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Rovers will be looking to keep up a recent good run in the league of unbeaten games, with a two goal win pushing them top of the table, if only temporarily, ahead of Leyton Orient. Luton meanwhile will be looking to push back up towards the play-off positions.
Formed: 1881
Ground:
Manager: Kevin Blackwell
Nickname: The Hatters
Season Finish 2006/07: 23rd (Coca-Cola Championship)
Recent Meetings:
It's been a while since these two sides met, with Luton being promoted from League One as Champions in the 2004/05 season, the year Tranmere last to Hartlepool in the play-off semi finals.
The last meeting between the two sides did indeed come in that season, with each side failing to beat the other as each game finished 1-1.
At Prenton Park on October 2nd, first placed Luton took on second placed Tranmere as Rovers looked to pull back the nine point gap that had already opened between the two sides after just ten games.
They looked as if they were on their way to doing this too, as Ryan Taylor opened the scoring for Rovers on 32-minutes after some confusion. The wing-back had been brought down in the box but after recieving treatment, he wasn't allowed to take the awarded spot-kick. Iain Hume stepped up for Rovers and his penalty was saved, however, the referee ordered the penalty to be taken again after an infringement in the area and Taylor was allowed back on to the pitch to take the kick, from which he scored.
However, with Tranmere looking to run down the clock and get the three points, Luton got back in the game through a Coyne header on 76-minutes.
A few months later on January 29th at Kenilworth Road, the sides again drew 1-1, with Luton again coming from behind to earn the draw.
Rovers took a fifth minute lead through Eugene Dadi, the striker hitting home from just eight yards out thanks to Iain Hume's header from Taylor's long ball.
However, Tranmere failed to hold on to the lead, a problem that was to haunt them through-out the season, as in the 54th minute, Kevin Nichols smashed home a penalty for Luton after Howard was fouled in the box by Goodison.
Vital Stats:
Tranmere have won seven out of twelve previous meetings between the two sides at Prenton Park
In their last four meetings, the two sides have managed just six goals between them
Rovers have won just nine of 25 total meetings between the two sides
In the 1966/67 season, the two sides played each other on consecutive days, firstly December 26th and then December 27th
Rovers have won their last three games on September 14th
On This Day:
1999: Tranmere hammer Coventry 5-1 at Prenton Park on their way to the League Cup Final, David Kelly getting a hatrick for Rovers
1993: Rovers defeat Luton Town 4-1 at Prenton Park, the opponents who they also play on September 14th this year
1925: Tranmere lost 8-0 away to Grismby Town in Division Three North
The Form Book:
Tranmere last 6 games: WLDWWL
Luton last 6 games: LWLWWL
It's been an indifferent start to the season for Luton Town, as they've picked up six points from their opening five league games.
They started the season well, with a 2-1 win against League One new-boys Hartlepool Town at Kenilworth Road before travelling to Swindon and losing 2-1 a week later.
However, they bounced back to form a week later, Bell, Furlong and Spring getting the goals for the Hatters in the a convincing 3-1 win at home to Gillingham.
But, these are the last points Luton picked up in the league this season, with two defeats following the victory over Gillingham. Firstly the Hatters lost 1-0 to Leeds United on Kevin Blackwell's return to the club before two excellent goals from Ricky Lambert earned Bristol Rovers a 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road.
Such league results however have been accompanied by three excellent cup results, with the Hatters progressing in both the League Cup and Football League Trophy so far this season.
In the Carling Cup First Round Luton defeated Dagenham and Redbridge 2-1 before getting a marvelous 3-0 win at home to Sunderland in the second round thanks to goals from Furlong (2) and Bell. In the Football League Trophy first round, Luton disposed of Northampton Town, beating the Cobblers 2-0 at home.
Tranmere meanwhile have had a reasonably good start to the season, with two of their three defeats so far this season coming in cup competitions.
After an opening day defeat to Leeds United (2-1), Tranmere having picked up an impressive 10 points from their last four games, a run which has seen them burst up the table into second place.
Following the 2-1 defeat to Leeds, Rovers travelled to Gillingham and picked up a fantastic 2-0 win at Priestfield Stadium thanks to goals from Greenacre and Davies before Rovers defeated Brighton and Hove Albion at Prenton Park by the same scoreline seven days later, Greenacre accompanied on the score sheet by Chris Shuker.
Seven days later Tranmere were on the road again and it was only a 96th minute free-kick from Steve Davies that earned them a 1-1 draw at Huish Park before Rovers travelled to Carlisle United a week later and won 1-0 at Brunton Park thanks to a goal from Craig Curran, a result which has got some fans believing the team really does have what it takes to go up.
In the cup competitions Tranmere have been very poor this season, losing in the first rounds of the Carling Cup and Football League Trophy to League Two opposition, with Stockport County defeating Rovers 1-0 in the Carling Cup and Morecambe earning a win by the same scoreline in the Football League Trophy.
Double Hit:
Luton midfielder Steven O'Leary spent the end of the 2005/06 season on loan at Tranmere after failing to win a place in the first team with the Hatters, then a Championship club.
The Irishman has been at Luton all his career, joining them as a youngster and making his debut as a trainee in the Football League Trophy 2-1 win over Rushed in November 2003.
O'Leary has really failed to win a first team place at Luton though, and since his debut he has made just 29-league appearances for the club, scoring three goals, as well as a further seven goalless cup games.
His chance for first team football came in the 2005/06 season however, as O'Leary moved to Tranmere under Brian Little on a one month loan spell.
After five appearances in his first month with the club, O'Leary went back to Luton before coming back to Tranmere on another loan spell, this time until the end of the season in January 2006.
In total, O'Leary played 21 league games and one cup game for Rovers, getting an impressive three goals in total before being sent off in his final game for the club at Colchester United on Easter Monday 2006 thanks to a two-footed lunge on the Colchester player.
One To Watch: Paul Furlong
It's not been a bad start to the season for Luton's 38-year old striker Paul Furlong, as he has already banged in three goals in seven games for Luton this season.
Furlong started his career at Enfield before moving to Coventry for £130,000 in the summer of 1991. 44 apperances, five goals and almost 12 months later, Furlong made a £250,000 move to Watford where he was to stay for two seasons.
At Vicerage Road, the power-house striker started to bang in the goals, scoring 41 goals in 92 games for the club which earnt him a big money move to Chelsea in 1994, signing for the Blue's for £2,300,000.
Again it was only a two-year stay at the club for Furlong, as he left in 1996 to Birmingham for £1,500,000 after netting 17 goals in 85 games for Chelsea.
At Birmingham, Furlong remained for six years as he made an impressive 153 appearances for the Midlands side between 1996 and 2002, scoring 56 times for the club in the process.
Whilst at Birmingham, Furlong also spent time on loan at QPR (twice) and Sheffield United, netting five goals in a total of 13 appearances for the clubs before moving to QPR on a permanent deal in 2002 for free.
A significant five-year stay at QPR yielded much success for Furlong, as he played another 162 league games for the club, to go with 12 cup games as he netted another 55 goals for the club.
However, Furlong was released by the London side in the summer and soon signed for Luton Town on a free-transfer. Since joining Luton, the power-house forward has already won the League One player of the month for August as well as netting three goals for the club.
It will be a tough game for each Rovers player who defends against Furlong, with the six foot tall striker winning an increadible amount of headers upfront aswell as being useful when defending set-pieces.
Team News:
It's been a hectic week for Les Parry and Ronnie Moore as they aim to keep up with all the injuries to the Tranmere squad at Prenton Park.
Strikers Calvin Zola (hamstring) and Gareth Taylor (ribs) will both definately miss the game, leaving Moore with only Curran, Davies and Greenacre to choose from upfront, whilst midfielder John Mullin is also out with an ankle injury. Doubts also loom over the fitness of Chris Shuker and captain Ian Goodison.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere Rovers 3-0 Luton Town