Tranmere Rovers vs Plymouth Argyle - Match Preview

Can Argyle make it a hat trick of wins when they travel to Tranmere Rovers on Saturday?

The Pilgrims have won twice already this week at home to Shrewsbury in Sky Bet League 2 and in the Johnstone Paint Trophy against Swindon on Tuesday respectively.   

John Sheridan and his players will travel to Prenton Park looking for their first win in 39 years.  Players let along fans wouldn’t have even been born in 1975 to witness the victory on Merseyside Ground. 

The Pilgrims won the game 3-1 with the goals coming from Mike Green, Brian Johnson and Billy Rafferty.     

Argyle will desperately want to win on the road, only 3 points have been picked up from a possible of 15 points.

The last and only victory on the road came away to Luton on September 6th with Dominic Blizzard scoring the only goal. 

Rover’s home record hasn’t been the best this season either.  Apart from winning on penalties at home to Carlisle in the Cup on Tuesday Tranmere haven’t won in front of their own fans since the end of August when they won 2-1 against Morecambe.     

The last time the teams met was in the 2010-2011 season on the 12th February at Home Park in which the visiting side won 3-1.

Lateef Elford-Alliyu his first two goals for Rovers before former Pilgrim Enoch Showunmi scored the third.  Joe Mason scored the consolation for the Pilgrims in added time of full time. 

In the same season Argyle had lost 1-0 earlier on in the campaign.  Dale Jennings scored the only goal in the game.  In that same season, the striker joined German top flight club Bayern Munich and would later play for Bayern Munich II.     

Nathan Thomas will be unavailable for the fixture in Liverpool, the attacking midfielder suffered an asthmas attack on Tuesday and has been to see a specialist on the situatioFen.

Bobby Reid is back in contention, the on loan Bristol City player missed Tuesday’s game due to City not allowing him to play.      

Ben Purrington and Matt LeCointe remain long term absentees due to wrist and knee injuries. 

Tranmere manager Rob Edwards will leave it late to decide on Janoi Donacien and Abdulai Bell-Baggie who are struggling with back and thigh injuries. Cole Stockton, Danny Woodards, Matt Hill and Liam Ridehalgh will all miss the fixture. 

Second choice goalkeeper Peter Brezovan will continue in goal as Owain Fon Williams is away on international duty with Wales.

Signed on the Friday, George Barker, has been contracted to Tranmere Rovers on a one month loan deal from Swindon Town. 

If the player is in the side on the day of the fixture it would be the second time he has faced the Pilgrims in a matter of days.  The player was a half time substitute for Swindon in their 3-2 defeat in the Johnstone Paint Trophy at Home Park on Tuesday. 

Available: Luke McCormick, James Bittner, Peter Hartley, Kelvin Mellor, Curtis Nelson (captain), Anthony O’Connor, Aaron Bentley, Carl McHugh, Paul Wotton, Deane Smalley, Ollie Norburn, Lee Cox, Lewis Alessandra, Jason Banton, Dominic Blizzard, River Allen, Tyler Harvey, Reuben Reid, Marvin Morgan, Bobby Reid  

Unavailable: Jamie Richards – on loan to Linfield FC, Ben Purrington (broken wrist), Nathan Thomas (asthma attack), Matt LeCointe (knee injury)