With just a few months of the season remaining Tranmere remain firmly in contention for an automatic promotion place. Last Saturday's 1-1 draw at Bradford saw Rovers consolidate third place in League One, two points behind Hull and three points leaders Luton. Brian Little's side has enjoyed a strong campaign thus far and one of the major reasons behind Tranmere's success has been the strength of their defence- conceding just 38 goals in 31 league games. Givemefootball's Mark Shail caught up with up with influential centre half Ian Sharps and got his thoughts on the club's chances of finishing in the top two this term.
Q:YOU MUST BE SATISFIED WITH THE TEAM'S POSITION AT THIS STAGE OF THE SEASON?
A:Yes, things have gone ok so far, but we are now reaching the hard part of the season where points are really crucial. We need to maintain our form to give ourselves a chance of climbing into that top two.
Q:THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF YOU HADN'T DRAWN SO MANY MATCHES - NINE IN TOTAL?
A:That's true, but there is a fine line between winning and losing - it's better to have picked up a point in those games than to have lost them. We've got some tough matches coming up so the next month will be very important for us. We play Hull at home very soon and that game will be vital for both clubs.
Q:WHO ARE THE BEST SIDES YOU HAVE COME UP AGAINST THIS SEASON?
A:I would have to single out the two teams at the top of the table - Luton and Hull. Luton were the most physical side we have played and Hull actually beat us 6-1, although we did have both our keepers injured in that match.
Q:YOUR HOME RECORD HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE - WITH TEN VICTORIES SO FAR?
A:We have always done well at home and hopefully we can continue that form for the rest of the season. Having said that, we did lose 1-0 at home against Bristol City a couple of weeks ago in a game that was live on SKY. However, we dominated that match and should have come away with something because they only had one real chance in the entire 90 minutes.
Q:ARE YOU ENJOYING WORKING WITH BRIAN LITTLE?
A:He is a brilliant manager and things have improved dramatically since his arrival. He is not somebody who is going to throw cups of tea around the dressing room but everybody in the squad knows their jobs and we are well organised. His training is very enjoyable and the players are also learning a lot from our first team coach Richard Hill.
Q:WHO ARE THE STRIKERS THAT HAVE CAUGHT YOUR EYE IN LEAGUE ONE THIS SEASON?
A:Bristol City's Leroy Lita is improving all the time and developing into a very good player. Steve MacLean at Sheffield Wednesday has also scored a lot of goals, although I haven't actually played against him yet this season. Bu there can't be many young strikers in the league better than our own Ian Hume, who has scored 13 goals.
Q:WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS IN THE GAME?
A:I would love to eventually get the chance to play at the highest level, but my immediate priority is to try and win promotion this season with Tranmere.
