Mikael Mandron and Ben Pringle chasing a starting place at Tranmere.
TRANMERE ROVERS v GILLINGHAM
Prenton Park
Sky Bet League 1
Saturday September 7
Kick off, 3pm
Team News:
Gillingham make the long trip to Prenton Park to face Tranmere looking to build upon last weekend’s 5-0 hammering of Bolton Wanderers. Last week’s win was the first of the campaign this season and Manager Steve Evans will be hoping to gain another three points as the Gills look to go on an unbeaten run after finding their feet.
The boss will have to assess the fitness of a couple of players before the game, one of those could be on new signing Ben Pringle who joined the Gills on a free this week after the transfer window closed for League One and Two teams.
Tranmere boss Micky Mellon has no new injuries in his squad as the newly promoted side look to improve on their recent form which has seen just one win from their opening five games. The Wirral based club won promotion from League Two last season with a win over Newport County at Wembley in the League Two play-offs.
Preview Comment:
Micky Mellon – “Loads and loads of questions will get asked of us by Gillingham, and we’ll be able to do the same at the other end of the pitch. We’ll continue the work and keep moving the group forward to become that competitive team and getting used to playing League One football every Saturday.”
Steve Evans – “We are missing chances and we have been a bit sloppy at the back and getting punished, but there are no easy games in League 1.”
Previous Meetings:
Saturday will be the 35th meeting between these two sides and the first since April 2014. Although Gillingham have a disappointing record against Saturdays opposition they can boast wins in the last two meetings.
Goals from Bradley Dack and Cody McDonald secured a 2-0 win at Priestfield in April 2014 the last time these two met. The last game between these two at Prenton Park also saw the Gills claim a win in December 2013 as Adebayo Akinfenwa netted twice in a 2-1 win for Gillingham. Overall Gillingham have won just seven against Tranmere, drawn 14 and lost the other 13.
Odds:
Gillingham win – 13/8
Draw – 23/10
Tranmere win – 6/4
Special Bet: Gillingham to win and both teams to score – 9/2
Officials:
Referee - Michael Salisbury
Assistant Referee 1 - Alix Pashley
Assistant Referee 2 - Wade Smith
Fourth Official - Steven Rushton