Table-topping County are going in search of a club record 11th straight victory in all competitions this weekend, as we welcome struggling Tranmere Rovers to Edgeley Park.
Our remarkable recent run continued in midweek, as we became the first visiting side to win at Crewe in the league since February, thanks to goals from Kyle Wootton and Tanto Olaofe. Those three points on the road saw us maintain our two point lead at the top, whilst opening up a six-point gap over Mansfield Town in 4th.
Elsewhere in League Two this weekend, 2nd place Notts County host 3rd place Wrexham, offering the opportunity for Dave Challinor’s side to pull further clear of at least one of those sides.
Tranmere meanwhile were beaten 1-0 away at Morecambe in midweek, meaning they have now lost all seven of their games away from home in League Two this season. They travel to Edgeley Park in 22nd, outside of the relegation zone on goal difference alone with ten points from their opening 15 games.
Our Opponents:
The return of manager Micky Mellon in 2021 was met with much excitement at Prenton Park, the Scot returning having guided the side to back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One in his first spell.
After just falling short of the play-off places in his first season back, eventually finishing in ninth, Rovers will have been hoping to kick on from that, last year.
Despite a bright start that saw them in sixth place come October time, a genuine play-off push never materialised. A run of just six wins from 24 games saw Mellon dismissed in March with the side in 14th – 11 points off a play-off spot.
Assistant manager Ian Dawes was placed in caretaker charge before eventually being given the job on a permanent basis. Despite only winning two of their final nine games of the campaign, Tranmere eventually ended the season in 12th, but with a 17-point gap between them and the top seven.
Despite a busy transfer window, which included the signings of former County forwards Kristian Dennis and Connor Jennings, Rovers decline has continued with a difficult start to the new campaign.
They picked up just three points from their opening seven games in League Two to leave them just above the drop zone, with Dawes parting company with the club after a run of six straight defeats in all competitions. Former Southampton and Sheffield United boss Nigel Adkins, currently the club’s Technical Director, has been placed in caretaker charge.
There has been an improvement to their home form under Adkins, with wins secured against Accrington Stanley and Bradford City, and a point gained against Grimsby, but their woes on the road have continued.
No points and just four goals is all they have mustered away from home in their seven away league games so far, although they were perhaps unfortunate to lose at Morecambe in midweek through a late own goal from Jordan Turnbull.
Jennings has been a bright spark for the side so far this season, playing a deeper role in midfield during his second spell at the club but still chipping in with four goals already as he prepares to take on his former side.
Match Stats:
- Saturday will be the 121st meeting between these two sides, with County winning 42 previous encounters to Tranmere’s 44.
- Not only would a win see us set new club records for consecutive wins (11) and consecutive league wins (10), we would also edge closer to the all-time League Two record, which currently stands at 12. This was set by Luton Town, 21 years ago.
- Tanto Olaofe now has eight goals in his last seven appearances in League Two, having scored six in 31 prior to that run.
