Tranmere Rovers
Another Three Points on the Road for Rovers
By Mark Ridgway
October 19 2008
A first half super-strike from Chris Shuker earned Tranmere yet another away victory making it ten points from a possible twelve on the road in the last four away matches against a pretty poor Orient side who look destined for further problems this season.
Leyton Orient 0 - 1 Tranmere
Shuker 39
Attendance - 5,568 (355 Rovers Fans)
Just over a month ago Tranmere hadn't won away since February but now they have taken ten points from the last twelve available away from Prenton Park.
Brisbane Road hadn't been the best hunting ground for Rovers in recent years, but Chris Shuker changed that with an excellent first half-strike.
It was the first opportunity for Rovers to wear the blue away kit since Grimsby Town and perhaps the superstitious fans may have preferred us to line up in the more recently lucky Gold Kit.
Free tickets to the locals of Leyton had increased the Attendance for the home fans although it was by no means the expected sell-out and also the increased numbers seemed to put more pressure on the home side.
There was two changes to the side that put in the below par performance at home to Millwall last week with Ian Goodison returning to the side in place of Godwin Antwi and Chris Greenacre repalced by Gareth Edds who played in a five man midfield alongside Steve Jennings and Antony Kay.
The line-up therefore was as follows...
Coyne
Shotton, Chorley , Goodison, Taylor
Moore , Kay, Jennings , Edds, Shuker
Savage
The home side started better as Adam Chambers headed wide from a corner for the first chance of the game. Dean Morgan then shot over before on eight minutes Rovers had their first chance when Chris Shuker crossed for Steve Jennings who headed just over the crossbar.
Orient keeper Glenn Morris soon had to be at his best to deny Antony Kay and the the same player then shot over soon after following a good run from Bas Savage.
Rovers were having the better of the game by this stage and Danny Coyne went relatively untroubled bar a few corners and the odd free-kick that his side were called upon to defend.
Goalscorer Shuker - Back to Form!
Six minutes from half time, Rovers got the lead they probably deserved when the ball fell to Chris Shuker just outside the area and he fired the ball onthe half-volley into the net to sned the 355 Rovers (including four or five Gillingham Fans in their own teams replica shirts) into wild celebration.
The winger had somewhat re-paid the faith shown in him by Ronnie Moore in recent weeks.
Ryan Shotton then headed over a from a Chris Shuker cross as the half ended with Rovers shading it in terms of the scoreline but more than dominating in terms of the game as a whole.
Half Time: Leyton Orient 0-1 Tranmere Rovers
Just after half-time Orient hit the woodwork in unusual circumstances. The player's cross confused Danny Coyne to the extent that he was beaten but the ball came back off the crossbar and just as an Orient player seemed certain to score the rebound, the excellent Ben Chorley put in one of the best tackles of the season to deny him.
Adam Boyd then missed from six yards out and Antony Kay again tried his luck from long range at the other end but the ball went over the bar.
Soon after, Chris Shuker was replaced by Eddy Sonko and a few minutes later the unpopular (with Rovers Fans) Sean Thornton was introduced. He ran on to some deserved abuse from "Ronnie Moore's Barmy Army" but failed to have any real input into the game as Orient continued to pressure the Rovers defence although they never really looked scoring.
George O'Callaghan was a Second Half Substitute
George O'Callaghan replaced Gareth Edds with twelve minutes left and there were few chances after that as Rovers saw out the result and made it ten points from the last twelve available, on the road.
Bring on Stockport County a week on Tuesday but first up are back-to-back home games in four days against firstly Cheltenham (Tuesday Night) and then Crewe Alexandra (Friday Night) at Prenton Park.
Full Time: Leyton Orient 0-1 Tranmere Rovers
Chris Shuker
Despite bring substituted part way through the second half, Shuker along with Ben Chorley, Ian Moore and Steven Jennings, were excellent for Rovers.
It was nice to see Shukes taking players on in a way he hasn't done so much since his injury last Boxing Day and if anyone deserved a goal it was him.
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Hope you don't mind but I added a few bits in to it cos I went to to the game and felt I could add a few extra bits!
Cheers!
