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Oldham have had a stunning start to the season, picking up ten points from their opening four games, but Prenton Park is a tough place to come to, with Tranmere having a 100% home record coming into this fixture.
Oldham Athletic team profile:
Formed: 1899
Ground:
Manager: John Sheridan
Nickname: The Latics
Season Finish 2005/06: 8th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
Last season, Oldham managed to complete the double over Tranmere Rovers, picking up a late win at Prenton Park in November before comfortably beating Ronnie Moore's side at a wet Boundary Park in March.
The game at Prenton Park in November could, and should, have been a draw, but a late loss of concentration allowed Oldham in to score a 95th minute winner.
It was not an exciting game of football, with both teams looking some way off their best, Tranmere more so than their visiters, and as a result each side was guilty of missing scoreable chances in front of goal, whilst Danny Coyne put in a stunning display in the Tranmere goal, keeping the scoreline respectable from a Tranmere point of view.
However, it wasn't until the fifth minute of second-half injury time that Oldham grabbed the win, with Davies stooping low to head home a cross from the right past 'keeper Coyne.
At Boundary Park in March, Tranmere put in an even poorer display than they had at Prenton Park, and this time were beaten 3-1.
The first Oldham goal came from the penalty spot, after Lewis Allessandra had been fouled when running away from goal by Rovers captain Ian Goodison.
Goodison was injured in the incident and had to be replaced by Mike Jones, with Sherriff moving from left-midfield to centre-back and Jennison Myrie-Williams moving to his favoured left-wing.
Neal Eardley stepped up and sent Coyne the wrong way with his penalty to give Oldham the lead and it wasn't long before the home side made it two, with a lack of communication between Coyne and Stockdale resulting in a mix-up at the back for Rovers, which saw Coyne kick the ball against the Rovers defender. The ball trickled towards the goal, and Coyne did well to get back and push it on to the post, but Taylor was on hand to force home the re-bound.
In the second half, Mike Jones gave Tranmere a brief reprise as he ran on to a long ball from Chris Greenacre before slotting the ball home, a goal he much deserved for his performance on the day and one that would sadly turn out to be his first and only goal for the club.
However, it was just six minutes before Oldham clinched the win as Allessandra got his first and Oldham's third of the match, with the youngster easily netting from Constantine's cross along the six yard box.
Vital Stats:
Four of the last five matches between these two teams have finished 1-0
Oldham have one won one of their last five trips to Prenton Park
Tranmere have picked up 19 wins and eight defeats in their 35 home games against the Latics
Rovers and Oldham are the two longest serving teams in League One, with Oldham having been in League One for over ten years
Ronnie Moore has only beaten Oldham once in his four games as Tranmere manager
On This Day:
2003: One of Ray Mathias' final games as Tranmere manager ends in a 2-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday
2000: Rovers beat Halifax Town 2-1 in the League Cup under John Aldridge
1985: Tranmere win 1-0 away to Scunthorpe in Division Four
Tranmere have played nineteen previous fixtures on September 6th, picking up ten wins, four draws and just five defeats. They have scored 28 goals and conceded just 21.
The Form Book:
Tranmere first six games: WWLWLL
Oldham first seven games: DDLWWDW
Due to their involvement in the League Cup, Oldham have played a game more than Tranmere so far this season, having won their first round match against local rivals Rochdale on penalties, before being knocked out by Burnley in the second round, losing 3-0 at Turf Moor.
In the league though, Oldham have been in imperious form, topping the League One table so far with ten points from an available twelve.
In their first league game of the season, John Sheridan's side beat Millwall 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at Boundary Park, with Oldham coming from 3-0 down to win 4-3 before they travelled to Elland Road and beat Leeds United 2-0.
Back at home a week later, Oldham dispatched of Cheltenham, beating the Robins 4-0, with Lee Hughest scoring a hatrick for the Latics, before they came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Colchester United in their last league match.
In the Johnstone's Paints Trophy in midweek, Oldham took on Morecambe and after the game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, Oldham were knocked out of the trophy on penalties.
Tranmere Rovers have made a consistent start to the season, with two 100% records under their belt before this game. They are, however, two somewhat different 100% records, as whilst they have won every game at home, they have also lost every game on the road.
Ronnie Moore's side started the season with consecutive away defeats, as firstly they put in a terrible display at Swindon and were beaten 3-1 on the opening day of the league season before they were terribly unlucky against Grimsby in the League Cup, going out of the competition after a 2-0 defeat, despite putting in a dominant display in which they hit the woodwork three times and forced Grimsby goalkeeper Barnes in to a number of top saves.
Rovers then picked up their first win of the season as they beat Hartlepool 1-0 at Prenton Park thanks to a Craig Curran goal, but back on the road a week later, Tranmre were again defeated as they lost 3-1 at Leicester City, with defensive errors costing the side dearly.
Two successive home wins have followed though, as Tranmere firstly hammered Northampton Town 4-1, with Bas Savage, Antony Kay, Craig Curran and Ian Moore on the scoresheet for Tranmere, before Rovers qualified for the second round of the Football League Trophy with a midweek 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley of League Two thanks to a second half strike from Edrissa Sonko, his first for the club.
Double Hit:
Recently, several players have represented both Tranmere and Oldham, including the likes of John Thompson, Reuban Hazell, Wayne Gill and Clint Hill.
Another such player is goalscoring midfielder Nicky Henry, who started his career with Oldham and played in the Premier League for the Lancashire club.
Henry made nearly 350 appearances for the Latics in a ten year career between 1987 and 1997, scoring 22 goals, before joining Sheffield United for £500,000.
However, his time with the Blades was less than successful. He managed just 21 appearances in an 18 month stay with the club, and was sent out on loan to Walsall in 1999, before being released and joining Tranmere Rovers on a free-transfer.
With Rovers, Henry enjoyed great success. The scorer of terrific goals against West Ham in a 1-0 F.A. Cup win and the first in a 3-0 win over Bolton in the League Cup, Henry helped Tranmere to the League Cup final and an F.A. Cup Quarter Final in his first season on the Wirral.
The next season Tranmere again reached the F.A. Cup Quarter Finals, but they were relegated and Henry stayed for just one season when Rovers were in League One before being released.
In total, the industrious and passionate midfielder made 116 appearances for Tranmere and scored five goals over a three year stint on the Wirral.
In 2002, Henry joined Scarborough, where he went on to become player/manager and then manager before being sacked and leaving the club.
Still a fondly rememebered player in both Oldham and on the Wirral, Liverpool born Henry can now see his nephew playing for Tranmere, with Paul currently in the reserves having made two appearances for the club so far.
One To Watch: Chris Taylor
Midfielder Chris Taylor came through the Oldham youth ranks and has started the 2008/09 season on fire after an impressive year last season.
Making his debut during the 2005/06 season against Nottingham Forest, in his four seasons as an Oldham player, Taylor has gone on to make 120 appearances for the Latics, scoring thirteen times, one of which came against Tranmere last season.
But it is this season in which the youngster has really come of age as an Oldham player. Aged 21, Taylor has played in all six of Oldham's matches so far this season and scored four goals, making him the clubs top scorer so far.
With lots of pace and an eye for goal, Taylor breaks into the penalty area late from midfield, and he will need to be watched eagerly and carefully by the Tranmere defence this weekend.
The Oldham number 18 easily has the ability to skip past a player and put a threatening cross into the box also, making him a huge threat to any League One defender.
Around League One:
League One this weekend kicks off on Friday night, when Hereford take on Swindon at the Bull Ring in a game which is sure to be fiercely contestest as Hereford look for their second successive win after getting off the mark with a victory over Crewe last weekend.
On Saturday, Leicester's game has been postponed due to international call-ups, meaning they will slip behind their join leaders Carlisle and Oldham, should they manage to pick up any points.
Carlisle are at home to Southend looking to make it thirteen points from an available fifteen whilst fourth placed Brighton have a tough game at home to sixth place Scunthorpe.
Fifth placed Walsall take on Leyton Orient and at the other end of League One Huddersfield go in search of their first win of the season as the League's bottom club take on 23rd placed Cheltenham Town.
Team News:
Ronnie Moore has a couple of selection issues in defence, as Ian Goodison is away on international duty with Jamaica, Godwin Antwi is out with an ankle injury and Gareth Edds remains doubtful for the game with a groin problem. On loan Ryan Shotton therefore could continue at right-back, or play centre back with Ben Chorley should Edds make it. Otherwise, Moore is expected to pick as similar a team to the one that hammered Northampton 4-1 last weekend as possible.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere 2-1 Oldham Athletic
There is no doubt about it, this fixture will be a very close match between two similar teams whose fans will be anxious to get one over on their local rivals.
Both sides have the potential to score goals, and both sides have the potential to come from behind and earn something out of games, as was shown last weekend when Tranmere came from 1-0 down to beat Northampton 4-1, and Oldham grabbed a late equaliser against Colchester to complete a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 behind.
Rovers though have shown that they are strong at Prenton Park this season, Ronnie Moore is trying to make Tranmere's home ground a fortress and so far he has managed that.
After a battling win against Hartlepool and then victories over Northampton and Accrington, Rovers will come in to this game with confidence and knowing that Oldham may well be without second top scorer Lee Hughes, due to injury.
If Tranmere play anything like they did against Northampton, especially the forward pairing of Bas Savage and Craig Curran, then they will score goals and a win shouldn't be hard to come by.