Tranmere Rovers: Half-Term Report

With the 2008/08 Coca-Cola League One season now into its second half, Total Tranmere’s Mark Ridgway takes a month by month look at the first half of the season for Rovers including the pre-season friendlies in July and early August going right up to the end of January.

With the 2008/09 season now past the halfway stage, we take a look back at the season so far for Rovers.....

July

The first game of pre-season was definitely one to look forward to this season as the visit of Liverpool to Prenton Park increased the popularity of the usually poor supported pre-season games. In the end, an impressive line up turned out for the Premiership side which included Carragher, Benayoun and Agger whilst Gerrard and Hyypia also appeared as subs.

The game ended 1-0 to Liverpool with Benayoun scoring but Rovers performed well in the pre-season opener.  Following that game, Rovers played the now annual friendlies away at Heswall, Marine, Morecambe, Cammell Lairds and others, winning most of them comfortably. Rovers also beat Blackpool 1-0 at Prenton Park but the home friendly against Premiership side Bolton Wanderers was called off because of a waterlogged (in fact flooded) pitch.

August

Hopes were high before the trip to Swindon Town on the opening day but what an anti-climax it was to see Rovers lose 3-1 and perform relatively unimpressively.  The only positive was a consolation goal for Bas Savage on his debut.  Grimsby Town away in the Carling Cup followed just days later but again Rovers lost, this time 2-0, it was an improved performance but still not good enough.  

The first game of the season at Prenton Park was against Hartlepool and the return of Ian Goodison tightened up the defence as Craig Curran scored a good goal to win it for Rovers 1-0.  Next up was a trip to the impressive Walkers stadium to face giants Leicester City.  Rovers played well and were unlucky to lose 3-1 with Chris Shuker getting Rovers' goal.

Craig Curran was on Target Early in the Season

Rovers continued to improve as they faced Northampton at Prenton Park and ran riot as the game ended 4-1 to he home side with goals from Savage, Kay, Curran and Moore.

September

A low key affair against Accrington Stanley of League Two started the month of September in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy as Rovers progressed by winning 1-0 thanks to an Eddy Sonko strike. A derby game at home to high flying Oldham followed and Rovers were unlucky to lose 1-0 as they had a Steve Jennings goal chalked off.

Next came Huddersfield away and this time Rovers ran out deserved winners 2-1 with goals from Eddy Sonko and Ryan Shotton which gave them their first away win of the season.  Another away game a week later against Peterborough United ended 2-2 with Rovers playing extremely well and scoring twice through Chris Greenacre to take a 2-0 lead before Posh struck back to level.

A thriller ended the month at Prenton Park as Colchester visited on a Friday night and ran into a 4-1 lead (three of the goals being absolute screamers) only for Rovers to almost complete an astonishing comeback but losing 4-3 goals thanks to goals from Kay, Taylor and Ryan Shotton with a goal of the season contender.

October

October started with a trip up north to Carlisle where Rovers controlled the game and won 2-1 with goals from Moore and Shotton.  Next up was a Johnstone's Paint Trophy home game this time against Crewe and this game was a bit more interesting as Shuker scored late on to hand Rovers another 1-0 win in the competition.

On the following Saturday, Millwall visited Prenton Park and deservedly beat a poor Rovers team 3-1 with Bas Savage scoring Rovers' consolation goal.  Although we obviously didn't know it at the time, that was to be the only bad result Rovers had in what became a good month.

Ryan Shotton proved an Astute Loan Signing by Ronnie Moore

A trip to London to face Leyton Orient was up next and Rovers won it 1-0 thanks to a Shuker long ranger and just a few days later in a midweek game, Rovers won at home for the first time in four matches in the League by comfortably beating Cheltenham Town 2-0 after goals by Savage and Sonko.

Rovers continued the impressive from at home against Crewe on the following Friday night as a dominant performance saw Tranmere win 2-0 with Jennings and Shuker the scorers.  The month ended with a trip to Stockport on a cold Tuesday night in which Rovers ground out a 0-0 draw but had Andy Taylor sent off late on.

NOVEMBER TO JANUARY ON PAGE 2>>>