Attendance: 6,076

 

Referee – Eddie Ilderton (Tyne and Wear)

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL MATCH STATISTICS AND TEAM LINE-UPS

 

A first half header from midfielder Kevin Ellison saw Rovers record the first win in their last seven league matches against a Bournemouth side for whom this was their third defeat on the spin in the League.

 

Ellison flicked home from close range after the returning Gareth Taylor headed a cross from the left, back across goal at the far post and that goal proved to be enough even though Rovers could and should have added more goals in the second half.

 

Ronnie Moore made two changes to the starting line-up from last weeks 1-0 defeat at Carlisle with on loan Forest defender John Thompson starting at right back in place of the injured Robbie Stockdale whilst striker Gareth Taylor started his first competitive match since the 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest in place of Jason McAteer as Rovers reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.

 

The first incident of the game saw Chris Shuker pick up his fifth booking of the season for returning to the pitch too early after going off injured when play was stopped.  The booking means Shuker will miss the home FA Cup tie against Woking two weeks today.

 

Shuker created an early opening for Greenacre in front of goal and a short time later, Taylor on his return to the side after injury almost scored but saw his header from a Shuker free-kick crash against the crossbar and bounce back into play where the ball was whipped away before Chris Greenacre could pounce.

 

The game was fairly stale during the course of the first half but Rovers had the better of what openings there were with Shuker on the right and Ellison and Sherriff on the left causing a number of concerns for the visitors.

 

Gavin Ward was not totally unemployed in the first half though and had to be alert to save from Steven Foley on the half hour mark and shortly after Darren Anderton fired a long-range free-kick over the crossbar.

 

If either side deserved to be in front it was probably the home side but just when it looked like there would be no breakthrough, Rovers took the lead in the 41^st minute.

 

Mullin from midfield, fed Sherriff down the left and the Austrailian’s cross looked too long until Gareth Taylor popped up beyond the far post to head the lead.

 

Just seconds after scoring his first goal since Rotherham away, Ellison almost had a second when he headed a Shuker cross onto the crossbar with the goalkeeper Gareth Stewart beaten. 

 

There was still time for one more goal-bound effort for Rovers before the break for Rovers as Shane Sherriff saw his headed effort cleared off the goal-line by Stephen Purches which ensured that the home side’s lead at half-time was just a single goal.

 

Early in the second half, Darren Anderton fired a free-kick past the Rovers defensive wall and just wide of Ward’s left hand post after Chris McCready had been booked for the initial foul.  In spite of the early chance for the visitors in the second half, it was still Rovers creating more opportunities on goal.

 

Chris Greenacre fired wide from a decent position inside the penalty area shortly before Chris Shuker did all the hard work by nutmegging a  Cherries defender but then fired in a poor shot that went straight to Stewart in the goal.

 

Another Rovers player who did all the hard work only to fire off target was Gareth Taylor who pulled the ball down and past Josh Gowling before firing over the crossbar and into the Kop as another chance went begging.

 

On 72 minutes, goal hero Ellison was replaced by Jason McAteer and just three minutes later Rovers almost scored what would have been a goal of the season contender had it gone in.

 

Loan signing John Thompson started the move in the Rovers half and sprayed the ball across the field to Shane Sherriff.  The Aussie’s cross was headed back across goal by Taylor and was met with a wonderful overhead kick by Chris Greenacre forcing Stewart into a decent save.

 

After both keepers had been called into action again following chances at either end for Gareth Taylor and Steve Fletcher, Ian Goodison saw his header from a corner cleared off the line by James Hayter when a goal looked a certainty.

 

Two minutes after the Goodison chance, the hard working Greenacre was replaced by Steve Davies who immediately earned a booking, perhaps harshly, for a challenge on a Bournemouth defender.

 

Another ‘almost goal of the season’ contender came from Chris Shuker in the 89^th minute when he hooked a high ball into the penalty area from near the corner flag and saw it beat the keeper but strike the top side of the crossbar.

 

After three minutes of injury time, Rovers fans could breathe a sigh of relief as they recorded their first league win since 16^th September.  Some other results going Rovers way, means they now sit in fifth place in League One but are now nine points behind leaders Nottingham Forest.

 

On the whole the game was dull at times but this particular 90 minutes goes to show what Rovers may be capable of if they keep the ball down and play football with it.  The performance today was ten times better than last weeks display at Carlisle and Gareth Taylor proved how much he has been missed in his absence.

 

 

Man of the Match

 

Gareth Taylor – Simply for the fact that he showed what Rovers have been missing during his injured spell.  He created the goal for Ellison and several other chances by bringing the ball down in the penalty area.

 

Gaffer’s Verdict

 

(Ronnie Moore Speaks to Tranmere’s Official Website)

 

 

"It was scrappy and horrible but it's nice when you can win like that.  There were a lot of positives in the game.  We had enough chances to have won by five or six.”

 

"It was a great ball for the goal and Kevin [Ellison] has gambled.  It's what we've asked of them - that they're on the front foot.  He got across the lad and put it in the back of the net.  I thought we were going to go on from there and put them under pressure and get a few more goals.  We put them under pressure but didn't finish.  We're still not as clinical as we

can be.”

 

"A clean sheet was essential for us and we got it.  But I'd like to see us coming off having scored three, four or five.”

 

"We've got another three home games to come, and it's down to us to get ourselves back on track.  Back in the top six is where we belong, we're trying to get back in the top two and I think we've got every opportunity with the home games coming."

 

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