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Top Two Serve Up Stalemate at Prenton Park
By Deadly Submarine December 2 2006
Four excellent saves from Rovers goalkeeper Gavin Ward ensured a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest as League One’s top two sides did battle at Prenton Park in what was ultimately a fair result for both sides on the basis of the game itself.

TOTAL TRANMERE – Match Report

 

 

 

Attendance: 11,444

             

            Referee - Mr Mike Pike (Cumbria)

 

By Deadly Submarine  

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL MATCH STATISTICS AND TEAM LINE-UPS

 

League One’s top two sides served up an entertaining goalless draw at Prenton Park as Rovers maintained their unbeaten home record in front of their biggest crowd of the season so far.

 

Just short of 11,500 fans came through the turnstiles to witness a game which had it’s moments but which neither side really deserved to win either and in the end a draw was a fair result although perhaps a slightly better result for the visitors than for Rovers.

 

Rovers Boss Ronnie Moore decided to stick with the same team that started the 3-1 win at Northampton last week after Paul McLaren, who had earlier in the week been declared as a definite absentee, made the starting line-up as Shane Sherriff and Chris Greenacre had to settle for places on the substitutes bench along with Steven Jennings, Steve Davies and John Achterberg.

 

Calvin Zola was gifted an early chance after a mistake at the back by Ian Breckin but the striker was thwarted by some good defending and the chance came to nothing.  Just a few minutes later, Chris Shuker fired over the crossbar after Zola had played him in before two chances fell to Forest striker Neil Harris in the opening 15 minutes of the game.

 

Harris’s first chance saw him head wide of Ward’s goal and second time around just a few minutes later, Harris did force ward into an excellent diving save to keep Rovers in the game.

 

The game saw chances at both ends as the first half progressed with former Forest player Gareth Taylor, who was barracked by the visiting fans throughout the game, having a long range effort deflected wide and a header that sailed just wide of Smith’s left hand post.

 

Rovers also had two free-kicks in quick succession in dangerous positions with first Chris Shuker and then Kevin Ellison both forcing the goalkeeper into saves with thunderous drives at goal.

 

Five minutes before half-time, Paul McLaren picked up a yellow card that means he will suspended for accumulation of five yellow cards so far this season but the midfielder still had time to unleash a 25 yard shot that went wide just before half-time as the half ended goalless.

 

The second 45 minutes continued where the first 45 had left off with both sides creating half-chances but nothing clear-cut as Zola and then Taylor again headed wide for Rovers.

 

The game was stale in parts in the second half with Shuker having less of an impact than he did in the first half and Forest perhaps had slightly more of the possession at times.  However, Rovers defence held firm with Tremarco and Goodison in particular in good form.

 

Just after the hour, Forest brought on Grant Holt and Kris Commons in a bid to break the deadlock but Holt was guilty of a shameful slice wide of goal shortly after coming on.

 

With 20 minutes remaining, the strikeforce that had showed very little for Rovers, was adjusted with Chris Greenacre coming on to replace the hard working but frustrating Zola upfront.

 

The substitution however produced little more efffect than the previous strike partnership had with Greenacre looking below full fitness in the time he was on the field.

 

Forest came at Tranmere late on and Gavin Ward produced three wonderful saves to deny the visitors three points and with the last kick of the game, a Rovers defender cleared the ball off the goal-line after it had come down off the crossbar just as the referee blew for full-time.

 

In the end a draw was a fair result and although Forest will perhaps be happier with the point away from home, Rovers will be happy to have maintained their unbeaten home record against a decent side in League One.

 

Next up for Rovers is Huddersfield Town at home on Tuesday night with a 7.45pm kick-off. 

 

Man of the Match

 

Gavin Ward – Several contenders for the award including Chris Shuker, Carl Tremarco and Ian Goodison but for his first half save and the three second half saves that kept Rovers in the game late on, Ward gets the award.

 

Gaffer’s Verdict

 

(Ronnie Moore Speaks to Tranmere’s Official Website)

 

"There wasn't much in the game. People will go away and remember the last five minutes but they shouldn't be kidded by that. I'm a bit disappointed we didn't come in leading at half time, I thought we just about shaded the first half.”

 

In the second half our keeper had to make too many saves, but we've ground out a result. If we're a point behind them at the end of the season we won't be a million miles away.
     

"They're the best side we've played and have got quality players so I'm not disappointed. We kept a clean sheet against the side on the top of the league and it's another point. Our lads are sat in the dressing room disappointed like we've lost a game.”
     

"We weren't disciplined for the last ten minutes. I think Shukes has got  to learn that he needs to do the simple things well. He was a constant threat early on but we didn't see him the last 20 minutes. “

 

“He'll probably say he didn't get enough of the ball but if he's not getting enough of it he's got to get back and get in the right areas because he's a match winner for us. If teams double up on him he's got to learn to roll the ball back to Robbie Stockdale and let him do it. I don't know what he was trying to do on the far side but

 

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