Rovers boss Ronnie Moore spoke to his club’s official website ahead of his side’s League One match against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow afternoon, Moore looking for a good return of points for the Whites over the busy festive period:
“We have got four massive games coming up starting with the game against Carlisle. They are in and around where we are, so if we can go there and get the positive result then it lifts us another place up there. But, this Christmas period coming up now is massive for this club. We have to go to Carlisle with the right attitude, determination and shape. There is no reason why we can’t go there and win, if we play to our best ability then we have got a hell of a chance of winning.
“Graham Kavanagh has done a great job there to be fair, it is difficult when you take over from your old manager who was in there. But, he has done a good job, there is no doubt, you don’t beat Brentford if you can’t play. So, we know we are in for a tough game. They want to play, they are a footballing team who will go long occasionally to Lee Miller, but he is a decent player so we have got to be on our toes and at our best to get something out of the game.
“David Amoo blew hot and cold here as well, on his day fantastic, great ability and a fantastic guy. But, I think it is a tale now of the modern day winger, it is very difficult to get 100% out of one every game they play. So, we have got to make sure that we keep him quiet because on his day he can be a matchwinner. He has got undoubted ability, can score goals and go by people for fun, all he has got to do now is get that consistency, he has started really brightly there so we just hope he has an off day against us.
“You look at it, 22 points takes you 12th, that is how tight the league is, it is ridiculous at the present time. All our Christmas games are against teams in and around us so it massive that we don’t lose them, but most importantly that we actually go and try to win them. After the bad result in the cup against Peterborough we need to get back to the better form before that when we had only lost one in eight.”
In team news for the visitors tomorrow they will definitely be missing four players through illness and injury while they also have doubts over a couple of others. Veteran centre-half is out for 4-6 to six weeks with a thigh injury, while winger Abdulai Bell-Baggie is sidelined with an ankle injury. Meanwhile midfielder Andy Robinson is still on the comeback trail after undergoing a hernia operation in August, and fellow midfield man Joe Thompson was last month diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and is currently undergoing a six month course of chemotherapy.
On the positive side of things for the Whites though they do have Ash Taylor back available after the centre-half saw out the final match of a three game ban in Tranmere’s 5-0 FA Cup defeat at Peterborough last weekend. Rovers boss Moore also perhaps able to call on Steven Jennings after the midfielder recently returned to training following a groin injury, while right-back Jon Otsemobor will undergo a pre-match fitness test after missing the Peterborough game with a back problem.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Andy Madley from Ossett in West Yorkshire and he will be assisted down the lines by Kevin Mattocks from Chorley and Jason Whiteley from Morley, near Leeds. Meanwhile the fourth official is Paul Davison from Stockton-on-Tees.