Roving Smith enjoying Tranmere spell

The 21-year-old has played 779 minutes for the League Two club this season and will add to that game time this evening at Forest Green Rovers.

And with three goals and three assists to add to the 10 goals and 11 assists from last season’s spell at A.F.C Fylde, Smith is relishing being back in his Merseyside home.

“It’s a great chance for me to go out and play regular senior football. Under-23s football can only take you so far,” said Smith, who grew up across the River Mersey playing for the junior club Millers managed by his dad Gary.

“I feel I am improving playing in this environment. We’ve started well (currently in 6^th) and I just want to help Tranmere finish as high in the table as possible.”

Former Wrexham youth player Smith, who has had spells at Cheltenham Town and A.F.C Fylde since joining City, is one of 21 players currently out on loan.

They include Opi Edwards and Jake Andrews, as well as Saikou Jennah (1) and Conor Lemonheigh-Evans (2), who scored three goals between them in last Saturday’s 4-1 FA Cup victory for Torquay United over Winchester City.

In League One, Taylor Moore is becoming a rock in Southend United’s defence while Tyreeq Bakinson, Cameron Pring and Antoine Semonyo are all starting for Newport County in League Two.

James Carey kept a clean-sheet in the Frome Town’s 2-0 win over Gosport Borough while James Morton played 90 mins for Bath City, who lost their FA Cup tie 1-0 at Weston-Super-Mare, for whom George Nurse played 90 mins.