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To put that into context, Rovers have gone 501 minutes since scoring their last goal away from Prenton Park, a 39th minute strike by Chris Shuker at Leyton Orient that earnt Rovers a 1-0 win, and this is a record that Rovers boss Ronnie Moore will be looking to put straight this weekend.
Bristol Rovers team profile:
Formed: 1883
Ground: The Memorial Ground
Manager: Paul Trollope
Nickname: The Pirates
Season Finish 2006/07: 16th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
Tranmere and Bristol Rovers last met at the Memorial Ground on February 23rd 2008, when Tranmere picked up an excellent point to extend their unbeaten run to eight matches.
In a hard fought match, Tranmere were given the difficult task of playing over half the game with only ten men after midfielder Steven Jennings was shown a straight red card for a rash and cynical lunge on Lines from behind.
Rovers dusted themselves down though, and they were the stronger side after the break, as they had been before half-time, with Sherriff and Zola coming close for the visiters.
Then, on 73 minutes, Tranmere took the lead, as Rovers' number six Antony Kay scored with a trademark header from a Paul McLaren free-kick.
It looked then as if Rovers had nicked the three points, but with 81-minutes on the clock, former Mansfield Town player Craig Disley levelled the scores with a header at the back post.
Earlier in the season, when the two sides had met at Prenton Park, Tranmere put in a shocking display as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat.
In one of their worst performances under Ronnie Moore, Rovers suffered their third defeat in four games thanks to strikes from Williams and Lambert for The Pirates, who simply out classed their awful opponents on the night.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have won just one of their last fourteen league games against Rovers, a run dating back to March 13th 1971
In eleven away games against Bristol Rovers, Tranmere have won just twice, losing on eight occasions
Rovers won their only major trophy when they beat The Pirates 2-1 at Wembley in the Leyland DAF final on 20th May 1990
All but two of the 22 league meetings between these two teams have come in what has effectively been Division Three in English football
Tranmere have scores just six goals in their away games against Bristol Rovers, with the Pirates scoring sixteen times
On This Day:
2003: Brian Little's Tranmere side pick up a handy point with a 2-2 draw away at Chesterfield in League One
1997: Rovers are sent home empty handed after a 3-1 away defeat at Stockport
1991: John King's Tranmere draw 1-1 against Port Vale at Vale Park
All of Tranmere's last five fixtures on December 13th have come away from home, and ominously they have won none of those games. In total, Tranmere have played twelve matches on December 13th, picking up two wins, four draws and six defeats. In those twelve games, Tranmere have scored sixteen times and conceded 21 goals.
The Form Book:
Bristol Rovers last six away games: DLWWWD
Tranmere last six away games: DLDLDW
Having been knocked out of the F.A. Cup at the first round stage by League Two Bournemouth, losing 1-0 to the Cherries at Dean Court, Bristol Rovers come into this game having not played a home match since November 22nd and having played just two home fixtures in their last six matches.
Despite this though, their home form is strong, and has been all season, and it is their away form, which has seen them win just once on the road all season, that has held them back this season.
The Pirates started their six match sequence with a 0-0 draw at home to struggling Crewe before starting a run of three consecutive home wins, beating Leyton Orient 2-1.
Strikes from Lambert and Lines then earnt The Gas a 2-0 win over faltering Oldham before the in form Lambert put in a remarkable performance as he scored all four goals in Bristol Rovers' 4-2 win over Southend United.
Since though, Rovers have gone two home matches without a win, starting with a 2-1 defeat at home to high-flying Scunthorpe United before drawing 2-2 in a local derby with Swindon Town six days later.
Other notable results at the Memorial Ground for Bristol Rovers this season include a 6-1 drubbing of Hereford United, whilst they have lost their other two home matches this season against Walsall and Carlisle.
Bristol Rovers have played nine home matches this season, picking up four wins, two draws and three defeats, meaning they have picked up fourteen of an available 27 points
Paul Trollope's side have won just one away game this season, beating Colchester United 1-0 thanks to a Rickie Lambert strikes. Other notable results include draws against Brighton (1-1) and Leeds United (2-2).
The Gas come into this game in fifteenth place in the League One table, with twenty-two points from an available 57, having won five, drawn seven and lost seven of their nineteen games this season.
Tranmere's away record recently has been poor, this despite a good run of form on the road over September and October. Indeed, Rovers come into this game having not scored in their last five matches away from the Wirral, let alone a win.
Tranmere started their run of six matches well enough though, beating Leyton Orient 1-0 at Brisbane Road thanks to a first half strike from Chris Shuker, before drawing 0-0 at Stockport in a game they could have won had the likes of Gareth Edds not missed their chances.
Rovers then lost 1-0 at Stadium:MK as a late Kevin Gallen strike earned the MK Dons a win, before in the F.A. Cup first round Tranmere drew 0-0 at League Two Accrington Stanley.
With a depleated squad missing several players due to injury, suspension and the flu, Tranmere then sufered their first ever defeat to Yeovil, the Glovers beating Ronnie Moore's side 1-0, before in their most recent match away from home, Tranmere drew 0-0 at London Road against Peterborough as despite having the bulk of the chances, Rovers failed to score but earnt a replay with the Posh, which they ultimately lost 2-1 after extra time.
Other notable results on the road for Tranmere include wins away to Carlisle United (2-1) and Huddersfield Town (2-1), as well as a 2-2 league draw with Peterborough United.
So far this season, Tranmere have played twelve away games, picking up three wins, four draws and five defeats. In the league, three wins and two draws from nine games mean they have picked up eleven of an available 27 points.
Impressive results at Prenton Park for Tranmere include wins against Scunthorpe United (2-0), Leeds United (2-1), Northampton Town (4-1) and Hartlepool United (1-0).
Rovers come into this game in ninth place in the League One table, having picked up 30 an available 57 points in their opening nineteen games, thanks to nine wins, three draws and seven defeats.
Double Hit:
Tranmere Rovers hero "Sir" Steve Yates started his career with Bristol Rovers and made his debut for the club in 1988 after being a trainee for two years.
The defender, who could play all across the backline, made 197 appearances for the Pirates between 1988 and 1993 but failed to score for the club.
In 1993, he moved on to Queens Park Rangers, then a Premiership club and managed by Gerry Francis and he shortly made his debut against Liverpool.
Yates was to stay with QPR for six years as he made 135 appearances and scored twice for the club before joining Tranmere on a free-transfer in the summer of 1999.
Yates was made club captain by manager John Aldridge and would go on to become a terrace legend with the club, based on just one game.
The defender made 113 appearances for Tranmere and scored seven goals as he played in two F.A. Cup Quarter Finals and the Worthington Cup final for the club in 2000 and 2001.
His most famous moment without doubt came on January 27th 2001 in an F.A. Cup Fourth Round match against Everton for Tranmere Rovers.
Tranmere won the game 3-0 at Goodison Park, with Yates, playing at left-back due to the absense of Gareth Roberts, scoring two headers, one in either half to help John Aldridges' side to win the game. The day was shortly nicknamed "St. Yates" day by Tranmere fans.
In the same F.A. Cup run, Yates also netted goals against Portsmouth in a third round 2-1 win and Liverpool in a 4-2 defeat at Prenton Park in the Quarter Final.
In 2002, following Tranmere's relegation to Division Two the previous season, Dave Watson decided not to offer Yates a new contract and he moved on to Sheffield United where he would play for a season before joining Huddersfield in 2003.
Yates stayed with the Terriers until 2006, playing 51 times before having spells with non-league sides Scarborough, Halifax and then helping Morecambe into the Football League via the play-offs for the first time last season.
At the end of the 2006/07 season, Yates retired from professional football ages 37.
One To Watch: Rickie Lambert
Centre-forward Rickie Lambert has been in sumblime form so far this season, netting eighteen goals in twenty-two appearances for far this season, all of which have come in nineteen league appearances, making him League One's leading scorer so far this season.
Lambert, a scouser, started his career with Blackpool as a trainee, where he made just three appearances before being released in March 2001, joining Macclesfield Town on a free-transfer.
Here, Lambert played mainly as a midfielder, and excellent form over the next thirteen months, which included ten goals in 49 appearances for the Silkmen, earnt him a £300,000 move to Stockport County in April 2002.
The Liverpudlian continued his good form at Edgley Park over the next three years, scoring nineteen goals in 110 appearances for the club, before in February 2005 he joined Rochdale on a free-transfer.
At Rochdale, Lambert became an immediate hit. He earnt himself a repuation as a dead-ball specialist, scoring a number of impressive and vital free-kicks in his time with Dale, as well as making the successful switch from midfielder to striker.
He was with Rochdale for just over 16 months and made 68 appearances for the club, scoring 28 goals, form that earnt him a £200,000 move to Bristol Rovers on transfer deadline day in August 2006.
Since joining Bristol Rovers, Lambert has not looked back. He has played 128 games and scored 47 goals for the club, a record which has looked ever more impressive as this season has wore on.
With three goals in his last four games, Lambert is a threat from both free-kicks and in open play. He is Bristol Rovers' penalty taker and whilst he is great with his feet, he is also capable of scoring with his head.
Wearing the number nine shirt for The Pirates, Lambert will have to be watched carefully by the Tranmere defence at all times.
Around League One:
The League One action this weekend starts on Friday night, when Brighton entertain third placed MK Dons, who can move up a place to second and just a point behind table-topping Leicester City with a win.
Leicester will be looking to extend their two point lead at the top of the table when they travel to Carlisle United on Saturday, whilst second placed Millwall are away to Walsall, who are tenth in the League One table, three points and one place behind ninth placed Tranmere, who can lift themselves up to seventh in the table if they beat Bristol Rovers and Leeds United (seventh) and Stockport County (eighth) lose to Colchester United and Yeovil Town.
Fourth placed Peterborough, who knocked Tranmere out of the F.A. Cup on Tuesday night with a 2-1 extra-time win at Prenton Park, host sixth placed Oldham, with Oldham looking to keep hold of their place in the play-offs, whilst fifth placed Scunthorpe United, who host Tranmere in the Johnstone's Paints area Semi-Final on Tuesday, are at home to Northampton Town.
Team News:
Tranmere will once again be without striker Chris Greenacre, who is still struggling with a back problem, whilst right-back Danny Holmes is out with a thigh injury. This game could also come too soon for striker Craig Curran, who has not featured since September thanks to a stomach injury and on-loan midfielder Mark Wilson is also a doubt after being stretchered off with an ankle injury against Leeds last weekend. Some good news for Tranmere though is that on-loan Middlesbrough right-back John Johnson returns to the side after being cup-tied for Tranmere's midweek F.A. Cup defeat to Peterborough.
Jones' Prediction: Bristol Rovers 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
This will, by no means, be an easy fixture for Tranmere, especially considering their recent away form and Bristol's reasonably strong home form for the season.
Rovers have to go into the game looking for the win though. They haven't scored in any of their last five away games, and this has meant that, despite their great defensive record, teams are only requiring one goal to beat Ronnie Moore's side.
Indeed, in their last six away games, Tranmere have conceded just two goals, so in that sense, the 4-5-1 formation is doing it's job. But no goals in five matches on the road shows that at the other end of the field, Tranmere are definately struggling and, of course, if you don't score goals, you don't win matches.
What does Ronnie Moore do then? Considering Tranmere are playing Bristol, a side who have scored a lot of goals this season, sticking with the 4-5-1 formation is probably for the best this weekend. Therefore, it's the midfield and possibly the strike force that needs tweaking.
When Rovers play Jennings, Kay and Edds together in a five man midfield, they often lack creativity and attacking presence, as these players are very similar. Therefore, one of these, most likely Edds, would need to be dropped to accomodate a more attacking minded midfielder, either Mark Wilson, if he is fit, or Charlie Barnett.
Bas Savage has been working very hard in recent weeks and does some great work for Tranmere, but he doesn't score enough goals and has looked tired in recent weeks, so it is important that wingers Ian Moore and either Sonko or Shuker, who ever is selected, get upfield to support Savage as much as possible.
If things are looking bleak though in terms of goalscoring, Ronnie Moore must be quick to change things around. Terry Gornell needs to be given his chance up top, whilst the likes of Craig Curran, Aaron Cresswell and either Sonko or Shuker, which ever doesn't start, can all be used in an attacking way.