Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Chesterfield

Last updated : 02 March 2007 By Matthew Jones
Mullin and Greenacre goals get Rovers win
Goals from John Mullin and Chris Greenacre ensured that Tranmere Rovers got their second 2-0 win over Roy McFarland's Chesterfield this season.

Ronnie Moore made four changes from the side which lost at Leyton Orient six days ago, as he was able to welcome back Chris McCready, Ian Goodison and Robbie Stockdale from injury or suspension in place of Danny Harrison, Jason McAteer, Calvin Zola and Carl Tremarco.

Tranmere certainlly started the brighter of the two sides as they had the ball in the back of the net as early as the fifth minute thanks to some great work down the left by Kevin Ellison who cut inside before slotting past keeper Roche, however the goal was dissallowed for offside against the Tranmere winger.

Rovers were closest to scoring again minutes later as a Chris Greenacre header from a Paul McLaren free-kick was brilliantly saved and tipped on to the post by Roche and the keeper eventually gathered the ball after Ian Goodison's attempt at putting the ball back across goal failed.

Allot shot wide soon after whilst Gavin Ward was forced into his first save of the evening by Bailey with a low drive from outside the area soon after.

On 18 minutes, Rovers had their best chance yet as Gareth Taylor headed narrowly over the cross bar from eight yards out after Paul McLaren had delivered a perfect corner onto the Welshman's head.

However, on 21-minutes Rovers finally took the lead thanks to a fantastic finish by John Mullin with his fifth goal of the season.

Ward's "hoof" clear found it's way to Chris Greenacre on the edge of the area who held up the ball before laying it off to Mullin. The Rovers number 7 turned on the ball and broke into the box before finishing with style, smashing the ball past Roche into the top left corner of the goal.

On 24-minutes, Gareth Taylor vollied into the side netting with a laces shot from outside the area as he looked to repeat his goal against The Spireites ealier in the season whilst on 37-minutes, Ian Goodison - still looking for his first Rovers goal - headed over from a Shuker free-kick.

Rovers had another free-kick soon after for a foul on Kevin Ellison and with Shuker also standing over the ball, Ellison picked himself and shot well wide and over from 25-yards.

As the end of the first half drew closer, Rovers almost took a 2-0 lead thanks to a fantastic Shane Sherriff shot which rattled the post from outside the area, with the ball rebounding out and eventually making it's way back to Sherriff who again vollied from a more central position and saw his swerving effort caught by 'keeper Roche.

Ward made a rare save at the start of the second half from a Holmes shot whilst on 51-minutes player/coach Jason McAteer replaced the injured John Mullin.

It was the substitute who so nearly gifted Chesterfield an equaliser just three minutes after getting on as a terribly short back-pass found it's way to Holmes who shot from 18-yards but saw his curling effort brilliantly saved by Ward as he tipped the ball onto the post.

Both sides had goals dissallowed soon after, firstly Hall for Chesterfield and then McAteer from a 25-yard volley into the top corner as Rovers pushed for a second goal.

That goal nearly came on 66-minutes as the lively Chris Shuker once again broke into the area thanks to great build up play by McLaren, Greenacre and McAteer.

Shuker, fresh from his recent goals against Yeovil and Cheltenham, beat a defender before squaring across the six yard box but no Rovers player had gambled and got forward so another chance went begging.

Rovers made a change on 70-minutes as the impressive Kevin Ellison was replaced by Steve Davies on the left side of midfield.

On 73-minutes, Ronnie Moore's side finally got that well deserved second goal thanks to Chris Greenacre with his fouth goal in five games.

McAteer, making up for his earlier errors in midfield, once again found Shuker on the right-wing. The winger cut into the penalty area before pulling the ball back across goal to Greenacre who netted into the empty net.

With the game now secure, Ronnie Moore made his final substitution as Calvin Zola replaced Gareth Taylor upfront.

Zola was lively during his 17 minutes on the pitch as firstly he broke down the right but crossed to Greenacre when perhaps he should have carried the ball further and also had strong claims for a penalty after being brought down just inside the area.

Rovers final chance fell to Greenacre who vollied over with his left foot from 25-yards whilst Holmes forced another save out of Ward who kept Rovers third clean sheet in five games.

Ronnie Moore can be very pleased with the result as Tranmere look to secure a place in the play-offs with ten games remaining, or even better get into one of the two automatic promotion spots.

The Super White Army can now sit back and watch the results flow in from League One tomorrow having already put pressure on the likes of Oldham, Swansea and Bristol City, who face Carlisle, Leyton Orient and Northampton this weekend.

Jones' Man Of The Match: Kevin Ellison was impressive before he was replaced with 20-minutes remaining whilst Chris McCready and Ian Goodison were both once again solid in defence. However, man of the match for this game goes to Chris Greenacre, whose work rate was increadible and his performance definately deserved the goal he got. He is now just two goals behind last seasons tally of 18.