Attendance: 8,247

            Referee – Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)

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When a goal comes after just 49 seconds, things are usually already looking good for your team and that was all it took for Chris Greenacre to put Rovers ahead and set them on their way to a vital win that lifts them to second place in League One and puts pressure on the other teams that play tomorrow.  Steve Davies added a second goal in the second half to seal a deserved win.

Ronnie Moore kept the same side that won 1-0 at Brighton last week but on the bench, the injured Jason McAteer and suspended Danny Harrison were replaced by Mike Jones and the returning Calvin Zola.

Ex-Rover Mike Jackson captained the visitors on his first return to Prenton Park since leaving in the summer and it was Jackson who had a hand in the goal that gave Rovers the perfect start after just 40 seconds of the game.

Chris Shuker’s cross from the right was relatively poor but Jackson and another defender made a slip that allowed the ball to reach Steve Davies over on the right.  The youngster skipped towards the bye-line and crossed to the far post where Chris Greenacre was on hand to finish for his 7^th goal of the season and give Rovers the perfect start.

In response, former Everton player Keith Southern had a low shot saved easily by Gavin Ward and on 11 minutes a Rovers defender cleared off the line from a Blackpool corner but the ball had already been judged as going out of play as the corner was played.

Steve Davies fired a free-kick just wide from distance in the 17^th minute and shortly after, after two petty yellow cards had been handed out to Steve Davies and Paul McLaren, the referee inexplicably failed to at least book Blackpool keeper Rhys Evans for handling outside the penalty area under pressure.

The resulting free-kick was somewhat wasted by Shuker but Rovers continued to press and were slightly the better side, although Keigan Parker looked a threat at times for the visitors as the first half wore on.

On the half hour, Taylor headed onto the roof of the net after good work by Thompson and Shuker down the right and shortly after, the impressive Steve Davies fired a shot just wide of the left hand post from the edge of the area.

Blackpool thought they should have had a penalty just three minutes before half-time when Keigan Parker tumbled under a challenge from Ian Goodison but the referee waved away the appeals and Rovers went into the half-time break 1-0 up.

The second half started slowly but Morrell had an early chance for the visitors that Ward was able to gather. 

Apart from a chance for Greenacre that went begging, there was little in the way of goalmouth action until the 67^th minute when Davies doubled Davies’s lead from close range after good work by Chris Shuker and Gareth Taylor.

A ball forward was flicked wide by Shuker into the path of Taylor and although the Welshman’s cross was too close to the goalkeeper, the former Chelsea stopper ailed to hold the ball and Shuker picked up the loose ball before squaring for Steve Davies to finish well.

Going two goals prompted Blackpool Manager Simon Grayson into a double substitution replacing Parker and Fox with Vernon and Burgess and almost immediately the Seasiders could have pulled one back but Ward cleared the danger under pressure.

Rovers Manager Ronnie Moore replaced the excellent Steve Davies with Calvin Zola eight minutes from time and there was still time for Adrian Forbes to almost score an own goal by powering a shot at his own keeper from a few yards out.  Fortunately for the visitors, they managed to clear the danger but Rovers we victorious by two goals to nil.

The win moves Rovers up to second in League before tomorrow’s matches but with Scunthorpe facing Yeovil and Swansea playing Bristol City, tomorrow should be interesting indeed.

Man of the Match

Steve Davies – Run close by Ian Goodison who was once again excellent at the back but for a great performance that saw an assist and a well taken goal, Davies gets the Award.

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