Latics-Tranmere preview: Old foe out to ruin Latics’ party

LEWIS ALESSANDRA . . . opened his goalscoring account against Tranmere last season.

ATHLETIC will be hoping the Ronnie Moore Factor works in their favour yet again in tomorrow’s North-West derby clash with Tranmere.

Moore has come up against his old club four times since being sacked from Boundary Park – and he has been a loser on the last three occasions.

Athletic won 1-0 en route to the 2007 play-offs and completed the double last term, prevailing 1-0 away thanks to a late Craig Davies strike and 3-1 at home as Neal Eardley, Chris Taylor and Lewis Alessandra – the youngster’s first senior goal – all got on the scoresheet.

And that was a source of huge delight for Latics fans, many of whom like to ridicule Moore for his perceived use of route-one football.

There will be cries of “HOOF!” from the away end every time Tranmere play a long ball tomorrow, while Moore knows he can expect some not-so-friendly banter.

But his successor, John Sheridan, has issued a note of caution as Athletic bid to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign and regain top spot from Leicester, who don’t play this weekend.

Sheridan warned: “I wouldn’t say Tranmere have made a great start this season, but they definitely had a great result last weekend (a 4-1 home win against Northampton).

“We’ll have a big following and there’s a bit of rivalry there, but Tranmere away is always a very difficult test.

“Ronnie is old enough and experienced enough to let it go over his head when people give him stick – if anything he’ll enjoy that side of the game.

“I like him and he’s a good manager. He has done very well at most of his clubs and he won’t bother about what people are shouting.”

Rovers have already shown strong form at home this season as they beat Hartlepool 1-0 prior to the thrashing of Northampton.

They also knocked Accrington out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek, whereas Athletic lost on penalties to Morecambe.

Sheridan went on: “For us it’s about how we react to a disappointing result, but I don’t see that being a problem.

“The lads should be picking themselves up quickly, and it’s not as though we played badly against Morecambe. We just need to be more clinical.

“It was a setback, but our confidence won’t be affected because we are going to Tranmere second in the table.

“We’ve done well to get there and we are playing good football, so I see it as another opportunity for three points.”

The absence of Tranmere defender Ian Goodison, who is away on World Cup duty, could prove to be a bonus for Athletic.

Goodison is playing for Jamaica in Mexico, a fixture moved from its original venue in the Caribbean due to damage caused by Hurricane Gustav.

Rovers have a poor record without their imposing centre-half, winning only two games out of nine over the last season and a bit.

On the plus side for Moore, the experienced Ben Chorley will return tomorrow after missing Tranmere’s midweek fixture to attend the birth of his child.

There is a tight budget at Prenton Park, but much-travelled striker Bas Savage has added height up front and ex-Walsall man Edrissa Sonko is dangerous out wide.

Tranmere also have goals in reserve as neither Chris Greenacre nor Ian Moore – who snubbed Athletic in the January transfer window – have recently caught their starting XI.




LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES

Tonight:

Hereford v Swindon.

Tomorrow:

Brighton v Scunthorpe; Carlisle v Southend; Cheltenham v Huddersfield; Leeds v Crewe; Millwall v Hartlepool; MK Dons v Yeovil; Peterborough v Bristol Rovers; Tranmere v Athletic; Walsall v Leyton Orient.