Tranmere 2 Cardiff 2

Last updated : 16 November 2002 By Footymad Previewer

Tranmere Rovers and Cardiff City must try again after a thrilling first round tie at Prenton Park.

Tranmere took the early initiative. Stuart Barlow fired them ahead on seven minutes with a close-range effort after a Gary Jones header following a corner that was blocked on the line by Leyton Maxwell.

Cradiff gradually warmed to their task and two errors by Sean Connolly lead to them being ahead before half time.

Connolly gave away a needless corner after 34 minutes with a wayward backpass and James Collins netted from 12 yards following the subsequent cross.

Then on 44 minutes Connolly fouled Andy Campbell just outside the box and Graham Kavanagh netted just inside the right-hand post with a fine strike.

The Mersysiders leveled it out at 2-2 with an angled shot by Simon Haworth as he capitaslised on Rhys Weston's mistake on 62 minutes.

"I thought we were marginally the better side but a draw was probably fair," said Cardiff boss Lennie Lawrence.

"We did not get one desision on the day and we are very disapointed not to have won it," said Tranmere boss Ray Mathias