By Deadly Submarine
April 16 2006

A first half goal from Grant Holt was enough to condemn Rovers to a second successive defeat in League One against Forest. Despite Forest being the in-form team in League One, Rovers fought hard in the second half but not create the goalscoring opportunities they needed to get back into the game.

 

 

                                                                                       Holt 16

                                   

 

Attendance: 9,152

 

 

With Rovers reeling from a disappointing defeat at struggling Rotherham last week and with Nottingham Forest being League One’s in-form team, most Rovers fans before this game expected the visitors to win by a comfortable margin but at the end of the day it didn’t quite work out that way.

 

Rovers were defeated by a first half strike from Grant Holt inside the opening twenty minutes but on the whole Forest did not play as well as many Rovers fans may have expected and as the game drew to a close, Rovers put on some pressure which for the first time in two matches, suggested Rovers may score.

 

In the end though, no clear-cut chances were created by Rovers and the single goal was enough to continue Forest’s late play-off charge in front of 2,500 visiting supporters and left Rovers staring the relegation zone in the face once again.

 

Brian Little made two enforced changes to the side that lost 2-0 at Rotherham last week, with Jason McAteer and Steve Davies replacing suspended captain Mike Jackson and the injured Calvin Zola as they opted for a 4-3-3 formation from the start of the game.  Due to Jackson’s suspension, Paul Linwood earned a place on the bench as cover.

 

Rovers began the game fairly brightly as the 4-3-3 formation looked like being the right choice early on with Steven O’Leary volleying over for the home side, whilst Grant Holt had a long-range chance at the other end for Forest.

 

After quarter of an hour, Delroy Facey found himself in some space in the Forest penalty area but dallied too long on the ball and Wes Morgan was able to make a block before Facey could get the shot in.

 

Although Rovers had probably had the better of the opening exchanges, Forest forced Steve Wilson into a fingertip save from a free-kick on 16 minutes and from the resulting corner, the visitors took the lead as Rovers defence failed to clear and Grant Holt buried the ball as the defence and Steve Wilson were wrong footed to give Forest the lead.

 

The game went into something of a lull after Forest had taken the lead which given the fact that Rovers were trying to get back into the game, was something of a surprise.  Ian Sharps was caught in possession on 36 minutes by Nathan Tyson who fired wide of Wilson’s goal, much to the relief of the defender.

 

Davies had two chances for Rovers as the first half drew to a close but they came to nothing as Rovers went into the half-time break 1-0 down.

 

Just as they had begun the first half, Rovers created a couple of chances at the start of the second half as Greenacre headed wide from a Delroy Facey cross in the opening minutes and just a few minutes later Jason McAteer had a free-kick blocked by the Forest defence.

 

Ten minutes into the half, Nathan Tyson tried to take advantage as Steve Wilson ran wildly out of his goal but Tyson’s lob went just over the crossbar.  Grant Holt headed over the bar just after the hour mark for Forest and Wilson made a good save from a free-kick by Sammy Clingan.

 

As Rovers replaced Steven O’Leary and then Steve Davies with Sam Aiston and Carl Tremarco, they began to push forward and Forest survived a couple of frantic moments in their own penalty area but Rovers failed to create anything clear-cut in terms of chances and couldn’t back into the game despite Jennings heading wide and Aiston volleying wide late on.

 

The defeat leaves Rovers in 17^th place and still six points from the last relegation place as they prepare for the long trip to Colchester on Easter Monday.

 

 

Ian Goodison:  A solid performance at the back from the Jamaican who looked calm and collected at times when it mattered most and on a day when few Rovers players really shine, Goodison was a massive prescence at the back.

 

 

 

 

Brian Little Speaking the Tranmere Rovers Official Website:

"I didn't think there was anything in the game.  They had one half chance and a couple of scrambles in our box and we had the same.  They're a strong side and once they get one up it is hard against them.  I know Frank [Barlow] was on edge on their touchline so you could tell they felt we had given them a game.”

"With that attitude we haven't got a problem. If we do what we did at Rotherham we're making it hard for ourselves.  As a team we want to stay in this division and I think that showed today.  We have to show that again on Monday.  When we play here at Saturday next week we need to still be six points from the bottom four.”

“We have kept our gap to the bottom and there is something in that to hang on to.  I wouldn't swap our place with any team in the bottom four today.  We're in as strong a position as any team in a relegation fight can be.  If we get sucked too close to the bottom then it will become very nervy.”

"I thought the fans helped the players today and that was good.  I understand and realise people's frustrations but my focus for three months has been to keep the team in this division.   While there should be some criticism as we have had an indifferent season, providing the criticism is is on me and not the players I think that is the right thing."