Tranmere Rovers will be looking to rely on their impressive home record for points once again when they welcome Doncaster Rovers to Prenton Park in League Two's Friday night offering.
The hosts have lost back-to-back matches most recently as their hierarchy continues to scramble to find a permanent solution in the dugout, whereas Doncaster recorded a handsome victory against Sutton United last time out.
Match preview
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Tranmere Rovers have suffered successive defeats across all competitions after a difficult afternoon against local rivals Crewe Alexandra at Mornflake Stadium, where the visitors finished the match with nine men as their woeful away form continued to hinder their chances of progressing up the standings.
Alexandra's Mickey Demetriou opened the scoring in the 11th minute, meaning Crewe entered the half-time break in the lead, before Chris Long added a second for Lee Bell's side in the second 45 - a period which witnessed the dismissals of both centre-back Tom Davies and goalkeeper Luke McGee.
Former Southampton and Hull City boss Nigel Adkins is currently undertaking managerial duties at the Birkenhead-based club following the departure of Ian Dawes in late September, guiding Rovers to a respectable seven points in five contests, although the 58-year-old will return to his role as Director of Football once a permanent successor is named.
Much of the supporters' anger is centred around the club's inability to swiftly appoint a new manager, with many fans calling for the resignation of Tranmere chairman Mark Palios as his search for a fresh head coach stretches into its second month.
Rovers will be delighted to be turning out under the lights at their Prenton Park home on Friday night, as all of their 10 League Two points so far have been collected in front of their own supporters, with that less-than-ideal tally after 13 matches leaving them 21st in the fourth-tier standings, only ahead of 23rd-placed Forest Green Rovers on goal difference.
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Doncaster Rovers recorded their biggest win in over 12 months last weekend as they put four goals past basement dwellers Sutton in front of an Eco-Power Stadium crowd who finally witnessed what this promising crop of players could be capable of during the 2023-24 campaign as they target an ambitious promotion push.
Grant McCann's charges produced their most complete performance of the fourth-tier term so far to brush aside the division's bottom side, with a Joe Ironside brace followed by goals from Zain Westbrooke - the midfielder's first since moving from Bristol Rovers earlier in the year - and West Bromwich Albion loanee Mo Faal securing a comprehensive victory.
Everyone of a Doncaster persuasion is keenly aware that their away form must improve if they are to challenge for a top-seven finish this season, with the Yorkshire club losing five of their first six league outings in 2023-24, with only Sutton and Friday's hosts Tranmere having collected fewer points on their travels.
Starting the season operating in an unfamiliar right wing-back role, Luke Molyneux has been chief creator for Friday's visitors to date this campaign, providing three assists in 13 league matches after managing the same number in 40 League Two appearances during 2022-23.
The Rovers currently sit 19th in the fourth-tier standings after collecting 14 points from their opening 13 matches, and McCann will not want the eight-point gap to seventh-placed Gillingham growing any larger as the season approaches the harsh winter months, when the tone for a term is truly established.
Team News
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Tranmere boss Adkins will be forced into a number of changes after both Davies and McGee received their marching orders in the loss at Crewe, and the latter's absence essentially guarantees that 42-year-old Joe Murphy will be gifted a rare start after coming off the bench last time out.
Josef Varney will require a fresh partner at centre-back, with Frenchman Jean Belehouan being the natural option at the heart of the hosts' backline, although the 23-year-old is yet to feature in a competitive fixture for the club.
Midfielder Connor Jennings has provided five goal contributions from Tranmere's engine room so far this term, and the Englishman will retain his place in the XI alongside Kieron Morris and Regan Hendry.
Doncaster's injury crisis worsened during the comfortable success over Sutton last weekend, with Tommy Rowe being forced off early in the second period with an arm injury, allowing Harrison Biggins to feature for the final 30 minutes.
There is also considerable concern around the availability of Ben Close ahead of this Friday's trip to Prenton Park, with the former Portsmouth man substituted as a precaution in the final stages of the Sutton clash due to reported tightness in his leg.
McCann's side have struggled to record clean sheets this term but were largely solid last time out, so a back three of Owen Bailey, Thomas Anderson and Joseph Olowu should continue under the lights in Birkenhead.
Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:
Murphy; O'Connor, Yarney, Belhouane, Wood; Jennings, Hendry, Morris; Saunders, Hawkes, Jolley
Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Jones; Molyneux, Bailey, Anderson, Olowu, Nixon; Biggins, Westbrooke, Close; Ironside, Faal
We say: Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Doncaster Rovers
Tranmere have leaned massively on their form at Prenton Park so far this term to keep themselves out of the bottom two, and the home supporters will be expecting a good display on Friday night as the search for a new manager rumbles on in the background.
Doncaster looked like a side capable of challenging for promotion in their win over Sutton last time out, and we believe that McCann's men will be good enough for a point in this one.
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Top tip
Carter White
