TRANMERE aim to put a Boxing Day chill into the hearts of Oldham Athletic this weekend.
Oldham’s Boundary Park home is often dubbed ‘Ice Station Zebra’ by rival managers and players. But Rovers are warming to the prospect of Saturday’s visit as a chance to increase the pressure on the Latics at the bottom end of the League One table.
Tranmere, moving up after taking 10 points from the last 15 at stake, could close to within two points of their hosts with a win.
Oldham, dragged to within five points of the relegation places after losing five of their last nine games, hope to show the worst days of a recent difficult patch are behind them.
Tranmere manager Les Parry said: “Oldham is always a difficult game. What makes it exciting is the possibility we can get something out of it.
“It would be good to get within a couple of points of Oldham by beating them. What we have to avoid is allowing them to get eight points ahead of us by the end of Boxing Day. That would leave as needing three wins to catch up, which is quite a way. So it is important we don’t lose.
“We know our results away from home don’t match some of the good performances we’ve put in on the road recently. We are going to try and address that.
“We’ll start on Saturday with a point and if we keep hold of at least that point it will be a decent result.”
Boundary Park, in keeping with its reputation, was snowbound during this week’s blast of wintry weather. The relative thaw forecast for the weekend offers some prospect of the game going ahead.
Parry said: “We can only prepare for the game and hope to go there, put in the good performance and come away with the result. If it is off, we’ll just have to come home and prepare for the game against Carlisle at Prenton Park on Monday (3pm).”
The cold weather forced the Tranmere squad to train indoors this week, but Parry is hopeful the Raby Vale training ground will be in good enough condition to allow them to do important outdoor work this morning.
Tranmere had no fresh injury problems after the 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers last Saturday and centre-back Marlon Broomes returns to the selection frame after his one-match suspension.
Long-term casualties Bas Savage and Alan Mahon are not expected to be considered for action until the New Year. Savage may have to wait until the end of next month before he is in the frame for a game. Parry does not want to take any risks with the tall striker, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in a game against Leeds United back in April.
Parry said: “Bas is back in training but that is a relatively small step forward. The next job is getting a spring back into his step and power back into his legs. That takes a little longer.
“It will be lovely to have him back. I will have a lump in my throat when we are able to involve him again. But we are not going to rush Bas because it is too much of a risk. We will take our time.”
OLDHAM’S former Tranmere defender Reuben Hazell misses the Boxing Day game through suspension after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season in the 2-2 draw at Wycombe Wanderers last Saturday.
However, Keigan Parker could return after missing the game at Wycombe through illness.
