Swansea Trundle on

Match Preview

Tranmere have had some great FA Cup victories to cheer in the last few years - against the likes of West Ham, Sunderland, Everton and Southampton. Rovers have faced a mixed bag of opponents in this season's competition, including Premiership Bolton and Ryman League Hornchurch. 

Tranmere took fourteen coaches to the Reebok for the Third Round replay and Brian Little's team achieved a 2-1 extra-time win that had their fans dreaming of another long Cup run. In an exciting finale Eugene Dadi put them ahead on 83 minutes, debutant Shakes equalised for Bolton in the last minute of normal time and Canadian Iain Hume grabbed the priceless winners seconds into the extra period.

Swansea opened the current Cup campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 home success against Rushden and followed that up with three solid 2-1 wins, all at home, over Stevenage, Macclesfield and Preston. Lee Trundle, who has spent most of his career in non-League, has scored in each round.

Team News

The home side will be missing Mickey Mellon (suspended), Ian Sharps and Shane Nicolson (injured), but Steven Jennings, Paul Linwood and Chris Dagnall all return from injury.

Lee Trundle, the 27-year-old Liverpudlian, has hit the headlines with his five FA Cup goals this season. On Saturday he will be sporting a strip of plastic stretching from nose to ear to prevent any further damage to the cheekbone he injured against Preston in the Fourth Round.

Kevin Nugent, James Thomas and Izzy Irekpen are all fit but Tranmere will have to rethink their midfield options as they will be without the services of Lenny Johnrose and Karl Connolly.

FA Cup Pedigree

Rovers have twice reached the Sixth Round - in 2000 (2-3 v Newcastle United) and 2001 (2-4 v Liverpool). In 2001 John Aldridge's side achieved a memorable 4-3 Fifth Round replay win against Southampton at Prenton Park after being 0-3 down. Paul Rideout, scorer of the goal that won the Cup for Everton in 1995, was a hat-trick hero for Rovers that night.

Swansea (as "Swansea Town") were semi-finalists in 1926 and 1964. Preston North End beat them 2-1 at Villa Park in '64. The Swans' recent Cup form has been poor, with six First Round exits in the last eight seasons. But they did beat West Ham in a Third Round replay in 1999.  

Tranmere v Swansea: Past FA Cup Meetings

Tranmere Rovers and Swansea City have never played each other in The FA Cup.