A huge game for us. A victory would leave us five points behind Sutton with a game in hand and give us a big confidence boost ahead of the busy festive period. Lose and our automatic promotion hopes would effectively be over.
We have had a difficult time against Sutton in the last couple of seasons. The defeat at Gander Green Lane last year was one of the worst Rovers performances I have seen and was the final nail in the coffin for Brabin. In the return fixture at Prenton Park we battered Sutton but somehow lost a two goal lead before Ihiekwe's dramatic intervention.
Sutton are the type of team we have struggled most against at this level: big, physical and organised but with several players who can play a bit (Bailey, Lafayette, Wright and a few others). Saturday will be very tough and I would put it in the category of 'must not lose' rather than 'must win', particularly as I think we will pick up a lot of points in the Christmas matches.
I won't complain if Mellon sets us up to be solid rather than expansive. However, I hope we don't start with the 532. I don't think we have the personnel to play that system this season, as it forces us to play DMH out of position as a wing back, which is very difficult for a youngster who is still trying to learn his best position. Equally, playing as a wing back puts a lot of responsibility on Clarke on the other side. Whatever his talents, he is just a kid who I think benefits from having a more experienced player ahead of him. All of our recent performances with five at the back have been sluggish, even the Torquay game to an extent.
Given the importance of the game I think about 400 SWA will travel, despite the proximity to Christmas. Hopefully we will come away with at least a point.
