Portsmouth V Tranmere at Fratton Park : Match Preview

31 March 2013 13:01
Portsmouth V Tranmere - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Whittingham pondering changes

Portsmouth caretaker boss Guy Whittingham must decide whether to freshen up his side for the visit of Tranmere.

Whittingham has few options in his small squad and has barely changed his starting line-up over the past seven matches.

But experienced defender Sam Sodje, striker John Akinde and youngsters Ashley Harris, Adam Webster, Jack Maloney and Dan Butler are ready to be called upon if anyone needs a rest following Friday's battling 1-1 draw at Preston.

Veteran frontman David Connolly came off with 20 minutes to go with Rovers in mind so he is set to start again.

Pompey are six points from safety after a run of one defeat in seven, but still face the prospect of a 10-point deduction when they exit administration.

Ronnie Moore is hopeful Adam McGurk and Andy Robinson will be involved when his Tranmere side make the long Easter Monday trip south.

McGurk returned ahead of schedule from a collapsed lung when he appeared as a second-half substitute in the 1-0 Good Friday loss to fellow promotion hopefuls Sheffield United at Prenton Park.

Playmaker Robinson (groin) watched on from the stands but also has a chance of featuring at Fratton Park having previously been ruled out of Rovers' Easter programme by Moore.

On-loan Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson sustained a recurrence of his troublesome knee problem against the Blades, with veteran Ian Goodison poised to deputise at centre-back

"Adam might be fit, Robbo might be fit," Moore told Tranmere's official website.

"Ben has hurt the knee he had the problem with and I'll be very surprised if he is going to be fit for Monday, but Goody is more than capable of doing a job for us."

Source: PA