Tranmere Rovers look to build on a superb performance on Boxing Day, as Micky Mellon’s side visit Barrow AFC.
Tranmere Rovers will take the trip up to Cumbria to face Barrow AFC at the SO Legal Stadium.
A win for Rovers on Thursday night could take them within touching distance of the play-off places, however a win for the home side could solidify their place in the top of the play-offs, just 5 points of the automatic promotion spots.
7th place Barrow Come into the game with just one win in the last 5 games, after a draw at the Peninsula Stadium against Salford City on Boxing Day.
Tranmere Rovers try to build momentum with a further win on Thursday night, after an extremely good performance on Monday afternoon at home to Doncaster Rovers, with goals from Paul Lewis, Kieron Morris and Kane Hemmings keeping all three points on the Wirral.
Boss, Micky Mellon, expressed his delight at what was described as a ‘real team performance’, as the Whites picked up their first three points in over two months.
“It’s well overdue that we put a 90-minute performance together. I was more than disappointed for how we played at Grimsby, and that wasn’t us. You can see what we’re capable of today, and I’m thinking that we should be able to achieve that intensity most, if not all of the time, and we can compete like that every week - that is what frustrates us.”
Barrow look to continue their very good home form in the 2022/23 season with another win against Tranmere. The Bluebirds have played 11 this season at Holker Street, winning 8 and losing 3 – compared to an away form of just 3 wins and 6 losses, with 2 draws, out of 11 games.
In the reverse fixture, Barrow visited Prenton Park in October, where a goal from Josh Hawkes in the first half secured all three points for Tranmere.
One To Watch: Josh Gordon
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Josh Gordon is a 28-year-old striker, who signed for Barrow in the summer of 2021.
Gordon started his career at Stoke City as an 8-year-old, progressing through their academy for 9 years, before being released at the age of 17, and finally progressing through the youth sides at Newcastle Town.
He firstly progressed into men’s football for Newcastle Town, before signing for numerous lower-league sides in his late teens and early twenties, such as Nantwich Town, Rhyl and Stafford Rangers.
He signed his first professional contract in 2017 for Leicester City, where he failed to make an appearance at the King Power Stadium.
Gordon dropped down to League One where he signed for Walsall – making 107 appearances over a 3-year spell, scoring 21 times.
He signed for Barrow in the summer of 2021 and has played on 57 occasions for the Cumbria-based side, scoring 16 times – 10 of which have come in Sky Bet League Two in the 2022/2023 season, including two braces – a player definitely to look out for the Rovers defence.
The Manager: Pete Wild
Barrow Manager, Pete Wild, was appointed the boss at the Holker Street Stadium in May of this year.
Born in Greater Manchester, the 38-year-old is one of the younger managers in the league, despite good experience in management in a coaching career which has spanned over 20 years.
His first job was as a Sport Development Officer for Oldham Council, before taking up a role at Oldham Football Club in their Academy Setup, as Academy Manager for over 10 years.
He took his first step into Senior Management in 2012 where he managed England Amputees Football Club between the years of 2012 and 2015.
He later returned to boyhood club, Oldham Athletic, as caretaker manager on two separate occasions, before being offered the role permanently in May 2019 following the resignation of Paul Scholes. His reign lasted until the summer of 2019 before leaving for personal reasons.
A new job was taken on in 2019, as Manager of FC Halifax Town – a position he held until 2022. He managed 139 games for Town – with a win rate of 46.8%.
Despite being linked with a number of jobs, including Grimsby Town and Bradford City, Wild resigned from Halifax to take up the Manager role at Barrow AFC – a position which he has held since the summer – with 12 wins, 12 losses and 5 draws from 29 games in Sky Bet League Two – ensuring the Bluebirds sit in a comfortable seventh place in the table.
Match Coverage:
You can also 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
Match reaction from Micky Mellon and a player will follow on our website and YouTube channel.