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Again, it's hats off to the people who organise the fixture list, as with Tranmere still facing trips to Brighton and Swansea on Tuesdays night and having already travelled to Hartlepool on a Tuesday in December, it's Gillingham's turn to have to make a stupidly long trip for an evening game. It should be noted that Gillingham have also already had one long Tuesday night away trip this season having travelled to Crewe in December.
Formed: 1893
Ground: Priestfield Stadium
Manager: Mark Stimson
Nickname: The Gills
Season Finish 2006/07: 16th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
When Tranmere travelled to Gillingham on the second weekend of the season, they came away with the three points following a terrific 2-0 win.
Having already lost their opening two games of the season (to Leeds and Stockport), Rovers were keen to get a victory and put in an excellent performance to get a well deserved win.
Tranmere took the lead midway through the first half as Chris Shuker beat his man to get to the goal-line befor pulling the ball back across goal to Greenacre who headed home from near the penalty spot.
After half time Tranmere doubled their lead through winger Steve Davies, who has since injured his cruciate knee-ligaments.
The goal came on 50-minutes, as Davies exchanged passes with Shane Sherriff before cutting inside from the left-wing and firing a shot low into the bottom corner of the goal from 20-yards.
The win was indeed also Tranmere's first at Gillingham since 1975 and they have since made a habit of getting wins at grounds where they have previously struggled this season.
Vital Stats:
In 14 previous trips to the Wirral, Gillingham have only picked up one win, this coming last season as they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Ben Chorley getting one of the Gillingham goals
Tranmere have netted on 23 occasions at Prenton Park against Gillingham to the Kent's sides 14 goals on the Wirral
Ronnie Moore's side now haven't won a game on a Tuesday night since January 16th 2007 when they won 1-0 against Crewe whilst Rovers have also won just two of fifteen Tuesday night matches since Moore's arrival at the club
Rovers haven't completed the double over Gillingham since the 1961/62 season - the first season in which the two sides met
Tranmere haven't won three league games in a row since November 2006 when they picked up wins against Millwall, Brighton and Blackpool (an F.A. Cup win over Woking also occured in the middle of this run)
On This Day:
2005: Rovers draw a vital game in the promotion race against Luton Town 1-1
2000: Tranmere seal their place in the F.A. Cup Quarter Finals with a 2-1 away win against Fulham
1985: In front of just 1,170, Tranmere beat Blackpool 2-0 in the Football League Trophy at Prenton Park
Tranmere have played 14 games on January 29th, picking up six wins, five draws and three defeats. They have scored 21 and conceeded 15 goals in those games.
The Form Book:
Tranmere last 6 home games: WLDWWW
Gillingham last 6 away games: LWDLWL
Gillingham come to Prenton Park on Tuesday with the worst away defence in League One, having conceeded 27 games in 13 away league games so far this season.
However, the Gills' only two away wins this season have come in their six match sequence which could be bad news for everybody involved with Tranmere Rovers.
Gillingham started their six match sequence with a 2-1 defeat away to Yeovil Town before winning 3-2 at Gresty Road against Crewe Alexandra, with Bentley opening the scoring for Gillingham before Dickson got two second half goals to give them the win.
This result was followed up by a 1-0 defeat away to Bournemouth before the Gills got a New Years Day draw with Leyton Orient (0-0).
Two goals from Mulligan and a Delroy Facey strike then secured Gillingham a 3-1 win away at Huddersfield, after they had trailed 1-0, before Gillingham lost 2-1 away to Walsall on Saturday.
Gillingham's only other point on the road this season came in a 1-1 draw at Swansea in November when Delroy Facey opened the scoring for the away team.
From 13 away games this season, Gillingham have picked up just eight points from an available 39 thanks to two wins, two draws and nine defeats.
Notable home results for the side include wins over Nottingham Forest (3-0), Leyton Orient (3-1) and Hartlepool United (2-1).
Tranmere's home form over the last six games looks a bit healthier following Saturday's 2-1 victory over Yeovil Town, as they come in to this match with just one defeat at Prenton Park in their last six outings.
In the first match of their six match sequence, Rovers defeated Bournemouth 3-1 in horrible wet and windy conditions at Prenton Park before getting a superb 2-0 win over Carlisle United on home soil, with Antony Kay and Paul McLaren getting the Rovers goals.
This was followed by a 1-0 home success over Cheltenham Town before Rovers went two home games without a win.
Firstly Ronnie Moore's side were twice forced to come from behind to draw 2-2 with Hereford in the F.A. Cup third round before putting in a shocking display during a 2-0 defeat to Bristol Rovers.
However, in their last game, Rovers beat Yeovil Town 2-1 at Prenton Park with the goals coming from Calvin Zola and Jennison Myrie-Williams.
Other impressive home results for Tranmere include wins over Brighton and Hove Albion (2-0), Luton Town (2-1) and Huddersfield Town (3-0).
In 14 home league games this season, Tranmere have picked up 24 points from an available 42 thanks to seven wins, three draws and four defeats.
Notable away results for the Wirral side include wins against Carlisle (1-0), Southend (2-1) and Millwall (1-0) in the league as well as a 3-0 win at Bradford in the second round of the F.A. Cup.
Double Hit:
Tranmere Rovers centre-back Ben Chorley played for Gillingham on loan last season before joining Rovers in the summer.
Chorley started his career at Arsenal and was part of the successful F.A. Youth Cup winning side of 2001 whilst at the Gunners.
However, Chorley failed to ever make an appearance for Arsene Wenger's side and after a brief loan spell at Brentford in 2002, he joined Wimbledon, now MK Dons, in March 2003 on a free-transfer.
The London born centre-back stayed with MK Dons for just over four years, making 139 appearances and playing in three different divisions with the club as they fell from the Coca-Cola Championship to League Two.
In October 2006 Chorley joined Gillingham on loan, with whom he stayed for the remainder of the season and he played 27 games for the club, scoring his solitary goal in a 3-2 win over Tranmere in December 2006.
After his contract expired at MK Dons in the summer, Chorley joined Tranmere on a two year contract and has since played 26 games and scored one goal (in a 2-1 win over Southend). Two injuries however have hampered Chorley's performances and number of appearances this season.
One To Watch:
Exciting forward Dennis Oli has just signed a permanent contract at Gillingham from non-League side Grays Athletic, who had previously produced talents like Aaron McLean (Peterborough), Freddy Eastwood (Wolves) and Michael Kightly (Wolves).
Oli started his career with QPR and he made 30 appearances for the club but never managed to score, despite being a striker.
Whilst with the London side, Oli spent time on loan at Ebbsfleet and Farnborough before joining Swansea on a free transfer in 2004.
However, Oli only made one appearance for Swansea, this as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Northampton in League Two and just four months after joining the club, Oli signed for Cambridge having been released by Swansea a month earlier.
The striker made five appearances in one month with Cambridge before joining Grays on January 1st 2005. He went on to stay with the non-League club for nearly three years as he made 111 appearances and scored 21 goals for the club.
After attracting attention from a number of league clubs, Oli joined Gillingham on November 12th 2006 on an initial loan deal with a view to a permanent move to the club.
It has recently been announced that having impressed in his time with the club, Oli has signed for Gillingham on a permanent basis.
With electric pace and a good finishing ability, Oli is a difficult striker for any defence to handle and he has proved this so far by scoring three times in eight games for Gillingham.
Oli celebrates his 24th birthday the day before the Tranmere vs. Gillingham match and stands at six foot tall. He wears the number 28 shirt for Gillingham.
Around League One:
There is a full list of fixtures in League One this week, with all the teams returning to action following the F.A. Cup Fourth Round on Saturday.
Tranmere, now eighth in the table and just three points off the play-offs, can move ahead of Leyton Orient and level on points with Leeds but behind the Yorkshire club on goal difference, should the two teams slip up on their tricky away travels to Walsall and Southend.
Rovers will be hoping that they can go into next Saturdays game against Leeds with the chance to over take Dennis Wise' side in the play-off places.
Second play first at the City Ground where Swansea City play Nottingham Forest. Swansea now have an eleven point lead at the top of League One whilst Forest are only five points ahead of Tranmere.
Oldham play third placed Carlisle at Boundary Park whilst a game between two teams threatened with relegation see's Millwall play Cheltenham.
Team News:
Paul McLaren could struggle to make the team after being substituted during Saturday's win over Yeovil with a knee injury but Chris Greenacre should be fit after making the substitutes bench for the same game. Steve Davies and Chris Shuker are still out with cruciate knee ligament damage whilst Ronnie Moore will be hoping that he can secure the signing of Jennison Myrie-Williams until the end of the season on Monday after the wingers loan deal at the club from Bristol City expired after Saturday's match.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere Rovers 3-0 Gillingham
Things are beginning to look up for Rovers, especially after a second consecutive win against Yeovil on Saturday.
A win here would put Rovers right back in the play-off shake up ahead of Saturday's much anticipated trip to Leeds United and Ronnie Moore will be keen for his side to pick up the three points.
Two wins on the bounce should breathe some confidence into the team and especially Saturday's goal scorers Calvin Zola and Jennison Myrie-Williams who were both badly in need of a goal, especially Myrie-Williams as he got off the mark for the club.
Gillingham have been poor on the road this season and Tranmere must expose that. If they take the game to the Kent side, attacking the full backs and getting the ball into the box for the forwards, whether that be in the air or on the floor, then they should have no problem winning this one.