TRANMERE look to notch a third home win in eight days when they play host to MK Dons tonight.
The Prenton Park regulars, entertained by four-goal successes against Grimsby in the Carling Cup and Gillingham in League One, have the chance to assess the development of John Barnes’ new-look Rovers team against one of the promotion favourites (kick-off 7:45)
The Dons, who made the play-offs under Roberto Di Matteo last season, are back under the command of Paul Ince, the manager who led them to promotion from League two in season 2007-08.
They started the league campaign with goalless draws against Hartlepool and Swindon and also lost to Swindon in the Carling Cup. But Barnes does not see the early results as a significant guide to the Dons’ prospects over the next nine months.
Barnes said: “MK Dons would have been one of the favourites to go up this season and they are still probably one of the favourites. Early on in the season, teams are finding their feet and trying to get some consistency. You see some funny results.
“But we know MK Dons are a good, strong side. The fact that they did not win any of their first three games is neither here nor there.”
Barnes added: “If MK Dons are going to be one of the favourites, it is important for us to beat them. It is important for us to beat whoever we play, regardless of whether they are fancied to do well not.”
Ince, like Barnes, is a former Liverpool captain with a home base on the Wirral. The pair were together as players at Anfield only briefly, 12 years ago. Barnes explained: “Paul came in at Liverpool for two weeks in a pre-season just as I was leaving.”
Tranmere’s home form under Barnes has so far picked up where the team managed by Ronnie Moore left off at the end of last season. Rovers were last beaten in a League One game at Prenton Park back in October 2008.
Barnes insists he is making his judgements on performance rather than results and reckons there was room for improvement in both of last week’s four-goal wins.
“What we are trying to do is put out consistent performances home and away,” Barnes said.
“At home, with our fans, we like to think we can give any team a game. We got a win against a very good Gillingham side who I think will not be far away from successes season. That was a decent result. We have some tough games coming up but we can’t be in awe of any of the teams we are playing.
“We know that if we work hard together and believe in ourselves, we can be competitive in this division. That’s all I ask from the players here.”
Rovers have fitness doubts over centre-back Gavin Gunning and striker Craig Curran, who both started against Gillingham.
Gunning, the Irish under-19 international on loan from Blackburn, is troubled by blisters while Curran picked up a stomach muscle strain.
Terry Gornell, the substitute who scored three minutes after replacing Curran on Saturday, could come into the attack while new signing Michael Ricketts works on his fitness.
At the back, Barnes has the option of using teenager Ash Taylor or the experienced Marlon Broomes alongside Ian Goodison if Gunning isn’t able to play.
Barnes says the start of reserves in fixtures in the totesport.som League next week can provide match practice for the recent signings who are short of fitness, such as striker Michael Ricketts and defender Marlon Broomes.
“The reserve games are going to help Michael and Marlon get fit,” Barnes said. “Neither of them is where they’d like to be fitness-wise because they have not had a pre-season programme this summer.
“Michael Ricketts is going to be training hard and playing as well.”
However, Barnes says reserve team football may not be a regular feature for front-line players at Tranmere this season. He explained: “With a squad of 16 to 17 permanent signings we won’t see a lot of first-team players in the reserve games.”
Tranmere’s opening totesport.com League Division One West game is at home to Morecambe at Cammell Laird FC’s Kirklands ground next Wednesday, August 26, kick-off 7pm.
