Attendance: 6,023

             

            Referee - Mr Russell Booth (Nottinghamshire)

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL MATCH STATISTICS AND TEAM LINE-UPS

 

Tranmere maintained their 100% percent home record this season so far with a well deserved 2-1 win over Yeovil Town that condemned the Glovers to their first defeat of the season thanks to goals from new boys Kevin Ellison and John Mullin either side of a Glovers equaliser from Chris Cohen just before half time.

 

Rovers were slow to get going in the opening minutes as they once again laboured as they have done in the opening three matches so far but the second half performance by the home side could easily have brought three of four goals if luck had been with them.

 

Rovers Boss Ronnie Moore kept the same side that drew 0-0 at Doncaster last week with defender Ian Goodison making the starting line-up despite having barely trained last week after picking up a knock towards the end of the game at Belle Vue.

 

Rovers were a little slow to get going in the opening twenty minutes or so but both goalkeepers were in action early on with Mildenhall saving from Gareth Taylor and Ward keeping out Chris Cohen at the other end.

 

Shane Sherriff’s looping header looked to be dropping into the net but Mildenhall expertly tipped the ball over the crossbar for a Rovers corner which one of many in the opening exchanges for the home side.

 

Just after the half hour mark Rovers took the lead with their first real clear-cut chance on goal when Chris Greenacre played in Kevin Ellison after a break away and the winger ran clear of the last defender and shot brilliantly past goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall from around 20 yards out to the delight of the disappointingly small home crowd.

 

Only a minute later, Rovers could have added a second when Robbie Stockdale crossed into the box but Kevin Ellison headed the ball over the bar just as Gareth Taylor behind him and in a better position was poised to head the ball goal-wards himself.

 

Just before half-time the visitors drew level as Rovers seemed to switch off for a moment.  A cross from the Yeovil right by Kevin James was met by an unmarked Chris Cohen at the far post and despite having the ball slightly caught up in his feet, he volleyed well into the bottom right corner of Gavin Ward’s goal.

 

Just before the players ran out for the start of the second period, Jason McAteer was warming up on the pitch with Rovers assistant manager John Breckin and although the veteran player didn’t come on at the start of the half, Rovers fans only had to wait three minutes to see him make an appearance as he replaced the hobbling Paul McLaren in a straight swap in central midfield.

 

On 54 minutes, Rovers were ahead again when Stockdale and Shuker exchanged passes on the right and the ball fell kindly for John Mullin who finished brillianly across goal from a far from easy angle.

 

Although that goal eventually proved to be the winner, there was no shortage of action for the remaining half an hour of the game as Rovers began to dominate and were unlucky not to add more goals whilst Yeovil also had few moments of their own at the end.

 

Yeovil’s best chance of the half saw them denied by a wonderful save from Gavin Ward as he tipped a shot that seemed for all the world to be going in onto his post before the danger was cleared away.  Chris McCready was also had his blushes saved by Ward when the defender sliced a clearance that may have gone in had Ward not been quick to smother the ball.

 

At the other end though Rovers were looking good and Chris Greenacre disappointingly fired straight at Mildenhall when one on one with him whilst Stockdale and Ellison also had chances blocked or cleared away from danger.

 

Goodison was once again the rock at the back for Rovers whilst Taylor and Greenacre started to look good together upfront with Taylor having possibly his best game so far for Rovers.

 

The visitors were forced to play the final minutes with ten men after Andy Lindegaard was forced off injured and Russell Slade the Glovers Manager had already used all of his substitutes.

 

Shane Sherriff had the ball in the net for Rovers with four minutes left with a great flick header at the near post but unlike Ellison and Mullin before him, the Austrailian was denied his first goal for Rovers after an infringement was spotted and the goal was disallowed.

 

In the final minutes of injury time, Chris Greenacre was again one on one with Mildenhall after being played through by Chris Shuker and although his shot was better than his first chance, he was unlucky to see the ball hit the post and rebound to safety.

 

Also in injury time, Gareth Taylor headed an excellent Kevin Ellison cross into the side netting as Rovers continued to push for a third goal that sadly never came even though it would have been deserved.

 

Rovers now have two away matches in five days as they travel to Hull in the Carling Cup first round and then travel to Chesterfield on Saturday in League One.

 

Man of the Match

 

Ian Goodison – Yet another solid performance at the back from a player who had barely trained all week but still looked the part.  As cool, calm and collected as ever.

 

Gaffer’s Verdict

 

(Ronnie Moore Speaks to Tranmere’s Official Website)

"It was open and scrappy.  It wasn't fluent football but we hung in there.  We've had enough chances in the game to score five but it's just a matter of time before they start going in.   There are nine new players in there and when they get it right someone is going to get a tonking.”

"They're not falling for Chris or Gareth at the moment so it's nice when you're midfield gets you a couple of goals.”

"They've come here and made it hard for us.  They played 4-5-1 and showed us a bit of respect but we were naïve at times when we had the ball.  We've got to defend better than we did for their goal.  If we don't we'll concede.”

"It will be nice when we can come off the park and say how well we played, but at the end of the day it's about results.  There are one or two rough diamonds that need to be polished off and when we get that right we'll be ok."

"I won't play Paul McLaren at Hull. I might change one or two who need a break before the Chesterfield game.”

"I have to look at what's right in the long term for us.  I might give Calvin a full game to see what he can do for us, and maybe McAteer and Mullin will get a game."

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