By Deadly Submarine
May 7 2006

Two first half goals from the visitors saw Tranmere lose 2-0 at Prenton Park in the final game of the season against Doncaster Rovers who had been chasing a play-off spot themselves when the game began. The defeat summed up a dismal season for Rovers and we can only hope for better next season.

 

 

                                                                                Guy 12

        N. Roberts 43

       

Attendance: 8,343

 

 

If ever a final game of the season could sum up everything that had gone before then this was it as the Rovers of Tranmere lost 2-0 at home to the Rovers of Doncaster at Prenton Park thanks to two first half goals that were largely of the home defence’s own making.

 

Following a season of inconsistency and defensive mistakes that made a disaster out of what was supposed to be another push for promotion, it seems ironic that the final game should bring a defeat caused by mistakes and yet more inconsistency as defensive shortcomings allowed goals for Lewis Guy and Neil Roberts before half-time.

 

Stand-in Gaffer Jason McAteer made just one change to the starting eleven that the now departed Brian Little had chosen for the landmark 2-1 win at MK Dons last week that secured League One status for another season.  Choosing to relegate himself to the substitutes bench, McAteer chose youngster Mike Jones and his place and was rewarded with an excellent performance by Jones.

 

McAteer joined the same substitutes as last week on the bench in the shape of Steve Davies, David Raven, Ollie James and Phil Palethorpe.  Former Rovers player Sean Thornton lined up in the Doncaster side and received a hostile reception from the start.

 

When the two sides met last season at Prenton Park, the visitors found themselves 2-0 ahead inside five minutes but it took that long for either side to have a chance this time around with the first chance falling to Neil Roberts but the former Wrexham and Wrexham player fired wide of Wilson’s goal.

 

Rovers fans held their breath a few minutes later as Sean Thornton, who was booed every time he touched the ball, lined up a free-kick around 25 yards from goal but the home fans need not have worried as Thornton blasted his kick straight into the defensive wall and the bal laws cleared as three sides of Prenton Park erupted with delight at seeing Thornton fail.

 

Facey had a chance for Rovers that went just wide but just a few moments later, the visitors were in front thanks to defensive frailties but more importantly a wonderful finish.  When the ball was played through the defence, Jackson was slow to react and Lewis Guy ran clear before unleashing a fierce shot into to the top left hand corner from a tight angle, giving Wilson little chance of saving it.

 

Just three minutes after going behind, Tranmere thought they were level when Jackson headed home from a Gareth Roberts free-kick but the goal was disallowed, apparently for a push on the goalkeeper.

 

The game went into something of a lull before it was the visitors turn to have a goal chalked off on 36 minutes.  Lewis Guy finished well past Wilson for what he thought was his second goal of the afternoon but it was ruled out for offside against the striker and the score remained 1-0.

 

Mike Jones was having an excellent debut in midfield and Danny Harrison seemed to be heavily involved in everything the midfield tried to do but there was little happening upfront for Greenacre and Facey as Rovers yet again struggled to create chances.  Gareth Roberts, in what most fans believe was his final game for the Club, was also having a good game on the left of midfield.

 

On 43 minutes though disaster struck again as a poor pass from Jackson allowed Neil Roberts a shot from 25 yards which was expertly saved by Wilson.  Whether the save caused a rush of blood for Tranmere’s keeper is anyone’s guess but as Wilson ran to collect the ball following the save, he tried to pass the ball to Roberts instead of clearing the danger and Lewis Guy intercepted.

 

The striker crossed the ball back into the area and as the defence failed to cover, Neil Roberts headed into an open goal to double Doncaster’s lead.  The mistake capped a bad day all round for Wilson whose kicking throughout the game was woeful at times and reminiscent of Matt Murray’s kicking display at Yeovil earlier in the season.

 

As the first half drew to a close, Rovers fans witnessed the highlight of the match from their point of view as Carl Tremarco went in a little too heavy on Sean Thornton on the touchline near the dugouts.  Although that challenge earned him a yellow card, it also earned him a standing ovation from three sides of the ground.  Paul Linwood was also booked for a foul on Thornton in the final minute of the half as Roves went in 2-0 down at half-time.

 

McAteer brought himself on at the start of the second half in place of Carl Tremarco in the hope that Tranmere could still get something from the game.

 

Tranmere thought they should have had a penalty ten minutes into the half when Steve Roberts appeared to handle the ball in the area but the referee waved play on instead. 

 

A little later in the game, the home side almost made it three defensive disasters in one game as Steven Jennings’ backpass to Paul Linwood was stepped over by the defender thinking a fellow player was just behind him.   However, the only Rovers player behind Linwood was a Doncaster Rovers player in the shape of Lewis Guy but fortunately for Rovers, the striker was guilty of a terrible miss with just Wilson to beat and the score remained 2-0.

 

Steve Davies replaced Delroy Facey for Tranmere on 69 minutes but it still never really looked like they would get back into the game.  There was still time for another comedy moment as a Tranmere player shot wide of the goal at the Kop End and caught a steward firmly on the backside with the ball.

 

With ten minutes left, Ollie James made his first team debut in place of Paul Linwood and whilst Davies had two free-kicks sail just wide and Greenacre missed with a header late-on, there was still no way back for Rovers.

 

After the final whistle and a minor pitch invasion by some idiotic kids, the players came out for the end of season lap and the evidence seemed there for all to see that Gareth Roberts will be leaving Rovers in the summer having just played his last game for the Club was a massive prescence at the back.

 

MAN OF THE MATCH

 

Danny Harrison had a decent game in midfield and takes the award but he was run close by debutant youngster Mike Jones and Gareth Roberts who also had a good game.