Sutton Midweek On Merseyside
- Mark Bravery
- Apr 3, 2017
- 2 min read
There's no respite for Sutton United as this Tuesday (4 April) they have yet another midweek match, this one away to the side currently second in the National League table, Tranmere Rovers.
League fixtures don't come much harder than this for Sutton who now have the worst away record in the division with just eleven points collected on the road all season. Their opponents have the tightest defence, having conceded just 32 goals in 39 league matches.
However, Sutton can take heart from having beaten Tranmere at Gander Green Lane back in September when, in a match broadcast live on BT Sport, a Dan Fitchett header was sufficient to take the three points. That result triggered the departure of Rovers manager Gary Brabin, to be succeeded by Scotsman Micky Mellon who had previously taken Fleetwood Town up from the Conference to the Football League.
This is Tranmere's second season at this level, after a 94-year spell in the Football League. Last spring they finished 6th, just outside the play-offs, but have spent almost all of this season in the top five.
Tranmere go into this match in good form after winning their last four games, although the last three of those were only 1-0 victories. Sutton, 14th in the table and still in need of a few more points to be sure of staying up, have only won one of their last eight.
Sutton manager Paul Doswell will hope to be able to recall experienced defenders Kevin Amankwaah and Simon Downer to his starting line-up, though centre back Dean Beckwith remains a doubt with a hamstring injury. Striker Adam Coombes limped off in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Woking, but French forward Pape Gueye has returned from his loan at Margate.
Tranmere are likely to be missing defenders Lois Maynard and Ritchie Sutton through injury while midfielder Jake Kirby and forward Darren Stephenson are long-term absentees.