The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







Only one Winner!
Only one Winner!

Grimsby v Tranmere Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 11/08/2008

AFTER a bore draw against Rochdale on the opening day of the season, Town welcome League One promotion hopefuls Tranmere to Blundell Park for the first round of the Carling Cup.

Home > 2008-2009 Season > Previews > Tranmere (h)


The Opposition

Overview

Most Town fans who bore witness to the embarrassment which was Town's last game against Rovers won't have much love for the Tranmere fans who celebrated joyously as we were relegated to League Two all those years ago. Since that terrible day both clubs have moved in different directions. As we struggle through life down here Tranmere have come close to returning to the Championship on several occasions, always finishing in the top half of the table and once in 2005 finishing third but losing out in the play-offs. Last season saw Rovers finishing eleventh in a tight league with only the top 6 pulling away towards the end of the season after much place hopping during the winter period. This season with lower league maestro Ronnie Moore at the helm the Wirral-based club will want to finally realise the idea of promotion to the Championship. The first game of the season though didn't go to plan with a 3-1 defeat to Swindon on the opening day leaving them second from bottom in the preliminary table.

The Team
The Rovers have some of the better players in League One to look to for inspiration constant goal scorer and friend of our own Robbie Stockdale, Chris Greenacre is an almost dead cert to end up as any team's leading scorer finishing on 19 goals last season. The summer acquisitions of impressive Irish youngster George O’Callaghan from Cork was a smart move by Moore after O’Callaghan has impressed in the last few years in the Irish leagues. Other signings include Edrissa Sonko (Walsall), Bas Savage (Millwall) and Godwin Antwi from locals Liverpool on loan. A certain Danny Coyne is who Tranmere rely on to keep the ball from hitting the net and from our own experience you couldn't find anyone better for the job (apart from Phil Barnes of course) after spells at Leicester and Burnley Coyne returned to his first club after unfortunately leaving us which was now way back in 2003.

Key Player
Chris Greenacre. The Former Mansfield, Stoke, Man City, Northampton, Cardiff, Blackpool and Scarborough striker is one of the best forwards in the lower leagues scoring over 300 career goals since starting out in 1995 as a trainee at Manchester City. 44 goals in a two year spell at Mansfield were his main highlight but now has matches that here at Prenton Park since arriving in 2005. The strong quick and creative striker causes problems whoever he plays against and will no doubt make Barnes work for his clean sheet bonus.

Team News

TownTranmere

  • Paul Bolland (knee) and Danny Boshell (ankle) are still both ruled out with injury

  • Loan signing Simon Heslop has been allowed by his club Barnsley to play in the Carling Cup tie.
  • Danny Coyne has been struggling with a calf strain but is hoping to pass a late fitness test. Tranmere were forced to field 37-year-old goalkeeping coach John Achterbergin in the defeat at Swindon.
  • Winger Chris Shuker and midfielder Gareth Edds both missed the Swindon reverse due to knocks and may again play no part.
  • Squads

    TownTranmere
    1GKPhil Barnes
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFTom Newey
    4DFRyan Bennett
    5DFMatthew Heywood (c)
    6DFRichard Hope
    7MFPeter Till
    8MFPaul Bolland
    9FWMartin Butler
    10MFChris Llewellyn
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13GKGary Montgomery
    14MFJames Hunt
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFNick Fenton
    17MFNick Hegarty
    18MFPeter Bore
    19FWDanny North
    20FWAndy Taylor
    21MFSimon Heslop
    22FWNathan Jarman
    23MFGrant Normington
    24GKLeigh Overton
    1GKDanny Coyne
    2DFGodwin Antwi (on loan from Liverpool)
    3DFAndy Taylor
    4DFBen Chorley
    5DFIan Goodison (captain)
    6MFAntony Kay
    7FWBas Savage
    8MFGeorge O'Callaghan
    9FWIan Moore
    10FWChris Greenacre
    11MFAdnan Ahmed
    12MFSteven Jennings
    13MFGareth Edds
    14FWTerry Gornell
    15DFDanny Holmes
    16MFEdrissa Sonko
    17DFLuke Waterfall
    18DFAaron Cresswell
    19MFCharlie Barnett
    20MFPaul Henry
    23MFChris Shuker
    24GKJohn Achterberg
    25FWCraig Curran

    Head to Head

    Town have a great record against Tranmere, the problem is it all a long time ago! Tranmere used to be easy pickings once upon a time, but Town have only picked up three points out of the last six encounters.

    P 61 W 27 D 16 L18 F108 A 76

    Tranmere Head-to-Head (18th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Tranmere 2 Grimsby 1 (Sat 09th May 2004)

    Who can ever forget that game? A goal up and Tranmere with nothing to play for down to ten men. The rest is history!

    Report

    Prediction

    Town usually perform well in the League Cup and a win isn't out of the question

    Grimsby Town 1-0 Tranmere

    Reader's POMs

    Add To Facebook


    This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!


    Related Stories


    Forum Latest
    Thread TitlePostsLatest Post
    David Artell Interview Dn35 Podcast17arryarryarry29/03 05:00
    TV Games/Upcoming Fixtures4SiteBot29/03 03:30
    Prediction Thread Barrow A33Norseman28/03 23:36
    Dn35 podcast drinking game6MarinerWY28/03 23:26
    Just Back 170diehardmariner28/03 20:03
    New Training Ground.!!57Sigone28/03 19:38
    Youth players out on loan21diehardmariner28/03 16:54
    "Beat the Clock"  Barrow22Grantham_Mariner28/03 15:18
    Bradford KO time?4JK4728/03 13:13
    Twenty First Group / Overseas Market31jimgtfc28/03 11:16