Wanderers are aiming to turn Burnden Park into a formidable fortress in its 101st and final year.

Five wins and a draw on home soil have been key factors in the sensational surge to the top of the table and Colin Todd wants to continue to make life distinctly uncomfortable for teams visiting the famous old ground.

The Burnden chief saw his title favourites win the first leg of a home double with a convincing 3-1 win against Oldham on Saturday and is determined to make the advantage count again when promotion rivals Tranmere arrive tomorrow.

A crowd of almost 15,000 witnessed a display that illustrated the gulf between top and bottom of Division One and Wanderers have no intention of letting things slip.

"We're over the first hurdle and now we're preparing to meet the second," Todd said with a deep sense of satisfaction and growing confidence.

"We could have won all six of our home games but for that late equaliser in the Stoke game and I see no reason why we can't continue in the same vein.

"We've got to make sure we make this ground a fortress. For us to get nearly 15,000 on Saturday is a credit to the way the players are performing and the hallmark of a good side. We weren't getting many more than that in the Premiership.

"It's up to us now to make sure we don't take our foot off the pedal."

Gerry Taggart, outstanding in defence and creator of two of the three goals that re-established Wanderers as the country's leading scorers, acknowledged the added pressures of being top of the table and warned: "It gets harder every time you play at home because everyone's going to come here to do all they can to frustrate us and beat us.

"We've got to make sure that we are on top form every week but, the way we are playing at the moment, we feel we are good enough to beat anyone."

Saturday's goalscorers Michael Johansen and John McGinlay were having precautionary fitness checks today on arm and calf injuries respectively but are expected to be passed fit to face John Aldridge's Tranmere, who played out a battling scoreless draw at Sheffield United at the weekend and currently lie fourth in the table.

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