Player and Goal of the Month – October

Back by popular demand after a spell of absence and slightly delayed from last week, Total Tranmere is pleased to bring you the second chance of this season to vote for your TRFC Player of the Month and this time we have added an extra poll meaning that each month, two awards will be handed out as voted for by you the readers….

October has seen another month of mixed fortunes for Rovers starting with a decent draw against table-topping Brighton and Hove Albion, a dip in the middle of month and then three decent results to cap it all off and now the time has come for us to re-introduce our monthly chance for you the readers to vote for your TRFC Player of the Month and in a new addition to the feature, your Goal of the Month also.

As mentioned above, the month of October began with a decent enough point at home to early pace-setters Brighton and Hove Albion.  After the visitors took a first half lead, Rovers came out at the start of the second period and dominated large spells of the game culminating in debutant Scott Wootton on loan from Manchester United, heading in an 87^th equaliser which was much deserved from Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick.

The following week saw Rovers put in their worst performance of the season so far away at a rejuvenated Southampton side.  The Saints took the lead deservedly just before half-time and doubled the advantage ten minutes into the second half.  In truth the home side could have added three or four more goals and Rovers were described after the game as the worst side at St Mary’s this season.

It didn’t get any better seven days later as rock-bottom Brentford visited Prenton Park on the back of a poor away record and after they scored a seventh minute penalty after Aaron Cresswell handled, Rovers never recovered and Brentford went on to add a further two goals in the second half as Rovers lost 3-0 heaping huge pressure from fans on Manager Les Parry.

Looking back it is possible that the Brentford result was the kick-start Rovers needed although the return of a couple of senior players from injury for the subsequent trip to Walsall also made a big difference as Rovers won an amazing game 4-1 at Bank’s Stadium thanks to two goals from John Welsh either side of goals from Enoch Showumni and an Ian Thomas-Moore penalty.

Midweek after the Walsall win, saw Rovers take on Stockport County in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy after being re-instated following Accrington Stanley’s fielding of an ineligible player and despite a drab 0-0 draw, there was more delight for Rovers fans as Tranmere won their first penalty shoot-out for 19 years 4-3 after Stockport missed two kicks in the shoot-out.  This set up a next round tie away at Bury where Rovers were knocked out last year in the same competition.

Rovers rounded off October where they had left off at Walsall the week before by scoring four goals for the second successive League game at home to Milton Keynes.  The star man of the game was Dale Jennings who slotted the first goal under the goalkeeper after just three minutes before the Dons equalised from the spot after Timothy Cathalina handled in the area on his debut.

Jennings was the man of the moment again as his run forced the experienced Dietmar Hamann to bring him down in the penalty area and Ian Thomas-Moore slotted it home from the spot.  Just two minutes later Jennings cut inside the defenderand curled a perfect shot into the top corner to give Rovers a 3-1 half-time lead.

Ian Thomas-Moore added a superb fourth from a tight angle made by the goalkeeper after yet more good work from Dale Jennings and although the Dons added a late second four minutes from time, Rovers eased to a 4-2 win.

So after that round up of the month just gone which started with a decent home draw and ended with two high scoring League wins and a penalty shoot out win in the Cup, the time has come to vote.

To help you with your vote, the summary of Rovers  results and goalscorers is listed below as well as the name of the Player who you voted as Man of the Match through our post-match polls each week.......

To vote for you Player of the Month and Goal of the Month for October, use the links below to the two polls…….

Player of the Month (October)

Goal of the Month (October)

The polls will run for seven days and the results will be announced next week so stay tuned to Total Tranmere for more on whom you think has been Tranmere’s best player and who scored the best goal in October.