Tranmere's Play Off hopes took a hard blow with a two goal defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.

Rovers were the better side in the first half but Nathan Tyson gave the visitors the advantage, and when Wes Morgan netted the second it went a long way to ending the contest.

There were two changes to the side that lost at Walsall, with Antony Kay replacing the suspended Ben Chorley and Chris Shuker coming in for the injured Jennison Myrie-Williams. Steve Davies was named among the substitutes for the first time since his cruciate ligament injury sustained in September.

Shuker and Robbie Stockdale combined on the right in the third minute with the latter's dangerous cross having to be headed behind for a corner by Ian Breckin.

At the Kop end Sammy Clingan curled a free kick high over Danny Coyne's cross bar, while Brett Ormerod shot wide on ten minutes.

On 13 minutes Ian Moore shot straight at Forest keeper Paul Smith from a tight angle after being well found by Paul McLaren and Shane Sherriff sent a right foot shot across goal and wide soon after, with McLaren again the provider.

Rovers thought they had taken the lead on 20 minutes when Chris Greenacre tapped in Shuker's cross after the ball had skidded through the Forest defence but the striker's effort was ruled out for offside.

As the sun shone on Prenton Park, the home side enjoyed a good spell of possession. On 22 minutes McLaren shot narrowly wide of Smith's right hand post from 20 yards after good work from Andy Taylor and Shuker.

McLaren and Shuker linked together on the right on 24 minutes and created a move which saw Moore nip in front of his marker to head at goal, but Smith was equal to his effort.

Some ferocious tackling from both sides was allowed by referee Mark Haywood on 30 minutes with both Ian Goodison and Steve Jennings expertly dispossessing their opponents.

However, the visitors took the lead against the run of play on 34 minutes. Sherriff lost the ball inside the Forest half and a long ball forward allowed Nathan Tyson to outpace Kay, knock the ball past Coyne who had raced outside his area and follow up to tap in from close range.

Some ferocious tackling from both sides was allowed by referee Mark Haywood on 30 minutes with both Ian Goodison and Steve Jennings expertly dispossessing their opponents.

However, the visitors took the lead against the run of play on 34 minutes. Sherriff lost the ball inside the Forest half and a long ball forward allowed Nathan Tyson to outpace Kay, knock the ball past Coyne who had raced outside his area and follow up to tap in from close range.

Goodison sent a downward header just past the post on 38 minutes as Rovers looked for a quick equaliser, but it was the home side's last chance of the half as they went into the break a goal down.

A minute into the second half Shuker was on the end of a deep cross from Sherriff but the winger went for accuracy rather than power with his header and his effort was easily saved by Smith.

Rovers continued their early pressure, with Greenacre's cross causing problems for the Forest defence after a good run from Jennings.

But a quickly taken corner from Forest gave them a second on 52 minutes. Chris Cohen's cross reached Wes Morgan at the far post and the defender headed into the roof of the net from six yards.

Ronnie Moore made a double change with just under 25 minutes remaining. Davies and Craig Curran replaced Sherriff and Curran on the left and right wing respectively.

A Davies free kick deflected over the bar on 75 minutes and Moore headed wide soon after, while a hooked effort from Curran landed on the roof of the net.

Referee: Mark Haywood

Yellow cards: McLaren (74), Jennings (84)

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