Setting the scene…
Tranmere Rovers will aim to make it two wins in a row in Sky Bet League Two when promotion-chasing Exeter City come to Prenton Park for a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.
Micky Mellon’s buoyant Rovers put on a five-star performance last weekend, beating Crawley Town 5-1.
James Norwood’s brace, either side of strikes from Connor Jennings, Adam Buxton and Paul Mullin sees Tranmere seventh in the fourth-tier, just two-points behind their third-placed opponents from Devon.
Exeter, who occupy the final automatic promotion position, slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Forest Green Rovers at St James Park.
Team news
Zoumana Bakayogo made his return from injury in Tuesday night's Checkatrade Trophy match versus Manchester City U21s.
Evan Gumbs, a long term absentee through injury, also made a return to the first team set up as a late substitute in the match against the Citizens.
The Grecians season so far
Following Paul Tisdale’s departure after 12-years in the dugout at St James Park, Exeter turned to Matt Taylor to try and guide them out of League Two.
Taylor, 36, is in his first management role at the club he played 147 league games for between 2007-2011, scoring 17 goals as a defender.
The Chorley-native has led Exeter to eight wins from their opening 16 matches in the fourth-tier.
Early August victories against Carlisle United, Morecambe and Cambridge United where followed up by three points vs Notts County, Mansfield Town, Cheltenham Town, Stevenage and Swindon Town.
Last week’s home defeat to Forest Green saw them lose a 10-game unbeaten record.
A win at Tranmere could move them above Tisdale’s MK Dons into second, should results go their way.
One to watch
With nine goals to his name this season, Jayden Stockley has enjoyed a fine start leading the line for Exeter.
A native of Poole, Dorset, Stockley began his career at AFC Bournemouth, coming through the youth ranks at the Cherries.
Most of his football development was spent away from Dean Court on loan at Dorchester Town, Accrington Stanley, Woking, Leyton Orient, Torquay United, Cambridge United, Luton Town, Portsmouth and Exeter.
Stockley moved north of the border to SPL side Aberdeen in the summer of 2016. In one season at Pittodrie, he scored five goals in 27 games for the Dons.
In August 2017 he signed for Exeter permanently for a club-record fee, netting 20 league goals in his first term at the Devon club.
The 25-year-old has continued his form into this season, leading his side’s goal charts.
The referee
Overseeing TRFC’s home game with Exeter City is referee Thomas Bramall.
Bramall has already taken charge of Rovers at Prenton Park this season in our goalless draw with Mansfield Town on Tuesday 21 August.
From his 15 games this term, Bramall has brandished 25 yellow cards and one red.
David Plowright and Richard Woodward will run the line while Richard Aspinall is the fourth official.
Tickets
Rovers return home to Prenton Park for the second weekend running, and match tickets for the game against Exeter are available to buy online.
You can also purchase tickets for upcoming Sky Bet League Two matches.
Click here: https://www.trfctickets.co.uk/
Match coverage
If you can’t make the Exeter City match on Saturday, there are several ways that you can keep in touch with Rovers’ progress on Saturday.
Full match commentary of the match will be exclusively available live from Rovers’ home ground!
You can now sign up to Tranmere Rovers’ iFollow, which allows access to extended highlights and interviews with manager Micky Mellon and a player, after the game.
To sign up, click here
Alternatively, you can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.
Twitter: @tranmererovers
Facebook: @trfcofficial
Instagram: @tranmererovers