Tranmere Rovers put in a strong performance in midweek to earn a point against Peterborough United, now they have to back it up when Burton Albion visit Prenton Park this weekend.
In terms of selection, manager Micky Mellon is still without a number of key individuals, and it seems to be a case of getting one back and then losing another!
Corey Blackett-Taylor’s three-match ban has ended and he played a part in the Peterborough game on Tuesday, but Calum Woods has sustained an injury which rules him out, so it’s a rather frustrating time for the Rovers boss.
As we begin our build up to the weekend’s game, here we will run through who’s unavailable for Rovers through suspension or injury.
JAKE CAPRICE
The right-back has missed the first few weeks of the season with an ankle injury sustained in a pre-season friendly against Walsall. He has been back in training in the last couple of weeks but has not yet been involved with the first team. He was warming up ahead of the game at Peterborough, although not in the matchday squad, so could be close to inclusion once again.
CALUM WOODS
The versatile defender picked up a calf injury in the 3-0 defeat at Oxford United last weekend, to rub salt into the wounds of a poor result. He’d done well after coming on against Gillingham, offering a more natural option at right-back. He’ll miss out for 4-6 weeks, but hopefully Caprice will be available and Tranmere will have that more natural right-back (or wing-back) in place for this fixture.
KANE WILSON
The young full-back, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, picked up a knee ligament injury in training ahead of the Rotherham United game. He’ll be missing for a few more weeks, although the diagnosis was that the injury was not as bad as first feared.
MARK ELLIS
Ellis sustained a knee injury towards the back end of last season and remains absent. It’s likely to be some time yet until we next see the experienced defender in a Rovers shirt on the pitch.
EVAN GUMBS
Another who picked up a serious knee injury at the end of last term, the young defender is unlikely to be available for selection until the new year at the earliest.
JACOB MADDOX
The on-loan Chelsea man is yet to make an appearance for Rovers since his move from Stamford Bridge. The midfielder was in the matchday squad for the trip to Rotherham a few weeks ago, but has not been involved since. Maddox has returned to Chelsea for some treatment, but a timescale on his absence is, as yet, unknown.
ISHMAEL MILLER
The big striker was enjoying a good pre-season campaign, having recovered from the injury problems which blighted his spell after joining Rovers in the second half of last season, before sustaining a hamstring problem against Walsall in the final warm-up match before the new campaign. A timescale on how long the former Manchester City man will be out for remains unknown, but he won’t be available again this weekend.
MORGAN FERRIER
Another player who sustained a knee ligament injury in training a few weeks ago and has missed the past few games. The striker is unlikely to feature again until the end of October/beginning of November, which has given an opportunity for the likes of Paul Mullin and Stefan Payne in the starting line-up to stake their claim for a more permanent role within the side.
