Tranmere beat Spireites!

Goals from John Mullin and Chris Greenacre secured Tranmere a comfortable 2-0 victory over relegation threatened Chesterfield at Prenton Park last night.

It was a fairly routine display that got Rovers their second 2-0 win over the Spireites this season to complete their double, with the visitors failing to threaten and the Whites decisively taking their chances when they arrived.

The starting line-up looked a lot stronger at the back with Ian Goodison, Chris McCready and Robbie Stockdale all coming back into the team. Kevin Ellison came into the side as Ronnie Moore decided on a traditional 442 formation.

Ward
Stockdale McCready Goodison (C) Sherriff
Shuker Mullin McLaren Ellison
Greenacre Taylor

Lining up for the visitors was former Rover Paul Hall, whilst Wayne Allison and Reuben Hazell were on the bench for the Derbyshire side.

Kevin Ellison had a goal chalked of for offside after around five minutes after a good pass from Paul McLaren.

Just after the 10 minute mark Chris Greenacre came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock. A free kick from Paul McLaren was whipped in from the right. Chris got his head on it but a combination of a good save from Spirites Goalkeeper Barry Roche, and the goal post kept Rovers popular front man from getting his 16th goal of the season.

On 21` Rovers got their noses in front. A big kick up field from Gavin Ward was picked up by Greenacre who held the ball up before laying it off to the onrushing John Mullin who burst into the right side of the penalty area before lashing home with a high shot past Roche in the Chesterfield goal.

It was Mulls` 5th goal of the season, and a very well taken finish.

Tranmere were imposing themselves on the game and looked fairly dangerous. Ian Goodison and Gareth Taylor had both headed over the bar from set pieces whilst the visitors could only muster half chances easily dealt with by Ward.

Just before the break Shane Sherriff came very, very close to getting a goal. A John Mullin cross from the right reached the Aussie defender who unleashed a superb volley which smashed against the inside of the crossbar and was scrambled away to safety.

Almost immediately after Shane then smashed another shot on goal but Roche saved.
Half-time: TRFC 1-0 CFC.

Peter Holmes tested Gavin Ward early on after the interval but the experienced keeper saved with minimal effort.

On 51` Jason McAteer replaced Mullin who looked to have picked up an injury to his thigh.

And on 54` Macca had a huge lapse of concentration that almost let in Chesterfield!

He passed the ball back to Gavin Ward from a pressurised midfield, only he didn`t see opposition striker Colin Larkin retreating after a previous attack.

Larkin got the ball out of his feet and shot on goal, only for Gavin Ward to get a very good touch on the ball, diverting it onto the inside of the post that Sherriff rattled earlier on, before it was cleared.

A good move on 66` involving McAteer, McLaren and Greenacre fed in Chris Shuker down the right. The winger then fizzed a ball across the penalty box with Gareth Taylor and Kevin Ellison narrowly failing to make contact on the cross.

On 73` though a similar move did bring about a goal for the Whites.

McAteer fed in Shuker down the right who squared the ball across the area and Chris Greenacre netted from close range to grab his 16th goal of the season.

To celebrate the goal Greenacre enjoyed a good bit of away fan baiting, staring at the visiting support in the Cowshed stand to see what they made of his goal. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that Greenacre previously played for local rivals of Chesterfield`s – Mansfield Town.

On 70` Ellison was replaced by Steve Davies, and on 73` Gareth Taylor was substituted for Calvin Zola.

Tranmere then looked a good deal more mobile in attacking areas, although the game was over as a contest by this point.

Peter Holmes had a free-kick saved by Gavin Ward on the 87 minute mark and Chris Greenacre volleyed over after good work from Chrissy Shuker, but Referee Mr Gary Sutton soon whistled for full-time.

Rovers were very much worth the three points in a routine home victory against Chesterfield.

They defended well whilst looking dangerous in attack and hungry and committed all over the pitch.

The Whites are now on 56 points (2 more than the final season`s tally of last season) and are still in 6th place.

Next up is a very big game at home to fellow play-off chasers Swansea City at Prenton Park on Saturday the 10th of March. That looks like a very interesting game indeed.