Rovers Now A Win from Safety After Home Victory
By Mark Ridgway
December 20 2009
Goals in each half from Craig Curran and Gareth Edds secured a third straight home win in the League for Rovers in Les Parry's first game in permanent charge of the Club as a dominant 2-0 win also saw a third successive clean sheet in the League for Rovers as their progress since the sacking of John Barnes continues....
Tranmere R 2 - 0 Bristol R Curran 29 Edds 56 Attendance: 4,755 Rovers produced another commanding victory at home to Bristol Rovers as goals from Craig Curran and Gareth Edds decided the game 2-0 to the home side in Les Parry's first game as permanent manager and the result means that Rovers fans go into Christmas in good spirit ahead of the Boxing Day derby away at Oldham.
There was just one change to the side that lost to Southampton last Saturday with the suspended Marlon Broomes replaced by Paul McLaren, with Ash Taylor moving to centre back and McLaren into the central midfield position vacated by Taylor....
Daniels
Logan, Taylor, Goodison, Bakayogo
Edds, McLaren, Welsh
Curran, Gornell, Thomas-Moore
Rovers started the game the more positive, illustrated by Logan's long range effort going wide within the first few minutes whilst Ian Thomas-Moore's volley from Gornell's knock down was also parried wide by Anderson.
Daniels then saved one handed from Wright's volley before Paul McLaren played a short corner to Bakayogo whose cross saw Ian Goodison get to it before the keeper could get there but sadly the defenders header went wide.
Rovers deservedly took the lead on the half hour though when Craig Curran picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled a perfect left footed effort into the top corner.
Gornell then drilled a shot goalwards and it had to be parried out by the goalkeeper as the half was brought to a close with Rovers 1-0 up and looking comfortable.
Half Time: Tranmere Rovers 1 - 0 Bristol Rovers
Rovers didn't come out for the second half in the same vain as the first and Bristol's Chris Lines powered a header off the bar from a corner to hand Rovers and early second half warning although as it turned out, that was as close as the visitors were to come on the day.
From the next attack Rovers doubled the lead as Gornell set up Bakayogo whose cross initially looked to be too long but a flick on from Ian Thomas-Moore took the pace out of the cross perfectly and it fell for Gareth Edds to prod home to make it 2-0.
Gareth Edds Scored Rovers' Second Goal
Curran then headed at Anderson from Bakayogo's cross, and Edds hit two long range efforts wide, as Rovers started to completely dominate and could have scored more goals to make the game even more comfortable.
Curran then broke down the right and drilled a low cross which found Thomas-Moore at the back post but his effort was cleared off the line and Gornell couldn't react quick enough to the rebound.
Rovers should have been awarded a penalty with 15 minutes remaining when Anderson handled a back pass under pressure from Thomas-Moore, but the referee missed it.
Curran then blasted wide, then Bristol Rovers' Elliott went down awkwardly and didn't look in a good state, he was taken off and that resulted in six minutes injury time in which the visitors had to play for the final period with just ten men having used all of their substitutions already.
Daniels saved well from Duffy in injury time meaning Rovers got their third home clean sheet on the bounce and a much needed three points.
Half Time: Tranmere Rovers 2 - 0 Bristol Rovers
Ashton Taylor
After playing in midfield in recent games, he was drafted back into centre back and handled it superbly, handled everything thrown at his well and showed his versatility superbly. However this award could have gone to anyone as it was a superb team performance.
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he did palm it away though, so we should have been given it
Disagree with the Man of the Match personally. I'd have given it to either Gornell or Bakayoko. Both were superb for me whilst their work rate was fantastic.