Goals likely to be in short supply as Tranmere meet slumping Stevenage

Let’s be honest, it’s time to talk about Tranmere. Rovers may still be doing a good job of resembling League One’s other high achievers, sitting in the last playoff berth six points off top place, but they are on a truly diabolical run.

If the table was based upon the results of the Prenton Park side’s last 12 games – lost eight, drawn one, won three – they would be languishing down in 23^rd position.

Goals in particular have been a problem, with the small, injury-ravaged outfit’s flash-in-the 5-1 victory over Colchester the only game in the last 10 in which they’ve mustered more a single goal.

Despite these unedifying statistics they needn’t have been overly fearful of a home humiliation from visiting Borough, who would be the only team below them in that “last 12 games” table.

So poor has Stevenage’s post-autumnal form been that they axed manager Gary Smith earlier this week.

If the players that hastened the dispatch of the gaffer’s P45 decide to give grist to the mill of the famous “side who’ve just sacked their manager wins their next game” cliché, they’ll have to overturn a run of six straight away defeats.

A clash of two sides for whom consistent positive results are a distant memory, this televised fixture looks likely to be manna from heaven under 2.5 goals bettors.

Even in the midst of their doldrums Tranmere have avoided defeat in their last two home games in dour fashion , a 1-1 draw with Notts County and 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Oldham, whilst the visitors have mustered just two goals in their last six games away from Broadhall Way.

The only time Rovers have conceded more than three at home all season was to a Swindon team taking their turn in the role of champions-elect.