Top-of-the-league Rovers take on Bournemouth (From Wirral Globe)

Top-of-the-league Rovers take on Bournemouth

12:22pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News By Craig Manning

TRANMERE Rovers' reign at the top of the League One table will continue tomorrow afternoon, regardless of the result against Bournemouth at the Goldsands Stadium.
 

It will be the 49th time The Superwhites and The Cherries have met in all competitions, with Bournemouth having won 20 of the previous meetings and Rovers 13.

Ronnie Moore's squad are undefeated so far this season in league matches and aiming for their fourth away victory in succession.

With a seven-point gap to second place Moore’s side will still be top at the final whistle.

Moore could be without Joe Thompson and Andy Robinson for the game, which kicks off at 3pm.

Thompson injured his ankle in the 3-2 win over Yeovil and has had treatment throughout the week. Robinson recovered from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the last two games but has since picked up a tight calf.

Also unavailable is Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro. The striker had surgery on a fractured metatarsal last week and is expected to be out of action for up to three months.

Last season, Moore's men drew 0-0 at Prenton Park before Bournemouth won 2-1 at the Goldsands Stadium.

Rovers' last win was a 2-1 victory against their hosts in 2010-11 while in the 2003-04 season they had a 5-1.

Players who have represented both clubs include Shaun Teale, John King, Colin Clarke, Ray Train and Ted Buckley.

Rovers have received the F&C Investments Peformance of the Week award from The League Managers Association.

A panel, comprising LMA Chairman Howard Wilkinson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Joe Royle, Dave Bassett and Barry Fry agreed that the accolade should go to Tranmere Rovers following their excellent 1-0 away win against Notts County at Meadow Lane in npower League One on October 6. 

In the same week, Tranmere also saw off Yeovil to cement their place at the top of npower League One.

After the match, Moore was delighted with the performance but remained cautious after his side’s great start: "I think all we've got to do is go along with the ride at the moment.

"We've won eight and drawn three after 11 games and if you do that until the end of the year you'll go up, there's no doubt about that."

"But we know - we're not daft - we've got a small squad for this level, probably the smallest budget for this level. So when the yellow cards and injuries hit us that will be the testing time."