Total Tranmere - Dagnall Goal Nets Rovers Three Points

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Dagnall Goal Nets Rovers Three Points

By Deadly Submarine
March 12 2005
Tranmere Rovers bounced back from last weeks home defeat to Hull City in the best possible way with a hard fought 1-0 win away at fellow play-off hopefuls Hartlepool United. Half-time substitute Chris Dagnall scored the only goal of the game after just eight minutes on the field.

Hartlepool United 0 – 1 Tranmere Rovers

Dagnall 53 mins

Attendance: 4887

This was a crucial game for both teams in terms of their play-off hopes and also because both teams were on the back of defeats last weekend. In fact Pool went into this game on the back of three straight defeats including two in the last seven days. A 6-4 home defeat by Wrexham last Saturday was followed in midweek by a 1-0 defeat by Hull City. Rovers of course were also attempting to get over a defeat against the in-form Tigers.

After a stalemate at half-time, Rovers Manager Brian Little, who had already substituted an unfit Iain Hume early on, tinkered with his formation, bringing on Linwood and Dagnall and changing from a 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 wingback formation. Within eight minutes of the restart Tranmere were in front through substitute Chris Dagnall and subsequently held on their lead for a change to run out winners.

Tranmere made one change to the team that began the 3-1 home defeat to Hull last week with the suspended Mike Jackson returning in defence at the expense of Theo Whitmore who returned to the substitutes bench. This meant that Gareth Roberts and Ian Goodison moved back to their usual left midfield and left back positions respectively.

Striker Iain Hume overcame a late fitness test after missing most of last weeks training through illness and Whitmore was joined on the bench by Russell Howarth, Harrison, Dagnall and Linwood who was also returning from injury that kept him out against Hull. Hartlepool made one change to their line-up from the Hull game on Tuesday night,

Pool had the best of the opening ten minutes as Clark, Boyd and then Porter all had decent chances as the home side won a succession of corners in the first ten minutes. Tranmere’s first shot on goal came in the ninth minute but Mark Rankine’s shot trickled wide. The home side continued to press with a number of further chances before Iain Hume, clearly not fully fit, was replaced by Theo Whitmore just after the half hour mark. Paul Hall moved up front in place of Hume with Theo Whitmore operating on the right side of midfield. The substitute forced the Hartlepool goalkeeper Provett into a save just before half time and just after, Achterberg had to save from Brackstone to ensure a half time stalemate.

At half time, Little replaced Goodison and Dadi with Dagnall and Linwood and moved to a 3-5-2 formation with Ryan Taylor and Gareth Roberts as wing backs and Whitmore playing just behind the front two of Hall and Dagnall. Within eight minutes, Tranmere grabbed the lead when the Hartlepool goalkeeper Provett failed to hold onto a Chris Dagnall header from a Ryan Taylor cross but the substitute reacted quickest to touch in the rebound to send the visiting fans into celebration.

After the goal Hartlepool continued to push forward and had a penalty appeal for handball against Jackson turned down. Achterberg made further saves to keep Rovers in front before late on the visitors escaped twice as first Ryan Taylor cleared off the line and then Achterberg was beaten by a Sweeney header that struck the bar and bounced safely away. In the end, Tranmere held on for a valuable three points after almost four minutes of added time.

This vital victory has helped to cement Rovers’ place in the play-offs but with Sheffield Wednesday holding out for a 3-2 win at home to Blackpool, Tranmere remain in fourth place ahead of Bournemouth who leapfrog Hartlepool after their 2-1 win at Walsall. Brentford’s home draw with Doncaster means Rovers are now ten points clear of the non-play-off places.

Next up for Rovers is relegation threatened Peterborough United at home this coming Friday night.

The Teams: