Tranmere Rovers vs Exeter City preview - Hill out for Rovers

Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 by PA

Tranmere will be without Matt Hill for Saturday's visit of Exeter after the defender suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury in Tuesday's draw against Newport.

The 33-year-old went off after just 11 minutes and manager Rob Edwards told Tranmere Player: "It's looking like he'll be off for a considerable time, so it's a bad one.

"It's a difficult one to take because we've got a young team and Matt's been a real influence, especially on the other three defenders."

Rovers boss Edwards will come up against the club where he spent eight years as a player, coach and assistant manager before taking over at Prenton Park, while Matt Gill and Eliot Richards also spent time with the Grecians last term.

Exeter will make the long trip without defender Pat Baldwin.

Baldwin, whose side have struggled at Prenton Park during recent years, has undergone a scan on a knee injury he sustained against Burton earlier this month and will miss out again.

With Baldwin having missed Tuesday's 2-1 win at Cambridge it means boss Paul Tisdale could name an unchanged XI against his former apprentice with Alex Nicholls and Graham Cummins expected to continue up front.

If Tisdale does decide to freshen up his side then David Noble looks likely to earn his first start since returning to the club.