Tranmere Rovers vs. Hartlepool United match preview

Copyright Historical Football Kits and reproduced by kind permission.

It's a surprisingly long time since Tranmere won four successive games, let alone kept four successive clean sheets, but that is something they will be attempting to succeed when they take on Hartlepool this Tuesday evening.

The last Rovers boss to actually pick up four successive wins was Ronnie Moore during the 2007/08 season, so Les Parry will be hoping his side can achieve something that Tranmere have seldomly managed to do in the last few years.

Meanwhile, Tranmere's opponents Hartlepool have been a reasonably inconsistent side this season and Rovers will be hoping to capitalise on that this week when they take on the North East side, as they look to close the gap between themselves and the play-off places.

Hartlepool United Factfile:

Ground: Victoria Park
Formed: 1908
Nickname:  The Monkey Hangers
Manager:  Chris Turner
League Finish 2009/10: 20th
Kit Colours:Blue and white striped shirt, blue shorts, white socks (home), Orange shirt, black shorts and orange socks with white stripe (away)

Previous Meetings:

Tranmere Rovers managed to take just one point from Hartlepool last season, failing to score a goal in either meeting between the two sides.

When the two sides first met in late September, Les Parry was in his early days in charge of the club, and he could do nothing to save Tranmere from slipping to a disappointing 1-0 defeat against the Monkey Hangers at Victoria Park.

Tranmere had plenty of chances to score in the match, but they could only draw a blank whilst at the other end, Hartlepool scored the only goal of the game just before half time as Ritchie Jones' cross deflected off Paul McLaren in to the path of Peter Hartley who headed home from close range.

Back at Prenton Park in March, the two sides played our a dour 0-0 draw, with both sides picking up what turned out to be a hugely important point in the relegation battle.

In a game that saw only three shots on target, niether side ever really looked like breaking the deadlock and winning the game, with Tranmere coming closest when John Welsh's lob went narrowly over the bar.

Vital Stats:

In 59 home games against Hartlepool, Tranmere have picked up a hugely impressive forty wins, losing on just nine occasions

Tranmere have scored 137 goals and conceded just 61 in these 59 games

Rovers are unbeaten at home against Hartlepool in thirteen games, a run dating back to October 1984

All 108 league meetings between these two sides have come in the bottom two divisions of English football

Tranmere have won four and lost three of nine meetings between the two sides in November

On This Day:

2002:  Two goals from Stuart Barlow help Tranmere to a 3-1 win at Adams Park against Wycombe Wanderers

1999:  Three years earlier, John Aldridge's Tranmere lose by the same scoreline away to Birmingham City in Division One

1996:  Dave Higgins scores for Tranmere in a 2-1 win over Manchester City at Maine Road, with future Rovers player Nicky Summerbee netting for the home side

Tranmere Rovers have played twelve previous games on this day, picking up five wins, two draws and five defeats.  In these twelve games, they have scored 22 goals and conceded on eighteen occasions.

Only one of Tranmere's last seven games on this day has been at home, a run dating back to 1957, whilst of the three home games they have previously played on November 23, they have picked up two wins.

The Form Book:

Hartlepool United last six away games:  LWLDLW
Tranmere Rovers last six home games:  WWDLDD

Hartlepool United have been a hugely inconsistent side this season and come into this game having so far managed back to back wins only once this season.

The Monkey Hangers started their six match sequence with a win, beating Plymouth Argyle 1-0 at Home Park thanks to a goal from McSweeney, before following this up with a 1-0 reverse against Leyton Orient.

A 90th minute own goal then earned Hartlepool a point thanks to a 1-1 draw with Dagenham and Redbridge in their next away game, before they followed this up with a defeat in the Johnstone Paints Trophy, losing 4-1 to Sheffield Wednesday.

They won their next outing though, defeating Ellesmere Port based Vauxhall Motors 2-0 in an F.A. Cup first round replay before losing their most recent away game against Colchester United, slipping to a 3-2 defeat despite leading the game 1-0 early on.

Other impressive results away from home this season include a 2-0 win over Yeovil Town and a 0-0 draw with Rochdale on the opening day.

Hartlepool therefore have played eight away games so far this season and picked up nine of an available 24 points, thanks to two wins, three draws and three defeats.

Notable results at home for the club this season include impressive wins over Peterborough (2-0), Brighton (3-1) and Sheffield United (2-0) in the League Cup.

Hartlepool come into this game in nineteenth place in League One, having played sixteen games and picked up 20 of an available 48 points, thanks to five wins, five draws and six defeats.

With just one defeat in their last seven home matches, and now three successive wins under their belts, Tranmere are beginning to look like a very solid League One outfit.

The Wirral outfit started their six match sequence with successive draws, firstly against Charlton Athletic and then against Brighton and Hove Albion, with Enoch Showunmi and Scott Wootton scoring second half equalisers as Tranmere came from behind to draw both games 1-1.

Tranmere then however lost 3-0 at home to Brentford after a dire performance, but this has been the only blip in recent weeks on the Wirral, as they have followed this up with three games without defeat, starting with a 0-0 draw against Stockport in the Johnstone Paints Trophy, before beating the side on penalties.

Tranmere have since picked up two successive wins in their most recent two home games, firstly beating MK Dons 4-2 thanks to two goals from Ian Thomas-Moore and Dale Jennings, before Jennings was again on target as Rovers beat Plymouth 1-0 in their last outing at Prenton Park.

Rovers' only other notable home results this season include a 1-0 win over Peterborough thanks to a goal from Arnaud Mendy, and a 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley in the Johnstone Paints Trophy.

Les Parry's side have played eight home league games so far this season, picking up eleven of an available 24 points thanks to three wins, two draws and three defeats.

Notable results away from home for Tranmere include league wins over Walsall (4-1) and Bristol Rovers (1-0) as well as cup wins over Bury (1-0) and Walsall (1-0).

Les Parry's side currently lie in 14th place in League One, having picked up 22 of an available 51 points from 17 games, thanks tosix wins, four draws and seven defeats.

Double Hit: 

Tranmere signed current joint leading scorer Ian Thomas-Moore from Hartlepool United on January transfer window deadline day in 2008, with the player re-joining the club he supported as a boy and made his debut for in the Football League in the 1994/95 season.

Thomas-Moore stayed at Prenton Park for three years before moving on to Nottingham Forest for £1,000,000, and spending time at West Ham on loan after failing to establish himself in the Forest team.

A £800,000 move to Stockport in 1998 revitalised his career, as over two years he made over 100 appearances for the club, before joining Burnley for £1,000,000 in November 2000.

A five year stint at Turf Moor saw Moore spend time out on the wing, as well as in his favoured striker position, but his excellent work rate earned him many fans at Burnley, where he made over 200 appearances and scored fifty goals for the club.

In 2005 he moved on to Leeds United, but was in and out of the first team at Elland Road, and fell out with manager Dennis Wise, before moving to Hartlepool in 2007.

He last only eight months at Hartlepool, as although he was successful, scoring nine goals in 30 games, he didn't enjoy the journey to the North East from his Warrington home ever day, and was snapped up by Tranmere on a free-transfer in January 2008.

Moore has been at Prenton Park ever since, enjoying some of the best form of his career and he was given the captain's arm band for the club this season.

A dispute over his contract led to Thomas-Moore handing in a transfer request at the club however, and despite this being rejected, speculation around his departure continues to follow the player around.

He has since had the captains armband taken off him but after returning from some niggling injuries earlier this season, he has continued to put in 110% performances for the club, and has so far netted seven times this season.

One To Watch:

30 year old midfielder Andy Monkhouse continues to be an important player for Hartlepool United, having played in all over their 23 games so far this season.

Leeds born Monkhouse came through the youth ranks at Rotherham United and actually scored on his debut against Hartlepool, aged eighteen.

he stayed with Rotherham for eight years, playing under former Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore at Millmoor, but injuries restricted the number of appearances he could make for the club, and in 2006 he joined Swindon on a one-year contract having scored thirteen times in 147 games for the club.

Whilst at Swindon, Monkhouse struggled to make a place in the team his own, and was sent out on loan to Hartlepool United during the 2006/07 season.

His form whilst out on loan with the Monkey Hangers was enough to convince the club to sign him permanently, and in January 2007 he joined the club for an undisclosed fee, having made eleven appearances and scored twice for Swindon.

Since moving to Hartlepool, Monkhouse has rarely needed to look back, as he has gone from strength to strength and become a hugely important player for the Victoria Park side.

He has now made 167 appearances since joining the club permanently, scoring 28 goals, three of which have come this season.

A hugely influential wide man, Monkhouse, who wears the number eleven shirt for Hartlepool, has plenty of skill and trickery down the wing, and is capable of providing excellent crosses to his strikers in the box.

Around League One:

There is a full round of twelve fixtures in League One this Friday evening, all kicking off at 7.45pm

Bournemouth vs. Yeovil
Carlisle vs. Rochdale
Charlton vs. Bristol Rovers
Colchester vs. Brentford
Huddersfield vs. MK Dons
Notts County vs. Swindon
Oldham vs. Exeter
Peterborough vs. Leyton Orient
Plymouth vs. Dagenham and Redbridge
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Walsall
Southampton vs. Brighton
Tranmere vs. Hartlepool

Team News:

Jones' Prediction:  Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Hartlepool

Tranmere Rovers are in a strong run of form, and I've got to fancy them once again to win this game.

The defence is looking very strong at the moment, as they come into this game with three successive clean sheets behind them, so confidence will be high in the squad, which should help Tranmere push on for another win.

A result in this game for Tranmere can lift them closer to the play-offs too, which is a huge incentive to the players, who would be achieving beyond most people's wildest imaginations if they managed to push on for a play-off challange.

The key for Tranmere though is in midfield.  With captain John Welsh and Joss Labadie both missing the game, there is a lot of leg work missing in the middle and whoever comes into the side, most likely Ryan Fraughan or Max Blanchard (pushed up into midfield from defence) will have a huge gap to fill.

The midfield will have to work hard to help the defence and support the attackers, whilst Tranmere must also look to exploit the pace and ability of Dale Jennings, who didn't see much of the ball against Notts County on Saturday.