Tranmere Rovers captain Steve Jennings is relishing his return to the side for Sunday's derby with Chester FC.

Suspension ruled the 31-year-old out of the past two matches but he will be back for the trip to the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium and his return is well-timed given ex-Chester City midfielder Jay Harris starts his own two-game ban.

Jennings helped Rovers to a 2-0 win when the sides clashed at Prenton Park back in September but insists Tranmere won't be underestimating the Blues this weekend.

"Sunday's game at Chester can't come soon enough for me," Jennings told the Liverpool Echo.

"The two-match suspension I received for picking up my 10th booking of the season against Southport at the start of this month seems to have lasted an age. It's been horrible.

"Chester is a terrific game to come back to. We know there's going to be a cracking atmosphere, just as there was for the fixture at Prenton Park in September.

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"We won 2-0 that day, ending a run of four matches without a victory. I remember speaking at the end to Chester midfielder John Rooney, who is a mate.

"John said he thought that game was going to kick us on, get our season going and for the next month or so it looked as if he was right. But then we had another rough patch.

"I'd like to think another victory on Sunday can give us some fresh impetus. But we certainly won't underestimate Chester.

"John missed a penalty in that first game and he'll be wanting to put that right. He'll be right up for it. And I'll bet Ian Sharps will want to put one over his former club.

"Chester are seven points above the relegation zone and that's probably a little bit too close for comfort for them. They'll be looking to give themselves a bit more of a cushion by beating us."

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Jennings' team-mate Harris, who made 33 appearances for Chester in 2008-09, won't be involved having been booked late on in last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Cheltenham Town.

Jay Harris, who played for Chester City, misses Sunday's derby through suspension
Jay Harris, who played for Chester City, misses Sunday's derby through suspension

That was the 28-year-old's 10th caution of the campaign and, having missed out on facing the Blues through suspension while with Wrexham, Jennings admits Harris regrets his actios.

"No one loves a derby game more than Jay Harris and my midfield partner is kicking himself that he'll miss the next two matches through suspension after picking up his 10th booking of the season against Cheltenham last Saturday," said Jennings.

"Jay was shown a yellow card after pushing a Cheltenham player off the pitch when it looked as if he was feigning injury to waste a bit of time. It was a bit silly and Jay knows it.

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"There were only a few seconds left on the clock and he was showing a bit of frustration about the way the game had gone.

"When I got to the dressing room Jay had his head down. A derby at Chester is the last game he would have wanted to miss.

"If you get a booking for a tackle it's not so bad but when the offence is a silly one like that, it is so much worse."