Incredible performance from Rovers. The last 60 minutes were the best I have ever seen from a Tranmere team away from home.
We had our customary, slow, sloppy start, but today we paid for it as Crawley are actually a very dangerous side. The back four struggled for the first time this season in the opening half hour, but with hindsight I think as a team we dropped way too deep, probably because we were worried about the threat caused by Ajose. Scoring such an early goal probably didn't help either. Clearances were miscued, the midfield gave the ball away in bad areas in our own half and there seemed very little protection from centre mid. This was all epitomised by their second goal, another conceded from a corner, where we had at least two opportunities to clear the ball.
Fortunately, in the last 15 minutes of the half we started to feel our way back into the game, and with this Rovers side that is all that is needed to create a goal. The second goal was fantastic, Zoum (yes, him again !) winning the ball in his own half, sprinting the length of the pitch and dinking a cross to Cassidy who had peeled away from his man at the back post to nod the ball home.
Our improvement continued after the break. Both the third and fourth goals began with defensive errors, but were by no means gifts: a misplaced pass fell to Akpro on the edge of the box, and he brilliantly side-stepped two defenders before rolling the ball into the bottom corner; Cassidy showed his strong work ethic and poacher's instinct by harrying the centre back into an error and finishing with one touch into the top corner. Cue delirium among the SWA.
From then onwards, we annihilated them. Our pace, skill and movment on the break was too much for them, and we could easily have scored four or five more goals. The front two were superb and the midfield, particularly Palmer, continually cut them open with balls in behind their static back four. As it was, we had to settle for one more goal from Robbo.
Man of the match was probably Palmer, who was excellent, although the front two and Bakayogo were also outstanding again.
After thirty minutes today I really feared our unbeaten record was going to end, as Crawley caused us far more problems than any other team we have played. The fact that we forced our way back into the game and actually battered them on their own pitch, just shows the the character and skill this Rovers team has.
We are Tranmere Rovers, we score when we want !