On a day when one of the top two again slipped to defeat, Tranmere failed to capitalise as two early goals from Michael McIndoe and former Rovers youth player Gregg Blundell inside five minutes sent shockwaves around Prenton Park.

The fact that the two goals were of a high quality were little consolation to the home fans although Eugene Dadi scored after a goalmouth scramble to give some hope.  However, as quickly as Dadi had given the fans hope, he dashed them when after winning a free kick he swung his arm at the culprit and was sent-off. 

Paul Hall equalised for Rovers to make the half-time score somewhat respectable but in the second half, as against Hull, Tranmere’s defence collapsed giving Donny two relatively straight forward goals and condemning the White Rovers to defeat.

Tranmere made two changes to the side that began the 2-2 draw with Chesterfield on Saturday with Eugene Dadi and Paul Brown who were both second half substitutes in that game replacing Danny Harrison and Paul Linwood who had to settle for a place on the substitutes bench as they began the match with the 4-4-2 formation that had ended the game at Saltergate 48 hours earlier.

It was Paul Brown who had Tranmere’s first chance in the second minute when he headed a cross from the left straight at the goalkeeper.  Inside a minute of that chance, Tranmere found themselves 1-0 down when a cross from the right allowed Michael McIndoe to rise above Ryan Taylor on the far side of the penalty area and plant an excellent dipping header wide of Achterberg and into the net.

Within two minutes it was 2-0 as Doncaster scored what was possibly the best goal by any visitors to Prenton Park this season.  A series of least eight short passes and great movement around the edge of the Tranmere penalty area gave former Tranmere youth team player Gregg Blundell the chance to slot past Achterberg and stun Prenton Park into silence.

Despite being 2-0 down so quickly, Tranmere didn’t give up and began to create a few chances of their own.  After a couple of corner kicks went to waste, Tranmere got a goal back when a goalmouth scramble from another corner saw Eugene Dadi hit the post but when the ball rebounded to him he knocked it over the line to give Tranmere a lifeline.

Dadi was the hero for only twenty minutes when after he had won a free kick for a foul by John Doolan, he reacted by swinging his arm into Doolan’s face and he was red carded by Mr Cowburn.  As he left the field, manager Brian Little didn’t look in Dadi’s direction and he was clearly annoyed.

Despite Tranmere being numerically disadvantaged, the game evened up in terms of chances and just a minute before the break, the home side were level when a cross from the left by Paul Brown was headed in by Paul Hall.

To be level at the break after two early blows was an achievement for Tranmere but half-time proved to be the height of the joy at Prenton Park.

Just seven minutes into the second half, Doncaster added a crucial third after some poor defending left Ricky Ravenhill free and he made no mistake from ten yards.  Harrison replaced Paul Brown as Tranmere changed to a 4-3-2 formation with Hall joining Hume in attack but Tthey failed to break Doncaster down despite a number of chances.

Whitmore replaced McAteer on 79 minutes but just two minutes later the game was over as a contest when Neil Roberts scored a decisive fourth from Mulligan’s low cross.  As Hull took their turn to slip up but other results fell kindly for Rovers around the play-offs, Tranmere still remain in third but Sheffield Wednesday can pass them tomorrow if they win the Yorkshire derby at Huddersfield tomorrow.

Sheffield Wednesday are Rovers next opponents this Saturday at Hillsborough they will be looking to bounce back quickly again.

The Teams:

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