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Ronnie Moore made three enforced changes to the side that drew with Northampton, as the suspended Robbie Stockdale and John Mullin were replaced by Carl Tremarco and Danny Harrison whilst Chris Greenacre (flu) was too ill to play and replaced by Calvin Zola. Craig Curran made the substitutes bench along with Jason McAteer whilst Shane Sherriff moved to right-back.
Bristol City were the best team from the start, with Joe Hart forced into clearing an inswinging Jamie McAllister corner at his near post before Rovers broke through Shuker and Davies, but Basso collected Shuker's over hit pass.
Three minutes later, Joe Hart sliced a clearance on his wrong foot, with the ball falling to Brooker. The City number 9 passed the ball to Showunmi across goal, but Shane Sherriff's goal line clearance kept the ball out of the net before Goodison cleared the danger.
On 26-minutes, despite probably not being the better side, Rovers scored their first goal at Ashton Gate of the century.
Zola won a free-kick which was taken by Steve Davies from the left. Hiscross eluded everyone but Shane Sherriff at the back post, who drilled the ball back across goal where it took a touch off Jamie McCombe and went into the net.
A minute later, Joe Hart made a good save when one on one with Phil Jevons, clearing the ball from the strikers feet, before Ian Goodison left the field with a cut just above his eye.
Hart made two more saves from Bradley Orr and Showunmi before Ian Goodison handled the ball in the penalty area. However, referee P. Melin awarded Rovers the free-kick for a push on the Jamaican central defender.
On 44-minutes, Rovers got an undeserved second goal thanks to Paul McLaren which will go down as possibly the best this season.
Skuse miss hit a clearance straight to McLaren who drilled the ball with his left-foot past Basso into the bottom corner from around 25-yards, his first goal for the club.
Half time came then after one minute of injury time, and the Rovers fans were clearly delighted, not only to see their team winning but to simply have scored at Ashton Gate. However, doubt was still there as to whether they could hold on and win the game.
That doubt was added to as City scored just three minutes into the second half through the ever threatening Showunmi.
A silly corner was given away by Rovers, as City piled on the pressure. McAllister again took the set-piece, and from right in front of the goalkeeper, Showunmi headed into the back of the net, despite Hart's protests that he was being fouled.
Three minutes later, City could have been level, as Carl Tremarco miss hit the ball straight to Brooker who's shot went narrowly wide of the far post, with Brooker forcing a save from Hart low down a couple of minutes later.
Tranmere looked for a third to settle the nerves as they finally got out of their half of the field on 56 minutes, with Shuker forcing a save out of Basso with a weak shot before Danny Harrison broke into the area and tried to bend one into the net but the ball was too close to Basso.
On 59-minutes, things were all square as Phil Jevons netted another goal for his seasons tally, now 13, after Rovers had again failed to clear the ball.
McLaren blocked Brooker's shot from outside the area, but the ball rebounded to Jevons who slid the ball past Hart into the bottom left.
McLaren was involved in the action again, as after a patient build up the midfielder tried a more ambitious effort than his first which provided the goal, but this time the shot was weak and off target.
On 68-minutes, Bristol City completed a remarkable turn around as they scored their third goal in 23 minutes.
Brooker, who perhaps deserved three or four on the day, smashed a shot against the cross bar from distance. With Hart on the ground having dived for the shot, Jenison Myrie-Williams scored with his first touch, just seconds after coming off the subs bench.
Ronnie Moore tried to change the game for Rovers, but his substitutions were strange to say the least. Chris Shuker was replaced by Kevin Ellison with 15 minutes remaining, whilst youngster Craig Curran, banging the goals in for the reserves and youth team, replaced Steve Davies to make his debut with six minutes left, when bringing Zola off appeared to be the better option.
Rovers couldn't get the third goal though, and for the seventh time this season they failed to win when they had led at some point in the game.
Ronnie Moore will no doubt be very dissapointed with the performance, but it is he who must answer the questions of how Rovers seem unable to hold onto a lead.
280 Tranmere fans travelled to the game, with many leaving after the third goal. A number of them were unhappy after the performance and will want answers.
Jones' Man Of The Match: Knowbody really performed that well for Rovers on the day, with Shuker, Zola and Tremarco in particular having very poor gams. Danny Harrison was reasonably good on his return to the side, whilst Sherriff looked comfortably at right-back and McLaren did OK in midfield. However, easily Rovers best player was Ian Goodisonn, who once again stood out in defence.