Cambridge visit offers Tranmere chance to reignite promotion push

After a chastening 4-0 defeat to Cheltenham on Good Friday, Tranmere will look to bounce back against league leaders Cambridge United on Easter Monday.

Keith Hill’s side suffered a bad defeat against the Robins in front of the Sky cameras and the performance was every bit as bad as the result.

While the trouncing stopped Rovers climbing back into the automatic promotion places, rivals Bolton, Forest Green and Morecambe all failed to win meaning the damage suffered was ultimately minimal.

Rovers did drop to fourth but sit just a point behind Bolton with Monday’s clash at Prenton Park presenting the chance to reignite the season with only eight games to go. A win would also pull Tranmere to within four points of Cambridge with a game in hand to come.

That said, Hill’s men are on a poor run of form at the minute with just one win in their previous five games and just two goals from open play in that time. James Vaughan’s injury is really beginning to hurt and the loss of the league’s second highest scorer will be even more pronounced as the man on top of that chart is lining up against Rovers on Monday.

While Tranmere are clearly pushing for the automatic slots, they will need to be wary of the sides coming up behind them. A seven point gap to eighth place Exeter is sizeable, though the Grecians have played a game less.

Cambridge on the other hand are absolutely rolling at the minute as they chase a return to the third tier for the first time since the 2001/2002 season.

Four wins in a row have propelled United to the summit, with three of those coming against sides with their own ideas of promotion. Mark Bonner’s side now have a seven point gap over Tranmere in fourth and a victory in Birkenhead would go a long way towards a promotion that looked unlikely in pre-season.

Paul Mullin has been in sensational form all season and notched another goal in Friday’s victory over Morecambe. Since the rebranding to League Two, Tom Pope boasts the most goals in a season with 31. Mullin is only five goals from breaking that record which would be an incredible achievement.

It remains to be seen if Wes Hoolahan will play a part on Monday. The veteran has had his minutes managed this season and generally doesn’t play two matches in quick succession. The 38-year-old has shown plenty of the old magic this season and Tranmere fans won’t be too disappointed if he sits this one out.

Few were tipping Cambridge to go up in their pre-season predictions in September but a win here and you would have to say they would be within touching distance. Tranmere will be hoping to join them in that top three on Monday evening and perhaps next time this fixture takes place it will be in League One.

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