Town are back in Sky Bet League Two action at Blundell Park tomorrow as Accrington Stanley visit with Paul Hurst’s men looking to build on a two-match unbeaten run.
Our second home match of the week comes following our EFL Trophy exit at the group stage following a 2-1 defeat to Bradford City when a second half effort from Emmanuel Osadebe sent Town out of the competition.
After returning to winning ways in the league, though, against Barrow ten days ago, the Mariners also picked up a point on the road when a Connor Jennings goal for Tranmere pegged the Mariners back after efforts from Danny Rose and Rekeil Pyke had put the Mariners in the ascendency at Prenton Park.
Team News
After being without ten players in midweek, Hurst confirmed to the media this weeek that he was able to welcome five of those absentees back into training yesterday with that number including Donovan Wilson. The striker started his first competitive match for the Mariners last weekend at Tranmere after impressing with two goals in as many matches from the bench but was forced to exit proceedings within the first half hour with a groin issue.
Whether he is fit to start is still to be confirmed but, after replacing him last Saturday, Rekeil Pyke added to his first goal at Prenton Park with another in midweek when he scored our sole goal against Bradford City. With fellow striker Danny Rose also in good form after scoring both at Tranmere and a few days previously against Barrow, Hurst knows he has strikers in fair goalscoring form at his disposal.
Harvey Rodgers is in line to play against his former club for the first time while fellow defender Niall Maher could continue his return to action with a start. After returning from an injury that ruled him out for the Crawley and Swindon matches, he returned from the bench against Barrow in the second half before starting at right-back against Bradford in midweek.
Accrington Stanley
After suffering relegation last term, Accrington currently sit in 11th place in the fourth tier, seven places and three points above Town. This summer saw them bring in seasoned League Two campaigner Kelvin Mellor following his release from Crewe Alexandra with the defender by far their most experienced recruit.
As touched on by Rodgers earlier this week when speaking to the media, Accrington often utilise the loan market and this season is no different with a number brought in on temporary deals, including striker Josh Andrews who Hurst identified as a danger man for tomorrow’s visitors. On loan from Birmingham City, Andrews has scored four goals in twelve league matches this season and five in thirteen in all competitions.
Hurst also highlighted the threat posted by midfielders Joe Pritchard and Jack Nolan, acknowledging that his team will have to be adaptable against a team capable of challenging the Mariners in a number of different ways. You can watch the gaffer’s pre-match interview HERE.
Manager John Coleman is the second longest serving manager across the Premier League and Football League with this – his second spell with the club – currently spanning just over nine years. A man synonymous with Accrington Stanley, his first stint with the Lancashire club lasted thirteen years after starting in 1999 before leaving for Rochdale in January 2012.
Form
Tomorrow’s visitors have picked up seven points across their last five matches, including a 2-1 victory last weekend against Forest Green Rovers. They have five wins and five losses to their name this season with Coleman’s men having scored seventeen goals along with conceding eighteen in the league.
Andrews is their top scorer so far in the league with his four efforts giving him a one-goal lead over fellow dangerman Nolan with the midfielder currently having three to his name. Nolan also has two assists to his name, along with fellow midfielders Tommy Leigh and Shaun Whalley – the latter of whom spent time with Shrewsbury Town under Mariners boss Hurst.
Town come into the match with four points from our last two league matches after arresting a run of form that saw the team fall to three consecutive defeats against Wrexham, Crawley and Swindon. Hurst’s strikers come into action in good form, though, with Rose and Pyke both having two goals to their name in their last two respective appearances while Wilson has two to his name in his last three matches.
The last time the two sides faced each other was in last season’s EFL Trophy when a then-League One Accrington beat the Mariners 1-0 at Blundell park when Tommy Leigh scored from the spot for Stanley. The last league matches between the two came in the 2017-18 season when both ended in away victories, Town winning 2-1 at the Crown Ground in September before Accrington left Blundell Park with three points in the following December.
Our last home win against Stanley came in December 2016 when we recorded a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Tom Bolarinwa and Ashley Chambers.
Coverage
Supporters in the UK and overseas will be able to watch the match live on Mariners TV for just £10 with match passes available HERE.
UTM
