Port Vale 2-3 Tranmere

[Joe_TRFC]

Wow... What a game! I thought we'd thrown it away but finally we have shown some fight when things have been going against us. Would have been very pissed off if we'd thrown a 2-0 lead away again.

We started the better side and took the lead early on when Chris Greenacre headed in a Chris Shuker cross on 3 minutes. It could have been 2-0 straight after when Kevin Ellison struck a 30 yard shot which the keeper could only parry to Greenacre who missed an easy chance but may have been offside. Port Vale started to get back into the game though and we had Gavin Ward to thank for a couple of good saves to keep us in front. Against the run of play Shuker burst forward and managed to convince the referee that he had been brought down. Port Vale weren't happy but Greenacre stepped up and drilled the ball down the middle for his second and Tranmere's second. Although with Tranmere it is never simple and Port Vale pulled one back straight away although with a lucky deflection. Danny Sonner's shot from outside the area and it took a deflection and found its way past Ward. Gareth Taylor then hit the bar with a looping header.

Second half we seemed to have weathered the storm early on and Gavin Ward was again to thank making a good save from a shot that bounced just in front of him. We then started to put a bit of pressure on and go for a 3rd but all off a sudden Ward came out of his area to make a clearance but it only found Sodje who then found Constantine who found the net. 2-2 and you thought we have thrown another 2-0 lead away. To our credit we put pressure on to go in search of a much needed winner and it came in the 83rd minute when Kevin Ellison sent a looping header into the net from a Shuker cross. We then held on quite comfortably dealing with the expected pressure from Port Vale very well.

A good win and hopefully we can build on this at Bournemouth next week with another win although that will be a tough game and they beat Millwall today. Some good results for us today with us gaining 2 points on Oldham in 5th who could only draw 2-2 with 10 men Leyton Orient. Doncaster lost at home to Cheltenham and Carlisle could only draw. We move back up to 7th level on points with Blackpool in 6th although they have a game in hand . Swansea are a point behind us in 8th with Doncaster 5 points behind us in 9th.

 

[Ian]

Brilliant game, well worth the entrance fee.
Before I mention the game, I must mention the 622 away supporters. They were fantastic. The noise they made throughout the game was brilliant.

Now if we would have performed like that last week, we wouldn't have lost 2-0.

There was effort and a desire to win the game. When Vale got the second goal, I thought we may have crumbled, but we didn't. We continued to attack and got the winner.

If they have that same desire for the rest of the season, we'll be in the top 6 for sure. It was just a shame Greenacre couldn't get a third, that would have topped the game off nicely.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Fair play to Rovers, a great win, hopefully it will be a springboard not another false dawn.

After the justifiable slagging they took last week, nothing but praise this week. Well done!=D>

Onwards and upwards.......

 

[nomur]

I agree Tartan..

I sat listening to the game and at 2-2 I thought we were gonna throw it away but we held on and all credit to Kev Ellison, the unlikeliest of scorers, for pulling us back from the brink of a useless 1 point, to a well deserved and much needed 3 points.

We've got another away tie next week so lets hope we get the same type of performance and fighting spirit. Other than the Scunthorpe and Millwall games to come, the rest are winnable ties so lets keep our fingers crossed.

I'm made up with yesterdays result.

Bring on Bournemouth!!
=D>=D>

 

[Joe_TRFC]

I think they are all winnable although we won't win all of them. Millwall may well be out of the play off race completely by the time we go there and Scunthorpe will probably be promoted by the time they come to us and we can beat anyone at home in this league on our day.

 

[Ian]

I've mentioned this many times after wins and defeats, but the key is to play the ball on the floor!

The first goal came from great wing play by Suker.
The second was a penalty, but the third again came from a good Shuker cross.

It's not rocket science. If they play the ball on the floor, they'll get goals.
Shuker was effective on the right and even Ellison to be fair had a decent game. Not only scoring but had a good game on the left.

That's how we should be playing. Not hoofing the ball 30 yards in the air like we did against Swansea.

I thought they all played well. Made up for Greenacre getting 2, only 2 to go for the big 20. He was superb. Taylor was good, holding the ball up well. I thought they all played a good game, chasing the ball, and there were some good moves on the floor.

Vale's defence looked a little suspect and we took advantage.
There main threat game from Constantine and Sodje, who had us panicking a few times at the back, but overall, well deserved the win.

As I mentioned before, I thought the Tranmere fans were excellent. Early on when Greenacre scored, the drums were beating and we were singing along to 'ronnie moores barmy army' for about 10 mins. It was great and the players really reacted.

I thought we would have taken a lot more though. Maybe the disappointment of last week was too much for some.

I hope to god they put in a performance like that next week.