When teams are top of the league, the other key to staying there apart from good performances is riding you’re luck and Swansea did just that against a determined performance from Tranmere that deserved more than a draw from the home sides point of view.

Rovers went ahead through debutant defender Simon Francis in the first half before the Swans equalised through a header from Owain Tudur-Jones just before half-time.  The visitors were level though for barely a minute as in-form Rovers striker Delroy Facey ran through on goal and fired past Gueret in the Swansea goal to put the home side in front deep into first half injury time.

The second half saw Rovers battle hard and after Facey should have put the game beyond doubt, Rovers were eventually made to pay as former player Andy Robinson scored a late equaliser for the Swans to earn an unlikely point for the visitors who almost sntached the three points when they struck a post late on.

Brian Little made two changes to the side that beat Rochdale 3-2 in the LDV Vans Trophy on Tuesday night with Steven Jennings dropping to the bench in favour of winger Sam Aiston and Steven O’Leary, whose loan spell at Tranmere has now ended, replaced by new signing Simon Francis as Rovers employed a 4-4-2 formation.

In the opening quarter of the game, the fans could be forgiven for thinking it was Tranmere who were top of the league as they proceeded to trouble the visitor’s defence with chance after chance.  The first chance fell to top scorer Chris Greenacre as early as the first minute but it was to be the first of many Rovers chances.

With Sam Aiston looking threatening going forward and the Swans defence looking shaky at times, it always looked like Rovers would be the team to the open the scoring.  Greenacre, Aiston and Facey all had two chances a piece in the opening fifteen minutes of the game and Gareth Roberts hit the bar with his effort whilst Swansea did offer a chance of their own as Owain Tudur-Jones headed straight at Achterberg.

Rovers kept the pressure on and got the breakthrough they deserved after 17 minutes through an unlikely source.  Debutant right-back Simon Francis picked up the ball from Mark Rankine around 30 yards from goal and skipped past the challenge of a defender before unleashing a 20 yard strike that beat keeper Gueret and went in off the right hand post to send Prenton Park wild.

Despite having got themselves in front, the pressure Rovers put on the Swans ailing defence did not relent after the goal with Greenacre and Facey both having further chances and Aiston continued to look a threat going forward.

Swansea weighed in with a couple of chances on their own which included a long range effort from Kristian O’Leary before a defensive mix-up between Gueret and his defender Iriekpen almost saw the latter head into his own goal but luckily for him the ball went out for a corner.

Just when it looked like Rovers would lead at half-time, Swansea won a free-kick about 20 yards from the Rovers goal which was initially cleared by the defence but was then whipped back into the area allowing Owain Tudur-Jones to plant a good header past Achterberg to equalise.

Swansea’s chants of “that’s why were top of the league” were instantly cut short however as Rovers hit back immediately.  A long ball forward by Rovers found the Swans defence once again at sixes and sevens allowing Greenacre to feed a wonderful ball through for Delroy Facey to run onto.  The striker ran clear of the defender and fired past Gueret to ensure that Rovers did into the half-time break in front.

As the second half began, the Swans made a double substitution with Martinez and former Rovers player Andy Robinson replacing O’Leary and McLeod.  Tranmere continued to threaten although in fairness Swansea did play a little better in the second half.

After just six minutes of the half, the unusually quiet Lee Trundle should have equalised for Swansea with a turn and shot about six yard from goal but thankfully for Rovers he fired over the crossbar and into the Cowshed.

Just a few minutes later, Delroy Facey should have put the game out of Swansea’s reach as Aiston played in Facey who went round the goalkeeper but as the ball bobbled he shot horribly over the crossbar with an open goal at his mercy.

Swansea, perhaps buoyed by that let off, came at Tranmere a little more and Robinson fired a free-kick just over the bar whilst fellow substitute Martinez was denied by a great tackle from the excellent Simon Francis.

Steven Jennings replaced the excellent Sam Aiston after 70 minutes before Francis almost doubled his goal tally from a Gareth Roberts free-kick but his header was straight at Gueret.  A great tackle from Ian Goodison on Lee Trundle averted further danger and it seemwd certain to be Rovers afternoon when Achterberg’s parry of a Trundle free-kick saw a Swansea player inexplicably miss the rebound from around four yards.

After Steve Davies had replaced Chris Greenacre though with four minutes left, Rovers were pegged back when Achterberg again failed to hold a long range shot, this time from Akinfnewa and one of two players on the spot to tuck home the rebound was none other than Rovers former player Andy Robinson who made it 2-2.

Facey was replaced by Zola in the final minute and Rovers escaped being even more hard done by after Akinfenwa hit a post in injury time.  As it was, a draw was in injustice on Rovers so a win for the visitors would have been a heartbreak.

2-2 it finished and Rovers can feel hard done by in the extreme after putting up a great performance.  The squad now have ten days with no match due to their early exit from the FA Cup so the next game at Barnsley will hopefully see them looking refreshed.

Tranmere Man of the Match

Simon Francis:  An excellent performance all round from the team and in particular from Sam Aiston on the right of midfield but for a great debut goal and an assured defensive performance on his full debut, Francis earns the Man of the Match Award.

The Team Line-Ups

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Tranmere Rovers:  Achterberg, Francis, Jackson, Sharps, Goodsion, Roberts, Aiston,  (Jennings 70), Rankine, Harrison, Facey (Zola 90), Greenacre (Davies 86).

Subs Not Used: Wilson, Dagnall.

Swansea City: Gueret, Tate, Iriekpen, Monk, Ricketts, Britton (Forbes 67), Tudur-Jones, O’Leary (Martinez 45), McLeod (Robinson 45), Akinfenwa, Trundle.

Subs Not Used: Austin, Connor.

Bookings: Rankine and Goodison (Tranmere), Tudur-Jones (Swansea)

Referee – Mr Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)

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