Tranmere Rovers take on Harrogate Town at Prenton Park on Friday night, in what is the Rovers' first home match since parting with manager Micky Mellon.

The hosts have little to play for at this point, given that they are firmly rooted in mid-table, but the away side are still fighting to maintain their EFL status, currently sitting in 20th place.

Match preview

Tranmere would have been hoping to go one better than their 2021-22 campaign, in which they finished ninth, by making a push for promotion this season, but in truth they have never really hit the heights expected of them.

The Rovers are 14th in the table, having picked up 49 points in 38 games, meaning they are in no position to make a late charge for the playoffs, but they are comfortably safe from relegation.

Mellon was sacked after a disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to Newport County, and Ian Dawes will be assisted by Andy Parkinson for the rest of the campaign, giving chairman Mark Palios time to assess his options ahead of next season.

Dawes's reign as interim manager initially got off to a very good start away at Colchester United last week, with Harvey Saunders opening the scoring inside 15 minutes, but Noah Chilvers equalised with a second-half penalty, and the spoils were shared.

Tranmere have intermittently shown some promising signs in 2023, defeating league leaders Leyton Orient, fifth-placed Salford City, and third-placed Stevenage, but inconsistency has cost them, and Friday's game will now serve as an opportunity for Dawes to take stock of his squad, rather than counting for anything in the grand scheme of things.

Unlike their opponents, Harrogate still have it all to play for at the back end of the season, but improved form in recent weeks has provided some breathing room above the relegation zone, now sitting six points clear of the bottom two.

In fact, the Sulphurites have been solid for quite some time now, losing just two of their last nine games in League Two, but they have had to settle for draws on five occasions, winning only two during that time frame.

It was away at Doncaster Rovers when the tide began to turn for Simon Weaver's side, running out 2-0 winners after late goals from Luke Armstrong and Alex Pattison, while they also impressed in their most recent home match.

Harrogate had it all to do against playoff-chasing Barrow, but a Matty Daly strike with just over 15 minutes to spare topped off a resolute defensive display.

Another victory on Friday would take the Sulphurites nine points clear of the relegation zone with just eight games to play, putting them in a very strong position to secure their spot in the fourth tier for a fourth consecutive season.

Team News

Tranmere recalled Rhys Hughes from his loan spell at Chester earlier this month, and Dawes put him straight into the first team last weekend, but he was withdrawn for Lee O'Connor at half-time, and the latter is likely to start on Friday night.

Joel Mumbongo also started against Colchester, but the striker is now without a goal in 16 league games for the club, so youngster Jake Burton could be given the nod alongside Saunders.

Armstrong has been Harrogate's key man this season, netting 12 goals in 37 league games, and the forward is poised to start next to Jack Muldoon, who has weighed in with nine goal contributions in League Two this season.

Having scored the winner as a substitute against Barrow, Daly may be rewarded with a place in the starting lineup, replacing Daniel Grant on the left-wing in what is set to be a 4-4-2 formation.

Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:
Murphy; Cogley, Davies, Turnbull, Bristow; Hendry, Merrie, O'Connor, Hawkes; Burton, Saunders

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:
Oxley; Thomson, O'Connor, Eastman, Foulds; Olaigbe, Falkingham, Sutton, Daly; Muldoon, Armstrong

We say: Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Harrogate Town

Even though they were ultimately unable to come away with the three points, there were promising signs for Tranmere in the first half at Colchester last weekend, and they have largely been solid at home against teams in the bottom half of the table.

With Harrogate coming up short in their last away trip, against relegation-threatened Crawley Town, we expect the hosts to run out narrow victors, in what is likely to be a scrappy game.

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