Tranmere Rovers vs. Northampton Town match preview

Last updated : 04 January 2007 By Matthew Jones
Taylor looking for third goal in as many games
With many League One teams not playing this weekend due to either themselves or their squedualled opponents being in F.A. Cup action, Rovers have the chance to leap up into fifth place should they beat Northampton on Saturday.

The Cobblers are currently using their third [permanent] manager in seven or eight months after Stuart Gray was appointment manager this week following the departure of John Groman in December. Colin Calderwood, now at Nottingham Forest, was the manager who won them promotion last season but left in the summer.

Northampton Town team profile:

Formed: 1897

Ground: Sixfields

Manager: Stuart Gray

Nickname: The Cobblers

Season Finish 2005/06: 2nd (Coca-Cola League Two)

Previous Meetings:

When Tranmere and Northampton met earlier in the season at Sixfields, Rovers walked away with the points after picking up their second away win of the season.

Rovers won the match 3-1, despite missing Chris Greenacre and Shane Sherriff through injury and with further injuries to Steven Jennings and Kevin Ellison with just 23 minutes gone, Rovers were looking very thin.

Calvin Zola got the opener for Tranmere on 14 minutes with a header and Gareth Taylor doubled the advantage 24 minutes later with another header.

Rovers scored their third from something of a rarity for a Tranmere team these days, as John Mullin netted Rovers only penalty of the calendar year after a hand ball and although Scott McGleish pulled one back for the Cobblers, Rovers held on to win 3-1.


Vital Stats:

Northampton have won three out of 16 games between the two sides at Prenton Park

Rovers are unbeaten in four at Prenton Park against The Cobblers

In five out of the last seven games between the two sides, the winning side has scored at least three goals

Rovers have only won one out of five home games on January 6th

Tranmere are unbeaten when Gareth Taylor has scored for them

The Form Book:

Tranmere Last 6 Home Games: WLLWWW
Northampton Last 6 Away Games: DLDDLW

Despite a shocking record at Sixfields, Northampton have been one of the best teams in League One on the road this season, losing just two away league games all season to Oldham (3-0) and Scunthorpe (1-0), both teams who are challanging for promotion.

They are very difficult therefore to beat, and have in fact drawn a massive six out of their 12 away league games so far.

Solitary points have come against Crewe Alexandra (2-2), Carlisle United (1-1), Bournemouth (0-0), Brighton and Hove Albion (1-1), Chesterfield (0-0) and Yeovil Town (0-0),

These draws have of course been accompanied by five wins, and they have by no means come at easy places to win.

The Cobblers away successes have come at Gillingham (1-0), Rotherham United (2-1), Millwall (1-0) and Cheltenham (2-0), but they are in fact seven away league games without a win.

In the cup competitions, Northampton went out at the first hurdle of the League Cup, losing 3-2 at Loftus Road against QPR whilst they repeated the trick against Brentford, losing 4-2 on Penalties after the game had finishing 0-0.

In the F.A. Cup, The Cobblers defeated Grimsby 2-0 in the first round but were then thrashed 4-1 by League Two side Barnet.

For Tranmere, things have so far been good at Prenton Park in the league with just two home defeats, and they got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Rotherham on New Years day after the dissapointment of a 3-2 defeat to Gillingham just before Christmas.

Previous to the defeat to Gillingham, Rovers last home game was also a defeat as the lost 2-1 against Peterborough United in the F.A. Cup despite league 1-0 thanks to a Shane Sherriff goal.

However, out of their 12 home league games so far this season, Tranmere have won an impressive eight, drawn two and lost two.

The other defeat [along with Gillingham] came against Port Vale (2-1) on a Friday night, Rovers first home defeat under Ronnie Moore, whilst draws came against Huddersfield Town (2-2) and Nottingham Forest (0-0).

At the start of the season, Rovers won four consecutive home games before the draws with Forest and Huddersfield. Ronnie Moore's team defeated Oldham Athletic (1-0), Yeovil Town (2-1), Leyton Orient (3-0) and Bristol City (1-0) on a run which saw them jump into the automatic promotion spots.

Other home victories have come against Bournemouth (1-0), Millwall (3-1) and Blackpool (2-0) whilst in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Second Round, Rovers lost 1-0 to Darlington of League Two at Prenton Park.

Double Hit:

Currently on the books at Northampton Town is winger Sam Aiston, who spent last season with Tranmere Rovers under then manager Brian Little.

Aiston started his career up north with Newcastle United but never made an appearance for The Geordies and moved to Sunderland in 1995 where he only made 24 appearances in five years inbetween loan spells with Chester City (x2), Stoke and Shrewsbury.

In 2000, Aiston, transfered to £50,000 and made a total of 181 league and cup appearances for The Shrews in five years at Gay Meadow, scoring just seven goals in process.

Out of contract at the end of the 2004/05 season and with Paul Hall leaving the Rovers, Brian Little signed Aiston on a one-year deal.

Aiston played for most of the 2005/06 season scoring three impressive goals, one at Swindon in a 2-1 win and two in a 4-1 win against Chesterfield at Prenton Park. In total, Aiston made 4- appearances in his 12 months on the Wirral.

In the summer, Aiston was released by new manager Ronnie Moore and joined Northampton Town. However, injury has so far plagued the start to his Northampton career and he has managed just eight league appearances and one League Cup appearance this season.

One To Watch:

Despite being transfer listed, Scott McGleish is definately a player who can score goals given the opportunity to.

Before joining Northampton in 2004, McGleish had played for Charlton Athletic, Peterborough, Barnet, Leyton Orient and Colchester on a permanent basis as well as spending time on loan at Leyton Orient, Colchester and Cambridge on loan.

In total, the striker with an eye for goal has played 550 league and cup games for his clubs, scoring 160 goals in the process, as well as transfering around for fee's totalling £135,000.

For Northampton Town, he wears the number 9 shirt after signing for them on a free transfer in 2004 and has already scored against Tranmere this season for the Cobblers. He stands 5.09 feet tall and is 32 years of age.


Team News:

Despite claiming he is fit and ready to play, John Achterberg is likely to once again miss out again with an ankle injury, after Ronnie Moore said the goalkeeper would be out for between three and four weeks.

Jason McAteer will also miss out again with a knee injury whilst Ollie James has just returned to training after his foot injury.

Gavin Ward may also miss out with an injury to his kicking leg, meaning on-loan keeper Joe Hart will once again play.


Jones' Prediction: Tranmere 2-0 Northampton