Millwall vs. Tranmere Rovers match preview

Last updated : 12 April 2007 By Matthew Jones
Moore insists play-off chances are still alive as Tranmere travel south
For all the optomists out their, Saturday gives Tranmere another chance to draw closer to play-off rivals Yeovil, Oldham and Blackpool as they travel down to the New Den to face Millwall.

Ronnie Moore will be hoping his side can put in a similar performance to the one given in the last 15 minutes against Brighton on Saturday as a win could draw them to within four points of the that illutrious sixth place.


Millwall team profile:

Formed: 1885

Ground: The New Den

Manager: Willie Donachie (Caretaker manager)

Nickname: The Lions

Season Finish 2005/06: 23rd (Coca-Cola Championship)

Previous Meetings:

When the two sides met at Prenton Park in November, Rovers put three goals past the Lions as they won the game 3-1, with Gareth Taylor, Chris McCready and Chris Shuker scoring their first goals at Prenton Park for Tranmere.

Rovers opened the scoring through Taylor, as he headed in a Chris Shuker cross in front of the Kop and with their very next attack after a bit of penalty-area pinball from Chris Shuker's corner, Chris McCready netted to give Tranmere a two goal lead.

On 42-minutes, Millwall got back in the game and Tranmere began to look uncertain as Chris Hackett chipped the ball over Gavin Ward into the net.

However, Rovers went on to win the game as Chris Shuker got an excellent third with just minutes left. Shuker capitalised on Shaw's slip and slotted under Pigeley to secure the points for Tranmere.

Vital Stats:

Tranmere haven't won any of their last five visits to Millwall

Rovers have only won once in nine trips to Millwall

In 20 games Tranmere have kept five clean sheets against the Lions

Rovers have won seven out of 21 previous games on April 14th

This is the second consecutive season Tranmere have been away on the day of the Grand National (Rotherham last season)

The Form Book:

Millwall last 6 home games: WWDWWL
Tranmere last 6 away games: LLWLWL

Since the sacking of Nigel Spackman and the appointment of Willy Donachie, Millwall's fortunes have been overturned. From looking like a team that would be relegated for the second successive season, come the beginning of March the Lions were beginning to look like a team who might threaten the play-off places.

They come into this game in ominous form, having despatched of Doncaster Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Swansea City in their last three games (home and away).

Most recently at the New Den, Millwall beat Nottingham Forest 1-0, this following up a great 2-0 victory over Swansea City as they looked to keep up their slim play-off chances.

Before beating Swansea, Millwall had drawn 2-2 with Crewe at home after two consecutive 2-0 wins over Cheltenham and Carlisle on home soil.

However, Millwall suffered a demoralising 5-2 defeat to relegation threatened Leyton Orient before their five match unbeaten run, a game which saw Ryan Jarvis score a hatrick for The O's.

Other notable home results for Millwall this season include wins over Rotherham (4-0), Gillingham (4-1), Bradford (2-0) and Oldham Athletic (1-0).

From a total of 21 home games this season, Millwall have picked up ten wins, seven draws and just four defeats. They have amassed a total of 37 points from an available 63.

Since the turn of the year, Tranmere really haven't enjoyed playing away from home (if they have enjoyed playing at all!) with just two away wins from their eight away games in 2007 and just three away wins in their last 16 away league games.

Most recently on the road, Tranmere suffered a 3-2 defeat at Bloomfield Road with both Jason McAteer and John Mullin getting sent off, a result which all but ended Tranmere's play-off hopes.

Before the Blackpool game, Tranmere had travelled to the south coast to play Bournemouth and suffered a demoralising 2-0 defeat, a result which saw Tranmere fail to have a shot on target.

However, before Bournemouth, Rovers had defeated Port Vale 3-2 at Vale Park, with two goals from Chris Greenacre and one for Kevin Ellison securing Tranmere the win, this on the back of a 3-1 away defeat to Leyton Orient when Tranmere were missing Stockdale, Thompson, Goodison and Sherriff.

Prior to Leyton Orient, Tranmere had picked up their first away win of 2007 when they defeated Yeovil Town 2-0 at Huish Park thanks to two goals from Chris Shuker, but this followed a run of three consecutive away defeats, the final game in the run being a 1-0 defeat to Oldham.

Other notable away results for Ronnie Moore's side this season include wins over Chesterfield (2-0), Northampton (3-1) and Brighton (1-0).

From a total of 21 away league games this season, Tranmere have picked up five wins, six draws and ten defeats. They have picked up a total of 21 points from an available 63.

One To Watch:

The man to watch from Millwall is inform striker Darren Byfield, who's return to fitness has been key to the Lions good run of form over the last few months.

Byfield, 30, has scored 14 goals for Millwall this season in 32 games following his summer move from Gillingham, this including a hatrick against his former employers in January.

Byfield started his career at Aston Villa where he made 10 appearances without scoring in six years (1994-2000) with the club. However, in this six years he also spent time on loan at Preston, Northampton, Cambridge and Blackpool, scoring three times in a total of 20 appearance for the four clubs.

In 2000 Byfield made the short move to Walsall on a free transfer where he was to make 100 appearances and score 17 goals before teaming up with Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore at Rotherham as he made the switch to Millmoor for £50,000.

Byfield's profile continued to rise whilst with the Yorkshire club and after scoring 23 goals in 74 appearances for the Millers, Byfield left Yorkshire for Sunderland in a swap deal in 2004.

Byfield however failed to get his break at Sunderland, scoring five goals in 17 games of which over half were as a subsitute and in July 2004 Byfield was to move on to Gillingham.

The striker stayed at Priestfield for two years, scoring 20 goals in 71 games for The Gills before Itchy Feet syndrome struck again and he left Gillingham for Millwall on a free transfer in June of last year.

Byfield has a keen eye for goal and is very quick if he is given the chance to run at defences, which is why he has managed 14 goals already this season for the Lions.


Team News:

Rovers will again be without John Mullin and Jason McAteer who serve the second game of a three match ban whilst Carl Tremarco (hamstring) and John Achterberg (ankle) remain out. However, Paul McLaren and John Thompson both played 90 minutes against Brighton on Monday and are set to continue whilst Craig Curran could once again be an option from the bench.

Jones' Prediction: Millwall 2-0 Tranmere