After the snow and rain of the past two days that has fallen in most parts of the country, the western coast seems to have missed the worst of things. A heavy, well-worn pitch survived a pitch inspection at 10 o'clock this morning but it is drizzling as the kick off gets near. The only sign of any snow is a few piles of the stuff at the side of the pitch. The Rovers, of the Doncaster kind, have a good record at Prenton Park, not having lost in 11 games since 1979. The Rovers of Doncaster lie in 8th place in the table and Tranmere are one place below them but only on goal difference. Unfortunately for the Rovers, who have the second leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Final to play on Monday, their opponents that evening, Crewe Alexandra, have a free weekend. Their game this afternoon against Scunthorpe United is off because of a waterlogged pitch. The Rovers made changes to last week's line-up. Peter Gilbert has returned to Sheffield Wednesday after his one month loan so Gareth Roberts returns to the team at left back and Sean Thornton comes in for Paul Heffernan, who has gone down with a touch of flu. For both Gareth Roberts and Sean Thornton it is a return to their former club. Tranmere turned out in all white, with the Rovers attired in all blue.
The home team set the ball rolling, attacking the end where the Rovers supporters were housed. A free kick on the home right in the second minute was headed on goal by Thompson but Smith effected the save. The Rovers then were awarded a free kick just inside their own half in the centre of the pitch. Lee powered in a header but Achterburg made the save. On 6 minutes, the referee pulled play back to give Tranmere a free kick just inside the Rovers half on the right. Taylor won the header on the left of the penalty area and GREENACRE was the first and only one to run in and plant a firm header past the badly exposed Smith and put the home team in front. The next twenty minutes was made up of indeterminate play from both sides, mostly in midfield, with neither keeper being troubled. On 29 minutes, a free kick to the Rovers taken by Stock on the left found Lee completely unmarked and isolated on the edge of the 6 yard box, with only Achterburg in front of him but he headed the ball back for Price instead of going for goal. The resulting melee was cleared. Pushing on, the Rovers won the first corner of the game on the half hour, with Lockwood, at the far post, heading into the keeper's hands. A mfew minutes later, Coppinger, cutting in from the right, had his shot blocked and put out for another corner. In the 37th minute, Coppinger, on the Rovers right, fed the ball to Forte in the middle, back to Stock for his shot to be blocked. The ball went straight down to the rovers end, where Taylor found Shuker in the middle, 25 yards out. He screwed wide of a post. With five minutes to the break, the Rovers were awarded a free kick in the D just outside the home penalty area when Price, with a clear run on goal was hauled down by McCready. The free kick was blocked and the follow-up from Stock was deflected over for a corner to the Rovers. The interval came with Tranmere going in one goal to the good but the Rovers shading the possession.
As a steady rain came down, the home team set the tempo, winning a corner on their right, their first of the game but nothing came of it. Eight minutes into the half and Rovers put in a sustained period of pressure culminating in Coppinger putting over a wicked cross from the right that Achterburg could only palm away but there was no blue shirt to pick it up. Five minutes later, continuing to press, a good move down the Rovers right saw Coppinger put O'Connor down the right, inside to Stock but his effort on goal was weak and wide of a post from 25 yards. Forte, after good work on the Rovers left forced a corner but nothing came of it. Another corner from the Rovers right saw two half chances, with Price blocked a yard from the goal-line and a follow up going wide. The home side were by no means out of it, having plenty of possession in midfield but they hadn't really troubled Smith until the 66th minute when McLaren tried to lob Smith from about 8 yards to the left of goal but put it well over the bar. A corner to Tranmere, followed by a corner to the Rovers, Lee heading wide were the sum total of the following minutes. Then, on 77 minutes, Stockdale stumbled through two tackles as he cut in from the home left and unleashed a fierce drive that Smith had to tip over the bar. As time ran down, the Rovers still had most of the possession but couldn't find a clear way to goal in the face of some determined defending. For Tranmere, McLaren fired just wide from 30 yards after 83 minutes but thereafter the game drifted to it's conclusion, the one early goal giving Tranmere the three points.
Tranmere Rovers - John Achterburg; Robbie Stockdale, Chris McCready, John Thompson, Carl Tremarco; Chris Shuker, Jason McAteer, Paul McLaren, Kevin Ellison; Gareth Taylor, Chris Greenacre.
Subs used - Shane Sherriff for Thompson 25 mins; Danny Harrison for Ellison 60 mins;
Subs not used - Calvin Zola, Craig Curran, Gavin Ward gk
Cautions - Shuker, McCready, Sherriff, Stockdale,
ROVERS - Ben Smith; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Sean Thornton, Jonathan Forte; Jason Price.
Subs used - Lewis Guy for Green 67 mins; Steve Roberts for Forte 86 mins;
Subs not used - Sam Hird, Craig Nelthorpe, Barry Richardson gk
