Brighton and Hove Albion 0-1 Tranmere Rovers

Last updated : 19 November 2006 By Matthew Jones
Greenacre goal and Goodison heroics earn Tranmere a fantastic three points
A victory for Tranmere Rovers this weekend at The Withdean Stadium against Brighton and Hove Albion is quite possibly Ronnie Moore's greatest achievement so far as Tranmere manager.

Chris Greenacre scored the only goal of the game in the first half to secure Tranmere a 1-0 win at a ground where they had never scored, let alone won, in their only two previous trips.

Moore made one change to the side that defeated Woking 4-2 in the F.A. Cup seven days earlier, as winger Chris Shuker returned from suspension, replacing Jason McAteer in the side. McAteer dropped down the substitutes bench, where he was joined for the second successive week by 17 year old forward Craig Curran. Robbie Stockdale also returned from injury to secure a place on the bench, but Mike Jones dropped out of the 16.

Rovers began well, with defender Chris McCready having the first chance of the game. However, the Tranmere number 16 could only head narrowly wide from Chris Shuker's corner.

On 12-minutes, Brighton had their first chance of the game, but Dean Coz could only fire well over the goal and on to the running track around the pitch.

Rovers had two more chances next, with first Greenacre shooting wide afer good build up play from Shuker and Davies before Shuker then forced a save out of goalkeeper Henderson from a Greenacre cross.

On 20 minutes, Rovers finally took the lead, with Chris Greenacre grabbing his 8th goal of the season and his third in two games.

On-loan John Thompson's long ball forward was not dealt with by Hinshelwood or Lynch, allowing Greenacre to carry the ball into the area and neatly net past Henderson to put Tranmere 1-0 up and send the 277 travelling Tranmere fans mental.

After a ten minute period following the goal, The Seagull's began to build up the pressure. Chris McCready and Shane Sherriff were all forced to head behind from Brighton attacks, whilst Jake Robinson shot over on 39-minutes, this proving to be the last noteable action of the first half.

Brighton had penalty appeals early on in this first half, when Jake Robinson went to ground when near Ian Goodison after 47-minutes, but the striker was booked for diving by referee Kevin Wright.

Taylor had a chance to make it 2-0 soon after, but header wide from Shuker's cross, whilst the winger then saw his 30-yard lob caught well just underneath the cross bar by Henderson.

Taylor was lucky not to get himself sent off on 59-minutes, when he lashed out at El-Abd, but both players were only cautioned for their troubles.

From here on in, it was all Brighton, as the Seagull's piled on the pressure in the last 30 minutes and then four minutes of injury time.

Revell headed wide on 75 minutes, whilst Brighton also saw chance after chance go begging due to shots going wide or attackers slipping over in the penalty area at the crucial moment.

Greenacre had one chance for Rovers, as they ventured out of their own half, but shot straight at Henderson from a tight-angle inside the six-yard box.

With four minutes left, Gavin Ward made a spuerb saev low down to his left from Dean Cox whilst Robinson, so often the man of the moment this season from Brighton, twice vollied wide from close range for Dean Wilkin's side.

The sustained pressure that Brighton had at the end is backed up by the stat that in total they had 17 corner in yesterdays game, but Rovers heald on and claimed a magnificent three points, probably their best win this season.

Jones' Man Of The Match: Whilst everybody was brilliant today, two players stood out in particular for Tranmere. Chris McCready was fantastic at the back, like a rock in the centre, but he was just beaten to the award by Ian Goodison. The "Jamaican Sensation" was like a brick wall in defence, stopping attack after attack after attack, not for the first time this season.