Rovers Run Out Comfortable Winners over the Shrimpers
By Mark Ridgway
November 25 2009
Goals from Ian Goodison and Terry Gornell in each half secured a deserved 2-0 home win for Rovers against an admittedly poor Southend United side at Prenton Park on Tuesday evening and whilst wins for both Southampton and Wycombe ensured that Rovers remained bottom of League One, the gap to the safety line did close slightly.....
Tranmere R 2 - 0 Southend U
Goodison 10
Gornell 71
Attendance: 4,317
Ian Goodison scored his first goal of the season to get the ball rolling early on and Terry Gornell smashed in a second with twenty minutes left as Rovers, who were the better side throughout, earned a thoroughly deserved victory and a confidence boosting three points.
There were three changes to the team that lost to Leyton Orient on Saturday with Shay Logan, Gareth Edds and Terry Gornell coming into the side in place of Paul Mclaren, Charlie Barnett and Ian Thomas-Moore.
Daniels
Logan Goodison Broomes Bakayogo
Welsh Taylor Edds
Shuker Curran Gornell
4,317 hardcore fans were inside Prenton Park on a cold and wet wintery Tuesday night and they were aware that the conditions would make for an interesting game.
It didn't take long for the hosts to give the fans something to shout about on then minutes when Chris Shuker's long corner was headed goalwards by Terry Gornell and nodded in by the legendary Ian Goodison for his first goal in eleven months.
Ian Goodison set Rovers on the Way with the Opening Goal
From a Southend corner shortly after the opening goal, Morrison's header was cleared off the goal line by Logan before Goodison sent a shot straight at Mildenhall.
John Welsh then shot over for Rovers, whose dominance was frustrating Southend and this showed when McCormack lunged at Edds and saw yellow before Laurent kicked out at Goodison and really should have walked but instead was only booked.
Edds then superbly defended a Southend attack by heading over from close to the goal line whilst Laurent headed over harmlessly shortly after. Rovers continued to press but were happy to go in at half time leading.
Half Time: Tranmere Rovers 1 - 0 Southend United
After just a minute or two of the second half beginning, Shuker sent Curran through and his powerful low effort was palmed around the post by Mildenhall. Soon after Shuker this time set up Bakayogo who sliced wide when bearing down on goal.
Southend began to come into the game a little bit more but Rovers comfortably dealt with everything thrown at them.
Terry Gornell's First Goal of the Season made the Points Safe
Ian Goodison had been playing unfit throughout the game and was replaced by Paul McLaren meaning Ash Taylor moved into the centre back position.
Luke Daniels denied Adam Barrett's header from a corner and soon after Rovers made it two when Craig Curran set up Shaleum Logan to cross right footed and it landed nicely behind the defence for Terry Gornell to smash across the keeper and into the net to make the result comfortable.
Ian Thomas-Moore came on for Chris Shuker but at the other end Rovers did superbly to deny Southend when a goal mouth scramble ensued in their own area, but Daniels did well.
Thomas-Moore's bicycle kick was then superbly tipped over by Mildenhall and at the other end Bakayogo cleared off the Rovers line.
Curran's powerful effort was palmed away by Mildenhall in injury time but Rovers saw out a 2-0 win to the delight off the hardy fans.
Full Time: Tranmere Rovers 2 - 0 Southend United
John Welsh
John Wlesh tonight typified Rovers performance for me. He chased down every ball and was diving into every tackle with 100% commitment- superb passion from the midfielder.
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....Ian Goodison!!
Tonight I thought Ash Taylor played the Tony Kay role very well, something Ronnie was banging on about last season and said he could do. He cleaned up in front of the back four, whilst not gracefully, but when required, with some great headers, he gave us that bit of protection. I thought both full backs looked threatening tonight, and assured.
I thought the entire midfield was magnifient tonight, they were into everything and not afraid to mix it up, something we need in this division, and Im pleased I have seen tonight.
Whilst better opposition might have put a few chances away you can only beat the team in front of you, and this was a good win.
I thought Gornell and Curran worked tiresely and really made their big centre halfs look worried.
Nice to see a bit of that bite back, that got us on our home run last season. Well done boys.
By the way, isn't it nice that two of our youth lads scored tonight, I thought Terry deserved his goal.
I think Bas when hes fit will fit back into that front three at the expense of possibly Shuker, that physical presence and three pushing up will unsetlle a few other average league one defences this season.
Onwards and Leswards.
Hopefully a permanent manager will be appointed soon and things can start getting 'stable'.
I feel we are in the 'inconsistent' stage that we were last season from game 1 until about 12 when we went on a few steady runs. Hopefully that will happen again sooner rather than later!
Super White Army!
Every ball is a white ball............TRFC
Regardless, it's good to get another win, that's two in three, and can only be good for confidence. I just hope we can carry that forward into the huge game against Aldershot at the weekend, which could provide us with a real money spinning tie in the third round.
Les is doing well. He's making a decent claim for the job. Our performances sound like they've improved, the defence certainly has, and that's another win. Although I personally wouldn't have him full time, he's doing OK at the moment.