Tranmere Rovers travel to face league leaders Stockport County on Saturday 28th October (3pm kick-off).
Nigel Adkins’ team lost 1-0 away at Morecambe on Tuesday night, despite a committed performance. The side are still winless on the road, in the league, this season.
Opponents Stockport are enjoying a strong run of form. They have won their last nine games in the division, most recently beating top seven side Crewe Alexandra 2-0 in midweek, and sit top of League Two.
The sides met last month in the Cheshire Senior Cup, as Rovers emerged 2-0 victors at Edgeley Park. Their last league meeting was in February, a narrow 3-2 win for the Hatters.
Team news:
Regan Hendry picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Morecambe and therefore will miss Saturday’s match.
Connor Wood came off at half time on Tuesday night and is being assessed ahead of the weekend.
Joe Starbuck suffered a foot injury in training recently and will be out for a few weeks. There are also foot injuries for Reece McAlear and Sam Taylor, who are unlikely to be involved against Stockport.
Jake Leake is back in training but is still a few weeks away. Chris Merrie and Luke Norris are nearing a return, with the latter back “sooner rather than later,” according to Nigel Adkins.
Last time out:
Last five meetings:
26th September 2023 – Stockport County 0-2 Tranmere Rovers – Cheshire Senior Cup first round
SCORERS – Saunders, Apter
4th February 2023 - Stockport County 3-2 Tranmere Rovers – League Two
SCORERS – Hemmings, Morris
1st November 2022 - Tranmere Rovers 0-0 Stockport County – League Two
SCORERS – None
26th April 2016 - Stockport County 2-1 Tranmere Rovers (AET) – Cheshire Senior Cup Final
SCORERS - Ilesanmi
26th October 2010 - Tranmere Rovers 0-0 Stockport County (4-3 on penalties) - EFL Trophy Northern second round
SCORERS – None
One to watch: Isaac Olaofe
23-year-old Isaac Olaofe has proven himself as a prolific forward at this level.
The London-born striker came through the youth setup at Millwall and scored 22 league goals for Sutton United across two loan spells, eight in League Two.
He joined Stockport on a permanent deal in the summer and has netted ten times in 15 games in the division. He and Louie Barry have contributed 19 of the Hatters’ 31 goals this season.
However, the Aston Villa loanee picked up a hamstring injury against Crewe on Tuesday night, meaning Olaofe will lead the line against Rovers without his usual strike partner.
Manager: Dave Challinor
Dave Challinor is a man that needs no introduction to Rovers fans.
The former defender began his career at Prenton Park and made over 100 appearances for the SWA in an eight-year spell. He played in our 1999/00 run to the League Cup final, culminating in a 2-1 loss to Leicester City at Wembley.
His managerial journey began at Colwyn Bay, before joining AFC Fylde in 2011. He would spend eight years with the Coasters, winning three promotions from the eighth tier to the National League, and the FA Trophy in 2019.
Challinor guided Hartlepool United to promotion back to League Two via the play-offs in 2021, and then moved to Stockport where he spent two years as a player.
With the Hatters, Challinor won the National League title in 2022 and reached the Sky Bet League Two play-off final last season. His side now sit first as they attempt to return to the third tier after a 13-year absence.
Officials:
Referee - Christopher Pollard
Assistant Referees - Danny Jarvis & Darren Wilding
Fourth Official - Jamie O'Connor
Pollard last refereed Rovers in our 3-2 defeat to Stockport in February 2023.
Match coverage:
International supporters can buy a season pass to watch every game live for just £3 per game by clicking here!
UK based supporters can listen to full match commentary for as little as £1 per game by getting a monthly audio pass here.
You can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.
X: @tranmererovers
Facebook: @trfcofficial
Instagram: @tranmererovers
Match reaction from Nigel Adkins and a player will follow the game on our YouTube channel.
