Despite a superb goal from Chris Shuker that drew Rovers level on the stroke of half-time, the visitors could not find a way through for a second time and had to settle for a disappointing, but perhaps still valuable away point against one of the poorest sides Rovers have come up against this season.

Boss Ronnie Moore made two changes to the side that started the 1-1 away draw at Scunthorpe in midweek.  One change was enforced due the recall of John Thompson by Nottingham Forest this week and he was replaced at right-back by Robbie Stockdale.

The other change saw Calvin Zola replaced upfront by Gareth Taylor who was returning from injury having missed the game at Glanford Park.  Despite the return tp the squad of Steve Davies, Kevin Ellison kept his place on the left side of midfield.

The Rovers fans, numbering around 500 tucked away in one corner of the ground, got behind the team from the start and it became clear early on why Brentford have lost their last two home matches 4-0 as they gave Rovers plenty of space.

Sadly though Tranmere were unable to exploit their early dominance of possession with two decent chances falling to Kevin Ellison but both going to waste.  Chris Shuker was looking good down the right for Rovers and similarly Ellison down the left but the strikers were not really in the game although Taylor was winning several flick-ons and was holding the ball quite well.

The home sides best forays forward were coming down their left as Stockdale and Shuker seemed to allow too much space but like their visitors, the hosts failed to create any clear cut chances in the opening 35 minutes.

Almost inexplicably though on 38 minutes, the home side took an undeserved lead and unsurprisingly it came from the left-hand side.  Bees top scorer Jo Kuffour ran into space down the Rovers right and his high cross found Charlie Ide whose superb header looped into the next past a helpless Gavin Ward to stun the otherwise noisy Rovers fans into silence.

It looked as if Rovers would go into the break behind but in the second minute of injury time, Chris Greenacre was fouled by Kevin O’Connor around 25 yards from goal and after a quick free-kick was ordered to be re-taken, Chris Shuker stepped up to curl a magnificent shot into the goal to the delight of the Rovers faithful.

After some festive Carols sung on the pitch at half-time, the game resumed but was far from as good as the first half. Rovers seemed to resort to hoofing the ball forward more often than getting the ball on the ground and playing it whilst Brentford looked equally clueless themselves.

After a booking late on in the first half, Robbie Stockdale was lucky to escape further punishment for a tackle that brought another talking to from the referee Mr Williamson and this prompted Boss Ronnie Moore into a substitution Stockdale being replaced by Carl Tremarco who moved to right-back.

A little while later, Calvin Zola replaced the out of sorts Chris Greenacre as the home side began to increase the pressure on the Rovers goal.

Rovers had one more notable chance of their own in the second half as Zola broke clear and fired wide from a tight angle when perhaps a cross may have been the better option.

In the end though the game petered out and neither side could find a breakthrough.  The point is probably more crucial to Brentford than to Rovers but two points on the road in five days and with two consecutive home games to follow, is not too bad for Ronnie Moore’s promotion chasing side.