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Tranmere have had a disasterous start to the season on the road, losing all three of their away matches, but here is a chance for them to pick up some points and their first away win since February, as they take on a Huddersfield side who, despite being backed by a huge home crowd and being tipped for promotion by many, are still to register a home league win this season.
Huddersfield Town team profile:
Formed: 1895
Ground: The Galpharm Stadium
Manager: Stan Ternent
Nickname: The Terriers
Season Finish 2006/07: 10th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
It's not all that long since Tranmere made their last trip to the Galpharm Stadium, with Rovers playing Huddersfield in their penultimate away game of the 2007/08 season.
With the game happening so late in the season then, on April 19th, it was pretty much a dead-rubber match. Tranmere had a very slim chance of catching Leeds to make the play-offs, but realistically that was never going to happen, whilst Town were sitting comfortably in mid-table.
The lack of any important to the match was reflected by the fans, as only 8,315 turned up, including just 491 Tranmere fans, whilst it was clear to see from the off that very few Tranmere players were really interested in the match either, despite many of them playing for their Rovers future.
As a result, the game was dull and very un-inspiring. Both sets of fans were quiet, just content to watch the two teams gently fight it out on the pitch.
Really though, there was little to watch on the pitch. It was clear to see that niether team particularly cared for the game, although Huddersfield were going for it more than Rovers.
There were very few chances early on, with both defences commanding against attack, with Andy Booth coming closest for Town in the first half, the former Sheffield Wednesday striker rising un-marked in the penalty area to head a free-kick wide.
The second period was to pann out much like the first half. Huddersfield saw much more of the ball now though and were somewhat more threatening to Danny Coyne as he guarded the Tranmere goal.
It was on 61-minutes when Huddersfield scored the only goal of the game and it was a strike that very much mirrored the pattern of the match - scrappy.
Schofield broke down the Tranmere right, beating a couple of men on his way into the penalty area before shooting. Coyne saved the initial shot, but the ball broke across goal and fell nicely for Andy Booth, who simply tapped home to win the match.
Vital Stats:
In nineteen away trips to Huddersfield, Tranmere have picked up just four wins, whilst they have lost ten times
Despite this though, Tranmere have played at the Galpharm Stadium nine times and picked up two wins, two draws and five defeats
Rovers have played Huddersfield in September five times previously, picking up two wins, two defeats and a draw
In nineteen away games against Huddersfield, Tranmere have scored just thirteen goals, with seven of these coming in their last five away games against the Terriers
Tranmere have three times completed the double over Huddersfield in a season, but Huddersfield have never beaten Tranmere twice in the same campaign
On This Day:
2003: Tranmere draw 0-0 at home to Peterborough under Ray Mathias
1982: A 0-0 draw at Prenton Park is enough to send Tranmere through to the second round of the League Cup, after the first leg against Crewe ended 1-1
1963: An increadible League Cup match ends in a 6-3 defeat for Tranmere against Middlesbrough
Tranmere have played seventeen previous fixtures on September 13th, picking up six wins, two draws and nine defeats. They have scored twenty-one times on this day whilst their defence has been beaten twenty-six times.
The Form Book:
Huddersfield last six games: WLLLDW
Tranmere last six games: LWWLWL
Although Tranmere's start to the season has been dissapointing, it's not been as bad as Huddersfields, who have picked up three defeats from their opening seven games.
Starting the season at home, Huddersfield picked up a point against recently promoted Stockport County, with Andy Booth scoring the Town goal, before Huddersfield hammered Bradford 4-0 in the League Cup at the Galpharm Stadium.
However, Stan Ternent's side then went on a four game run without a win, starting with a credible 0-0 draw away to Colchester United.
Three successive defeats followed though, as Town firstly lost at home to MK Dons (3-1) before being knocked out of the League Cup by Sheffield United, also at home, with two late goals from Henderson and Naughton getting the Blades a 2-1 win.
Huddersfield then lost 2-1 against Millwall at the New Den, although striker Liam Dickinson got his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Derby, before in their most recent match Huddersfield picked up their first League win of the season, beating Cheltenham Town 2-1 at Whaddon Road.
Tranmere have had a spectacularly dissapointing start to the season, with just two wins in their opening five league games.
Playing their new 4-3-3 formation, Ronnie Moore's side started the season in very poor form, firstly putting in a terrible display at Swindon as they lost 3-1, before somehow losing 2-0 at Grimsby Town in the first round of the League Cup, a game which Tranmere dominated, hitting the woodwork three times, but the just couldn't get the ball in the back of the net.
Rovers picked up their first win of the campaign against Hartlepool United at Prenton Park on the second weekend of the season, with a brilliant 25-yard strike from Craig Curran earning Tranmere the win, before seven days later Tranmere were once again on the road and once again losing, as Leicester City beat Tranmere 3-1 at the Walkers Stadium.
Since the Leicester result, Tranmere have played three successive home games and have had differing fortunes, picking up two wins and a defeat.
First up, Tranmere played Northampton Town and despite going a goal behind, Rovers picked up an excellent and well deserved 4-1 win, with Savage, Kay, Curran and Moore on the scoresheet for Ronnie Moore's side, before Eddie Sonko scored his first Tranmere goal in a 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley in the Johnstone's Paints Trophy three days later.
Tranmere's 100% home record though came to an end in their most recent match against Oldham Athletic, when former Tranmere played Reuban Hazell came back to haunt his old club, his first-half header enough to clinch Oldham a 1-0 win, although Steven Jennings wrongly had a goal ruled out for offside late on.
Tranmere travel to Huddersfield lying thirteenth in the League One table with six points from their opening five games, thanks to two wins and three defeats.
Huddersfield meanwhile have not started the season as well, and they are currently in seventeenth place in the table, although they are only a point behind Tranmere Rovers, having picked up two draws, one win and two defeats from their opening five games.
Double Hit:
There have been several players who have represented both Huddersfield Town and Tranmere Rovers in the recent past, including the likes of Sir Steve Yates and Wayne Allison.
A third player who has represented both clubs though is Tranmere's midfield legend Kenny Irons, a home grown midfielder who played under both John King and John Aldridge before leaving Rovers for Huddersfield.
Irons came through the Tranmere youth system and signed his first professional contract with the club in 1989.
Despite having a number of differences with then manager John King, Irons became a hugely popular and successful player with Rovers, making 429 appearances for the club in all competitions and scoring 67 goals.
The central midfielder stayed with Tranmere for ten years, and was a huge fan favourite. He had the ability to score plenty of goals from midfield whilst his passing range was exceptional.
However, a cash crisis at Prenton Park led to Irons being sold in 1999, with the midfielder, then 28, joining Huddersfield for £500,000.
Irons stayed with The Terriers for four years, making 170 appearances for the club and scoring thirteen goals, but he was never as successful for the Yorkshire club as he was at Tranmere.
In 2003, he left the Galpharm Stadium, or as it was then known, the McAlpine Stadium, moving across the Irish Sea to join Linfield before between 2004 and 2006, he returned to Britain to play in the Welsh Premier League with NEWI Cefn Druids and Caernarfon.
In 2008, Irons turned out for Tranmere once more as he played in the Masters Tournament along with other firm fan favourites of days gone by, including the likes of Steve Mungall, George Santos and Eddie Bishop.
Irons was instrumental in helping Tranmere to win the Merseyside Masters tournament before he aided Rovers in their passage to the Semi-Final of the National tournament, scoring a crucial penalty in the shoot-out win over Rangers before netting a brilliant long-range effort in the semi-final defeat against Manchester City.
Kenny Irons now works with Tranmere Rovers as a youth team coach, a position he was put in after Ronnie Moore returned to the club in 2006.
One To Watch: Jonathon Worthington
Midfielder Jonathon Worthington is the stalwart of the Huddersfield midfield, whilst he is also the man who wears the captains armband for Stan Ternent's side.
Worthington came through the academy at Huddersfield and has been with the club since a very young age. Making his debut in 2002 against Plymouth, it took Worthington just two years to be named the club captain as he took the armband off Efe Sodje at the age of just twenty-one.
Over the past few seasons, Worthington has been the key man in the Huddersfield midfield. An excellent tackler, Worthington is well used to picking up a yellow card, getting eighteen yellows and one red in the last two seasons alone, whilst he also has a very good passing range.
In his six years with the club, Worthington has made 221 appearances for the club, scoring thirteen times, this despite being only twenty-five.
Wearing the number eight shirt for Huddersfield, Worthington stands at 5'09 and has played in all but one of Huddersfield's games this season, missing the recent win against Cheltenham due to injury.
Around League One:
One of the most interesting fixtures in League One this weekend will be at Boundary Park, where Oldham Athletic, fresh after their 1-0 win over rivals Tranmere last weekend and now top of the table, take on fifth placed MK Dons, who beat Yeovil 3-0 last weekend.
The other big game of the weekend though is at Glanford Park, where Scunthorpe United take on second placed Carlisle United in a game which is sure to produce goals, with Scunthorpe winning 4-1 at Brighton last weekend and Carlisle beating Southend 2-1.
After the high-scoring 5-4 win for Peterborough over Bristol Rovers at London Road last weekend, The Posh this Saturday travel to Northampton, who lie twentieth place in the table, whilst Rovers entertain Walsall, who are a point ahead of Tranmere.
Leeds, who rocketted up to sixth after last weeks 5-2 win over Crewe, take on Swindon Town at the County Ground, whilst Leicester City are at home to Millwall.
Team News:
The only injury concern for Tranmere is Godwin Antwi, with the on-loan Liverpool defender still struggling with an ankle injury picked up a few weeks ago. Otherwise, Ronnie Moore should have a full side to choose from, with Ian Goodison recovering from a hamstring strain to play for Jamaica in midweek, meaning he returns to the Tranmere side for this game.
Jones' Prediction: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
Having looked at Huddersfield's start to the season, you begin to think that this is a game Tranmere really could win. However, you then turn to Tranmere's away form and think better of it.
The outcome of this game depends heavily on what formation Ronnie Moore decides to go with. It is expected that the Tranmere boss will, go with the 4-4-2 formation away from home, for the first time this season, a move which should definately help Tranmere on the road, as the 4-3-3 formation definately leads them too open to attacks from the opposition.
With the 4-4-2, Tranmere should have a strong enough midfield and defence to snuff out opposition attacks, but then they also have two good strikers up top who are capable of scoring goals, and a midfield that will push forward too.
Huddersfield though have a strong defence and in a good strike force to go with that, with the likes of Luke Beckett, Keigan Parker and Phil Jevons all capable of getting goals up front.
Tranmere will need to make sure that wingers Sonko and Shuker provide better quality chances for Savage up top, as last week Rovers seriously missed their crossing ability from the wings, meaning Savage and Curran had nothing to feed off up top.
If Rovers are to have any chance of winning this game, then at least one of Shuker of Sonko must put in a good, solid performance.