Tranmere Rovers 0 Stockport County 0 ( Football League 2) Tuesday 1 November 2022


image by Andrew Machin.

County came away from a tense, sometimes exciting, but ultimately disappointing game at Prenton Park with a share of the points after a 0-0 draw with Tranmere Rovers.

The first half for all the tension left me convinced that with just a little more bite up front we would take this game from a Rovers side that had been hard pressed to stay with County at times.

But the re-start saw Micky Mellon`s side up the revs, and whilst County probably had as many chances as their hosts and might have snatched it with the very last attack of the game, in the end we will probably think that coming away with one point was a definite result.

For County the back three of Wright, Horsfall and Hussey again looked totally top notch, which was as well with Rovers pushing on a bit after the break .The midfield`s game was something of a curate`s egg with Croasdale again running a tight ship in front of the back 3, and Collar looking good at times, whereas Hippolyte , Brown and McDonald had to work extra hard to make an impact . Madden and Wootton worked hard and hardly wasted a pass without turning over any trees, whilst behind them all Hinchliffe was busy and did well .

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Both teams set about searching for the others soft underbelly.

Hussey for his part looked determined to underline that he was no such thing, and three times early on made significant interventions to keep play moving up the park. Croasdale was already putting weighty contributions where they counted and Collar, even this early, looked good in possession and the sixth minute saw him hauled down just outside the box- McDonald`s kick sadly cleared from this.

It was 11 minutes before Rovers could muster an attack of any substance and when Bristoe pinged the ball in from wide left Horsfall did well to head out, enabling a neat combo twixt Madden and Brown to run it clear.

County replied within a minute or so as Wright picked out Madden who then dinked the ball on to Brown whose lofted cross put Rovers in some distress- fortunately for them McDonald`s follow up effort cleared the bar to keep it at 0-0.

A minute later and Wright was to the fore again this time doing good work to usher O`Connor`s dangerous cross out in the box.

County struggled to then turn defence into meaningful attack indeed they had more defending to do as Tranmere got themselves a free kick just outside the box. It was a moment loaded with potential danger for County, but Hinchliffe acted decisively clearing the incoming kick with a firm punch out under pressure. We again saw Brown and Madden claim the ball and dampen any Wirrallian flame that might be about to flicker into life.

Despite the good work of Brown and Madden though it was another 3 minutes before County could push Rovers back and Hussey did this well, his probing run winning the blues a corner. This was headed out by Jameson but put straight back again by the unobliging Wright. County tried ever so hard to nick one from all this forward play, and Collar did go close, but with 18 minutes gone it still remained 0-0.

We then saw Tranmere give Hinchliffe some work, but he was not phased holding onto a somewhat under powered effort by Hemmings with some ease on 20 minutes.

Then Morris took a hand forcing Hinchliffe to again punch clear under some pressure with 23 minutes gone before County`s keeper was called on to rescue the situation as Tranmere forwards queued for a chance following a rare moment of indecision from the blue back 3 that left Ben exposed. He did well to sort matters and that was all I saw of play for 5 minutes as I went in search of badly needed sustenance and a couple of programmes.

I had to settle for a sad old cheese and onion pie but there was no programme to be had.

That was only half a result and when I got back to the match Hinchliffe was still a busy lad- mostly dealing with routine stuff but busy none the less.

Wright and Croasdale combined next – Brown`s deep cross just headed clear by Jameson from the duo`s hard work.

Then, with County beginning to find a decent rhythm, Hipppolyte was brought down and the free kick was on the edge of the box . Mc Donald sent this to the back post, and this caused some confusion in Rovers ranks, sadly sorted when Referee Madden, who I thought on the whole had a decent game, saw an infringement by the blues giving their opponents the oxygen of a free kick.

County were pressing more and more with just 5 minutes left of the half but, that said, Tranmere did nick a free kick with 4 minutes left partially cleared by Horsfall`s header and fully sorted by Jameson`s foul on Madden which wasn`t missed by the referee.

Another foul this time on Wootton opened up possibilities for the blues even though the kick was wide left. The kick was good, Hussey`s follow up less so, the ball soaring off his boot into the damp Wirral night high over the bar.

Following good work at the back by County they mounted a last assault on the Rovers goal of the half which was aided by a free kick that Hussey hurried to Brown. The ball to the back post had definite possibilities as that was where Wootton was with mayhem on his mind but he had company in Jameson and he did just enough to prevent the County number nineteen from heading in the opening goal!

Level at 0-0 at half time was no problem and I felt that with just a bit of a tweak and a touch of good fortune we could take this one.

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It was Tranmere who were first to show after the break and Mc Donald did well to stop an interesting run by Morris.

County had their moments also -Wootton forcing a corner from Hinchliffe`s free kick. McDonald sent this hard and low but a second corner was his only reward and from this Nevitt saved the day for Rovers with some sweet defending to block Wright (whose going to nick one soon) as he rounded on a perceived chance.

That was good from County and perhaps deserved better, but they were not hanging around worrying about it indeed in Wootton`s case he did a terrific job of harassing Jameson at this point somehow avoiding an early shirt exchange in the process. The defender was not in a good place at this point, and he sliced his intended clearance behind for a corner ushering in thoughts of set piece glory for County but instead any glory went Doohan`s way as the keeper claimed the incoming kick with some confidence.

Back came Rovers though and Wright did well to take the weight off Bristoe`s shot – County settling for a corner that they were able to clear easily enough.

But it was getting a bit `tasty` out there now with `tackles` beginning to fly in like confetti at a wedding. County got a free kick as Jameson`s mauling of Wootton was spotted by the referee, but from it, Hippolyte saw his shot thud into one of a line of white shirted defenders in front of goal. “ Handball” cried 1735 voices behind Doohan`s goal, but Mr Madden was having none of it, and he was correct.

Then Nevitt punctuated a quick break by Tranmere with a bit of a nudge on Horsfall followed by a theatrical fall to earth. Mr Madden again got it right and gave the free kick to County much to the ire of the home specs who had suddenly awoken and got behind their side screaming for a penalty.

County made ground from the kick and might have done better but Hippolyte lifted his effort over the bar from a decent lay off from Wootton.

Tranmere replied not long after and Hemmings did well to put Dacres- Cogley through and he should have done better than he did, his effort limply climbing over the bar.

The hour mark saw County mount a quick reply via excellent work from Madden and Wootton. Collar was through, and then he wasn`t as Simeus` tackle rescued our hosts in the nick of time!

The pressure from County was building again and with Doohan suddenly caught napping a chance to take the lead notionally beckoned. Rovers were doubly fortunate firstly as Bristoe was on hand to save his keeper`s blushes, and secondly for not getting penalised in the untidy melee that followed on from this. Most of the 1735 thought a penalty was due, Mr Madden thought otherwise, and I did not see enough of that action to say yay or nay- it stayed 0-0!

Morris then got the locals excited falling down in the box under the lightest of pressures from the diligent Croasdale.”Penalty” the local wags would have it, the ref wouldn`t oblige and we have seen those given before today so I liked Mr Madden even more after that one- a poor ref may well have been unable to resist the baying hoards cries- fair do`s he demonstrably did !

This signalled an upping of the revs by Rovers and Wright did really well under the pressure that followed. Bristoe came closest for Tranmere in this period although, despite the communal “Oooo” from the home specs his effort did not come close to troubling Hinchliffe.

And County were still looking for that opener themselves and Jameson did extraordinarily well to block Madden`s run into the box with Doohan exposed with just under 20 minutes left to play.

Not long after County had Crankshaw and Sarcevic on for Brown and Mc Donald.

An attempted shirt exchange ( Simeu on Madden) gave the blues a free kick with 15 minutes left but again no opening goal as once more Jameson headed the kick clear.

Then Tranmere had a go- Bristoe`s shot being brilliantly saved by Hinchliffe, but he could not hold onto it letting the ball run clear to Lewis. It was a shoo-in, but Lewis had only been on the park a minute or so and snatched at his effort missing the goal by a fair distance!

The escape stimulated County and Crankshaw was through, and then he wasn`t as Doohan policed him brilliantly to claim the ball off his toes with 12 minutes left.

Another minute and another half chance but Madden was inches from applying a finish to Collar`s cross smack in front of goal.

Madden had worked hard without reward all evening and he did excellent work to cleverly elude the offside trap to get a sight on goal next. It was a chance only until dear old Jameson arrived to do the biz for his team, block Madden and concede a corner.

This still kept the County faithful behind the goal interested but Sarcevic`s corner was poor as was a follow up cross from him not long after and any chance was gone.

We were into the last 5 minutes of normal time now and both teams continued to clearly want a win and the points that went with it.

County went close as Wootton and Madden combined to send Collar in only to see his progress halted by a last ditcher from the depressingly excellent Jameson who was again offering Doohan vital assistance in policing the situation for Rovers.

DC swapped Madden for Camps with 4 minutes remaining on the clock as County continued to press- Simeu doing well for Tranmere to head Crankshaw`s effort out…….Camps seeing a shot deflected for a corner from which another untidy melee ensued with Doohan nowhere as Sarcevic`s shot came out off a defender almost smack on 90 minutes.

It continued into 3 minutes added time with Sarcevic lifting a disappointing effort over the bar on 91 minutes.

Then it all got really hectic as County got a whiff of late glory as a shot by Camps ushered in a late/ late County corner. Panic set in then mayhem as Rovers rear-guard came under substantial pressure, but they crucially did not fold Jameson again standing tall to block Camps shot almost but not quite slicing the ball into his own net. Instead it was another corner and yes…you guessed it correctly… Jameson was there to head this clear and send Hemmings scooting up the park. Tracking left Hemmings then picked out Morris but County`s cover somehow held at the expense of a corner which again they defended with commendable skill.

I am not sure who headed the corner clear or who’s through ball from the header sent Crankshaw surging clear but the pass was a belter and Ollie had a chance of glory. He also had some company and was just beyond half way, but that said it was one he might have taken last season but this season the end product , maybe through lack of starts, has been lacking , and so it was this time as within sight of goal and on for a shot he chose to track back inside and thus the defender was able to whack the ball clear thus saving the day for his team.

That was a disappointing end to the match, but many people felt before the game that a point would be a good result from our return to Prenton Park after so many years , and whilst I always felt we looked good enough to win this one, I see one point as not a bad return for a County side that has worked hard and played well in these recent games.

On now to Saturday`s FA Cup game at Edgeley Park against Swindon Town who are in ominously good form, but so are we so we don’t panic…..stick with the same side and see what materialises.

Tranmere Rovers line up :-

Doohan, Dacre-Cogley, Turnbull, Simeu, Jameson, Bristoe, Merrie, O`Connor, Morris, Nevitt ( Lewis 76), Hemmings.

Subs not used : Howelt, Davies, Nolan, Mc Alear, Hawkes, Hughes.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Wright, Horsfall. Hussey, Brown ( Crankshaw 73), Mc Donald (Sarcevic 73), Croasdale, Collar, Hippolyte, Madden ( Camps 86), Wootton.

Subs not used : Jones, Evans, R Johnson, C Jennings.

Attendance: 6800 ( 1735)

hedgegrower

Now some crowd shots taken by hedgegrower and Andrew Machin via phone camera:-

First off from a motly collection from hedgegrower :-