Tranmere's final home match brought three more points and a second win of the season against Southend United.

Antony Kay's second half header was enough for the win from a game in which Rovers had the better chances.

There was just one change to the sixteen players involved at Huddersfield with Steve Davies replacing Mike Jones on the substitutes' bench.

Defender Ian Goodison required treatment as early as the third minute after stretching for an overhead kick clearance just outside his own area. With the captain still off the pitch, Southend's Charlie Mulgrew whipped in a free kick which Danny Coyne had to tip over.

The opening stages were played a frantic speed, with both sides quick to break on the attack.

The first real chance of the game fell to Shane Sherriff on 17 minutes after good work from Steve Jennings. The Aussie's shot looked set for the far corner of the goal but former Rovers loanee Simon Francis got a leg in the way and the ball deflected over for a corner.

Two minutes later Jennings put Chris Shuker through on the right and his cut back was well kept out by visiting keeper Darryl Flahavan after it deflected goalwards off a defender.

Alan McCormack came close to opening the scoring for Southend on 21 minutes but his low effort from outside the area went just past Coyne's left hand post.

Andy Taylor sent a 25 yard free kick wide on 25 minutes after Chris Greenacre had been fouled, while Greenacre headed a Shuker cross over soon after.

Sherriff volleyed over with his right foot after Francis failed to clear Robbie Stockdale's cross on 32 minutes and Ian Moore - when one on one with the keeper - shot straight at Flahavan from close range after Sherriff brilliantly picked out the striker's run with the outside of his foot.

Alex Revell sent a low shot at Coyne following a pass from James Walker on 36 minutes and his header forced the keeper to push behind for a corner on 44 minutes. The visitors were unable to take advantage of the set piece and the sides went into half time all square.

Jennings had the first shot of the second half, twisting and turning before firing just wide of goal from a central position 25 yards out.

The next attack brought the first goal of the game. Sherriff whipped in a cross from the left and Antony Kay rose highest to power a header past Flahavan into the middle of the goal.

Coyne did well to hold on to Mulgrew's top corner bound free kick on 58 minutes while McCormack sliced a shot well wide of goal two minutes later.

Kay almost added a second with a powerful drive on 68 minutes after Moore dummied the ball on the edge of the area and Greenacre headed over from a tight angle shortly after.

Stockdale tried to break his Rovers duck with a low effort from the right side of the area but Flahavan dived to punch clear.

Shuker was replaced by Craig Curran on 78 minutes with Moore moving to the right wing.

Moore's move out wide almost sealed the win as he raced forward to set up Greenacre on 87 minutes but Rovers' leading scorer was unable to add to his tally, sending his first time shot high over the bar.

However, the home side did enough in the final few minutes to claim all three points.

Tranmere: Coyne, Stockdale, Chorley, Goodison, Taylor, Shuker (Curran 78), Jennings, Kay, Sherriff, Moore, Greenacre. Substitutes not used: Achterberg, Mullin, Davies, Gornell.

Referee: Graham Laws 

Yellow cards: Taylor (45+2)

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