Tranmere went into the game hoping for a result that would take them back to Prenton Park with the job at least half done but there performance was instead one that few people connected with Rovers will wish to look back on in a hurry.  In all honesty, it would be fair to say that Hartlepool themselves did not play as well as they could have in this highly important match but in fairness to them, they didn’t really have to as Tranmere never got out of the blocks in the first half and rarely made a game of it.

In the end a brace from Pools’ 27-goal top-scorer Adam Boyd thanks to a goal in each half, condemned Rovers to a defeat that leaves them with a mammoth task in front of their own fans on Tuesday night.

In recent games, Rovers’ manager Brian Little had used the fact that Rovers had already secured third place in League One, to rest his more senior and not fully fit players.  However, for this all important game he chose his full first team which saw the return in midfield of Mark Rankine and Jason McAteer as well as Iain Hume who had also been rested at Milton Keynes last week.  The three replaced Danny Harrison, Steven Jennings and Chris Dagnall who had all started at Milton Keynes.

Injured pair Ryan Taylor and Gareth Roberts returned to the starting line-up with Carl Tremarco and Paul Linwood making way but Theo Whitmore kept his place as Little employed a 3-5-2 wingback formation that saw Paul Hall once again partner Hume upfront.  Hartlepool had Joel Porter available as a substitute after he recovered from injury.

As the opening exchanges unfolded and the 960-strong Superwhite Army warmed up their voices, it was clearly a scrappy affair from the off with Rovers in particular struggling to get the ball on the floor and play football as they have been known to do at times.  The frustrations of the visiting fans increased early on as the home side clearly had more of the early possession and chances as every loose ball in midfield seemed to bobble away from a yellow shirt or find its way to a Hartlepool player.

John Achterberg was called into early action after just four minutes when a Hartlepool corner was not properly cleared by Theo Whitmore but Adam Boyd’s shot was saved by the Dutch stopper.  The early warning from Boyd seemed to fail to register with the Rovers players as first Sweeney and then the increasingly dangerous Boyd saw chances go begging, the latter after a good block by John Achterberg.

Iain Hume hit a 25 yard shot wide of goal in the 20th minute to register Rovers first shot of the game but Rovers were still looking uncomfortable as the midfield and in particular Theo Whitmore failed to get a grip on the game.  Tranmere’s defenders had dealt well with the numerous threats in the first half an hour of the game but a lapse from a set-piece on 32 minutes gave the hosts the lead they deserved.

As Rovers prepared to defend a throw-in level with their own penalty area, Ian Sharps could clearly be heard by the travelling supporters behind Achterberg’s goal, telling Jackson to mark Adam Boyd but as the ball came into the area, Jon Daly headed down to the feet of Adam Boyd who turned the ball past Achterberg as three sides of Victoria Park erupted.

One almost became two for the home side just three minutes later when Boyd got free down their left and cut the ball back for Jon Daly who inexplicably fired over from around eight yards with the goal begging.  Just before half-time, Mark Rankine had the ball in the Hartlepool net but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Brian Little made no changes at half-time but had clearly given his players a rollicking as Tranmere came quickly out of the blocks in the second half with Theo Whitmore suddenly awake after his first half slumber and bossing the midfield much more.  A good Rovers build-up involving Hall, Hume, Whitmore and Rankine resulted in a chance for captain Jason McAteer but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Tranmere suddenly looked dangerous and the game looked to be there for the taking as Gareth Roberts had a further chance as Hartelpool struggled to get out of their own half.  In spite of Rovers increased pressure the home side still looked confident and Boyd’s pass to Eifion Williams saw the striker’s shot saved by Achterberg on the hour.  Joel Porter came on as a substitute in the 63^rd minute and just six minutes later he found Adam Boyd 25 yards from goal and the striker made no mistake to beat Achterberg and inflict a killer blow to Rovers play-off hopes.

Rovers introduced Dadi and Beresford for Whitmore and Hall and had chances through Ryan Taylor and Mike Jackson.  Once again though Tranmere were indebted to their big Dutch keeper in the 78^th minute as a Matty Robson free kick looked goal bound but was pushed wide by John and out for a corner.

In injury time, possibly one of Rovers best chances of the game was spurned by Eugene Dadi after good build-up play when Dadi’s shot looked to be heading in but Konstantopoulous in the Pools’ goal palmed it away to safety.  Dadi had once further chance when good play saw the ball find Hume in the area and when he turned the ball back across the face to Dadi the striker blasted the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.

So it finished 2-0 to Hartlepool and Rovers had suffered yet another Sky TV embarrassment in front of millions.  The performance, in the first half in particular was just not acceptable from Rovers and far better is required on Tuesday if the seemingly impossible is to be achieved.

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