Four Straight Defeats as Rovers Drop into Relegation Places

Tranmere fail to beat fellow League Two strugglers Dagenham and Redbridge at Prenton Park......

Tranmere Rovers 2 - 3 Dagenham & Redbridge

This was the second home days in five days and it is definitely a game which Tranmere hoped to win after a run of three defeats.  With players returning from injury there was always going to be changes to the side that played in the defeat against Wycombe.

Dagenham came with some confidence after their midweek win against Hartlepool and also boasting one of the better away records in the bottom half of the division.  The good news for Tranmere fans saw the return of Donacien back on loan from Aston Villa.

Mickey Adams made six changes to the team that lost to Wycombe with Thompson, Taylor and Doncien replacing McGahey, Ihiekwe and Holmes in defence whilst Koumas , Myrie Williams and Donnelly replaced Laird, Molyneux and Odejayi in the midfield and forward areas.

The game, like with Wycombe, started slowly with neither team able to take control. The highlights of the first thirty minutes were the passing skills of Jason Koumas, before he was substituted by Dan Gardner, and a long range effort from Myrie Williams.

Just before half time the game came to life when another long ball through the centre allowed Cureton to nip in and chip the ball over Owain Fon Williams. The goal seemed to spark Tranmere in to life and a well taken goal by Dan Gardner who cut in from the touch line to curl an effort past O’Brien in the Dagenham goal, made the score 1-1.

Half time and all to play for Tranmere who started the second half on the front foot.  Unfortunately though, this was short lived thanks to two goals in three minutes from Dagenham, the first of which saw Hemmings curl a ball around Fon Williams before Hemmings hit a low long range effort past the despairing goalkeeper.

It was an uphill task for Tranmere who for ten minutes did push the Dagenham defence back and Danny Holmes and Dan Gardner in particular worked hard for the cause but it did look like another one of those days. Another goal did come in the 87^th minute when Max Power thumped the ball through a crowded penalty area but this proved not to be enough.

A fourth successive defeat now sees Tranmere in the relegation zone with a run of difficult games coming.  There are still signs that things can get better as Donacien when he settled looked calm and assured and Dan Gardner showed he has the flair and skill to change matches.

My man of the match was the Koumas/Gardner, Koumas for his passing and Gardner for his goal and his overall play.

Tranmere: Fon Williams, Donacien, Dugdale, Thompson(Holmes 45), Taylor, Power, Jennings, Koumas (Gardner 40), Myrie-Williams, Hugill (Odejayi 63), Donnelly.

Subs Not Used:  Ramsbottom, Ridehalgh, Laird, Hume.

Dagenham & Redbridge: O'Brien, Batt, Doe, Bingham, Cureton (Partridge 88), Fenelon (Jakubiak 67), Howell, Hemmings, Obileye, Boucaud (Labadie 87), Widdowson.

Subs Not Used:  Moore, Gayle, Jones, Partridge, Carr

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