TRANMERE face a tough trip to League Two leaders Stockport County on Saturday knowing they must improve their woeful away record if they are move away from the foot of the table.

Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at Morecambe was Rovers' third league defeat in a row and their seventh on the road this season so a trip to County's atmospheric Edgerley Park is probably the last thing Nigel Adkins' beleaguered side needs.

County have won ten games on the bounce and with former Tranmere favourite Dave Challinor in place as manager they are looking to go one better and win promotion after last year's play off final defeat to Carlisle.

Wirral Globe: Stockport County manager Dave Challinor Stockport County manager Dave Challinor (Image: Newsquest)

"They'll be a good crowd, we'll take a good following and it's a challenge for us but what an opportunity," said Adkins. "We know we've got to win and we keep talking about things we've got to improve on.

"If you look at the goal we conceded the other night it's just clipped the top of Jordan's (Turnbull) head and gone in the back of the net and realistically how much more could we have done to stop that one. Sometimes it's just not going our way and you have to get on with it. Don't be a victim. 

"However, we've got to keep working on the things that are going well, keep improving on the things that are going well and highlight the things that are going well.

"Individual mistakes are proving costly for us so on the training ground we work to improve everyone individually and concentration levels have to be good.

"We do debriefs, we are in the classroom, we are in the meeting room, we look at the video footage. we look at what we could have done differently. Instead of just brushing it under the carpet we are working and we are working hard with a process in place."

County boss, Challinor, who was famed for his long throw, made 140 appearances for Rovers between 1994 and 2002 and Adkins has been impressed with the former Colwyn Bay and AFC Fylde manager. 

"Dave is doing an excellent job at Stockport," said Adkins. "Remember they were in the Conference for a long period of time and they've had to get a lot of things right behind the scenes to put themselves in a situation where they can attract player and pay more wages than a lot of teams in the division. 

"Dave is a Tranmere Rovers legend - I remember watching him moving the barriers away and take that long throw on those good cup runs. We beat Stockport in the Cheshire Senior Cup a few weeks ago and we had a good chat before the game. 

"He's done great and you want to see good people well but especially when they have been associated with Tranmere Rovers."

Adkins faces a number of selection issues with injuries continuing to cause the caretaker manager problems.

Regan Hendry picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Morecambe and will miss Saturday’s match while 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. Chris Merrie and Luke Norris are nearing a return, with the latter back “sooner rather than later,” according to Adkins.

He added: "We have several players who have been injured but you get players back and you lose players - that's football and that's the nature of it and we have a squad of players who are looking to do everything they can every day to help the team."