The original FA Cup first-round fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Cressing Road, and while a replay would provide extra funds for Braintree, Harding would rather see the Iron progress to a second-round tie against Chesterfield at the first attempt.
"I'd love us to win the game," he said.
"You look at the draw for the second round and the winners have got another home tie. Tranmere will look at League Two opposition and think that is a reasonable tie, and we would like to think Chesterfield is a good game. Then it is a 'what if' situation with the big boys entering in the third round."
Harding confirmed the pitch is now ready for the match after holding up well during Saturday's 2-1 win over Gateshead and, although a win is obviously preferable, the chairman knows the extra cash from a replay would be considered a bonus.
"I'd be delighted to see us win but a draw wouldn't be the end of the world, even if we are beaten the FA Cup has been good to us this season," he said.
"You are looking at sharing the gate at the replay and television coverage potentially, so there are lots of spin-offs, a 4,000 to 5,000 crowd at Prenton Park would be lucrative for both clubs."
Northampton travel to Bradford for their replay following a 1-1 draw between the two League One clubs at Sixfields in the original tie.
Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd saw his side win 4-2 at Accrington on Saturday and is hoping to progress in the cup and keep the momentum going.
"Bradford is a very important game for us, they are a very good side and it will be difficult," he told ntfc.co.uk.
"We know each other inside-out now but we go there in buoyant mood and now it's about making sure we can get through to the next round of the cup."
Bradford travelled to Northampton twice inside two weeks, drawing the FA Cup tie and collecting three points in the league fixture, and a home fixture against Brentford awaits the winner in the second round.
Southern League side Cambridge City will be hoping to cause one of the shocks of the round as they face MK Dons in their first-round replay.
Gary Roberts' side held the Dons to a goalless draw to set up a replay at stadium:mk.
The lowest-ranked club left in the competition, Slough Town, will also be looking to upset the odds when they welcome Blue Square Premier side Mansfield to Holloways Park.
Slough secured the replay after drawing 0-0 at Mansfield and now the Evo-Stik South League Division One Central side are hoping to progress to another big fixture against the winners of the Walsall v Lincoln replay, also being played tomorrow night.
The remaining four replays see Barrow host Guiseley, Luton take on Nuneaton, Morecambe travel to Rochdale with Leyton Orient facing Gloucester on Wednesday.
