Tranmere Preview - Can Wycombe Close The Gap?

Wycombe Wanderers travel to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday for their 42nd league game of the season.


The League table shows Tranmere in 21st place with 41 points from 40 games, 6 points ahead of Wycombe who occupy 23rd spot with 35 points from 41 games.

Tranmere's home record is.......Won 9...Drawn 3...Lost 8.
Wycombe's away record is.......Won 2...Drawn 8...Lost 10.


In the wake of their 2-0 win over Hartlepool on Saturday, Wycombe head to Tranmere knowing that a win would put them within four points of safety if Orient lose to Norwich City on the same night.

Winning at Prenton Park will be a tough task, but the Chairboys have already beaten Millwall and Bristol Rovers on their travels this season, and with defeat meaning almost certain relegation, they surely have all the incentive they need to give everything in pursuit of a vital victory.

The Blues played with commitment and determination for the entire ninety minutes against Hartlepool on Saturday and will certainly need to show those qualities again to get the better of a Rovers side who will be equally desperate to win.

Tranmere will view this game as a great opportunity to ease their own relegation fears and stretch their lead over Wycombe to a virtually unassailable nine points.

Rovers have their own problems though, particularly in front of goal. Ignoring penalties and own-goals, they've only scored once in their last six games, which is an encouraging statistic for Wycombe's battered and bruised back-four.

Adam Hinshelwood is the latest Blues' defender to be crocked, and although the severity of his injury is yet to be confirmed, today's news that Gary Waddock has recalled Luke Oliver from Bradford tends to suggest that the Wycombe skipper won't be available on Tuesday.


Here are all the stats......


Tranmere's last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Hartlepool (H)........Drew 0-0
LG1: Brighton (A)............Lost 0-3
LG1: Norwich (H)............Won 3-1
LG1: Swindon (A)............Lost 0-3
LG1: Walsall (A)..............Lost 1-2


Wycombe's last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Exeter (H).............. Drew 2-2
LG1: Colchester (A).........Drew 1-1
LG1: Huddersfield (H)........Lost 1-2
LG1: Walsall (A)................Lost 1-2
LG1: Hartlepool (H)...........Won 2-0


Tranmere Goal Stats (48 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total).........44
Goals Conceded (Total).....71

Goals Scored (Home)........30
Goals Conceded (Home)....31

Clean Sheets....12


Wycombe Goal Stats (45 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total).........51
Goals Conceded (Total).....82

Goals Scored (Away)........24
Goals Conceded (Away)....43

Clean Sheets....6


Tranmere's Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Ian Thomas-Moore....12 (inc 4 pens)
Craig Curran..............6
John Welsh.................4
Chris Shuker..............3
Terry Gornell..............3
Gareth Edds...............3

Three other Tranmere players have each scored 2 goals.
Five other Tranmere players have each scored 1 goal.


Wycombe's Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Jon-Paul Pittman.......10 (inc 1 pen)
Matt Harrold.............10 (inc 6 pens)
Matt Phillips...............4
Scott Davies..............4
Kevin Betsy...............3
Stuart Beavon...........3

Three other Wycombe players have each scored 2 goals.
Ten other Wycombe players have each scored 1 goal.


Tranmere Shooting (Top-3)

Ian Thomas-Moore...33 on-target...31 off-target...3 against woodwork
Craig Curran...........34 on-target...26 off-target...1 against woodwork
John Welsh..............21 on-target...27 off-target...1 against woodwork


Wycombe Shooting (Top-3)

Jon-Paul Pittman.....34 on-target...23 off-target...1 against woodwork
Scott Davies...........19 on-target...24 off-target...4 against woodwork
Matt Phillips............21 on-target...20 off-target...2 against woodwork


Shooting (Club)

Tranmere...224 on target...168 off target.....7 against w'work (Rank-18)
Wycombe...209 on target...196 off target...11 against w'work (Rank-15)



League Form Guide

All Season
Tranmere...Pld: 40...W: 11...D: 8.....L: 21...Pts: 41...Pts per game: 1.03
Wycombe...Pld: 41...W: 7.....D: 14...L: 20...Pts: 35...Pts per game: 0.85


Since 1st January 2010
Tranmere......Pld: 17...W: 5...D: 5...L: 7...Pts: 20...Pts per game: 1.18
Wycombe......Pld: 17...W: 3...D: 8...L: 6...Pts: 17...Pts per game: 1.00


Against Top Half Opposition
Tranmere.......Pld: 21....Pts: 17....Pts per game: 0.81....(Rank-18)
Wycombe.......Pld: 22....Pts: 22....Pts per game: 1.00....(Rank-12)


Against Bottom Half Opposition
Tranmere.......Pld: 19....Pts: 24....Pts per game: 1.26....(Rank-19)
Wycombe.......Pld: 19....Pts: 13....Pts per game: 0.68....(Rank-24)


Last Five league Games
Tranmere..........DLWLL - 4 points
Wycombe.........DDLLW - 5 points


Last Five League Games (Home)
Tranmere.........LWLDW - 7 points


Last Five League Games (Away)
Wycombe.........DLDDL - 3 points




Earlier this season Tranmere won 1-0 at Adams Park courtesy of Ian Thomas-Moore's 16th minute volley.


All Previous Meetings


2001/02: LG1 Tranmere 1 Wycombe 1
2001/02: LG1 Wycombe 2 Tranmere 1
2002/03: LG1 Wycombe 1 Tranmere 3
2002/03: LG1 Tranmere 1 Wycombe 0
2003/04: LG1 Tranmere 2 Wycombe 1
2003/04: LG1 Wycombe 1 Tranmere 2
2009/10: LG1 Wycombe 0 Tranmere 1

5 wins for Tranmere, 1 win for Wycombe and 1 draw.



The Man In The Middle

Tuesday's referee is Andy Haines from Tyne & Wear who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2007. His most recent Wycombe game was last season's 0-0 draw at Macclesfield Town. During the current campaign he's issued 79 yellow and 2 red cards in 29 games.



Prediction

Tranmere 0 Wycombe 1 - The Chairboys to keep their survival hopes alive going into the final four games.



Rivals' Tuesday Games

Gillingham v Brighton
Orient v Norwich
Southend v Brentford

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