Tranmere's Play Off dream came to an end at Glanford Park as a late goal from Scunthorpe captain Cliff Byrne cancelled out a first half strike from Craig Curran.

Curran's effort had looked for so long that it would be enough for his side to extend their season, but the Iron equalised with just three minutes left after Gareth Edds had been shown a red card.

Ronnie Moore named an unchanged starting line up from the side that drew 1-1 at home to Yeovil. The Manager had hoped to add Chris Greenacre to the side after he returned to training on Friday, but the striker reported a sore knee on Saturday morning and had to watch from the sidelines. Ian Goodison served the third match of a four game ban and Bas Savage again missed out through injury. Former Rovers goalkeeper Joe Murphy was unavailable for Scunthorpe due to a groin injury and Henri Lansbury was also ruled out.

After a pre-match huddle for Rovers, the match began at a predictably high tempo, with Ian Moore registering the game's first shot on three minutes - a downward header which was easily claimed by Scunthorpe keeper Josh Lillis.

Defender Ryan Shotton coped with a half chance for Paul Hayes inside the Tranmere area on six minutes, while Antony Kay couldn't hit the target with a header from a Charlie Barnett corner at the other end moments later.

Scunthorpe's David Mirfin header over from a corner on 11 minutes while Moore poked a shot over from six yards after Andy Taylor had whipped in a cross from the left.

With around 1600 fans cheering them on from behind Danny Coyne's goal, Rovers looked up for the occasion, passing the ball well and providing plenty of movement inside the Scunthorpe half.

At the opposite end Hayes looked Scunthorpe's most dangerous player, shooting narrowly wide of the left hand post from just outside the area

Strike partnership Moore and Craig Curran combined on 30 minutes, with the latter seeing his arching header comfortably gathered by Lillis.

The deadlock was broken on 38 minutes. Moore persisted down the right side of the area, somehow swung a cross around his marker which went over Lillis to the far post where Curran was well placed to head into the net. It was the striker's first goal since August and could hardly have come at a better time.

Gary Hooper came close to an equaliser on the stroke of half time but his low shot from 20 yards went just wide of goal.

A minute later Jennings went even closer, acrobatically volleying Moore's cross towards goal from 16 yards only for Lillis to superbly palm the ball away for a corner.

One or two strong challenges early in the second half drew loud reactions from the fans of both teams, and the referee Steve Tanner had to speak to a number of players on 53 minutes.

On 56 minutes Scunthorpe should have levelled. Martyn Woolford was released down the left wing and his cross was met by Hooper six yards out but he somehow sent his header over the bar. A minute later the Iron quickly counter attacked from a Tranmere free kick but from a promising position Hooper's cross went out of play.

Scunthorpe continued to pile forward in search of an equaliser, again going close on 61 minutes when Hayes curled over the bar from 20 yards with his right foot.

Coyne held on to a far post header from Hooper on 62 minutes and Shotton brilliantly threw his body in the way of a shot from Hayes moments later after Taylor had been robbed of the ball on the halfway line.

Woolford flashed a shot just wide of the near post on 70 minutes and a free kick conceded by Shotton gave the home side a chance to the right of goal six minutes later. McCann curled the free kick with his left foot, and his shot went high over the bar to the relief of the travelling support.

Barnett was replaced by Aaron Cresswell on 77 minutes, moments before Hooper blazed over for the home side from close range.

A shot from Pearce deflected off Chorley and just past the top left corner on 78 minutes, and three minutes later Scunthorpe were down to ten men as Andrew Wright was forced to leave the pitch with a blood injury.

It was ten each on 87 minutes when Edds was shown a red card for a second yellow card. The decision was made to look worse by Woolford who lay on the ground until the Rovers full back was given his marching orders before immediately jumping up and running away from the scene.

From the free kick that followed there was heartbreak for Rovers, with Cliff Byrne rising highest to head past Coyne and into the net to level and put Scunthorpe back in sixth.

Youngster Ash Taylor replaced Kay with just injury time remaining, and he had yet to have a touch when Sonko was forced to clear off his own line from Hooper.

Rovers threw men forward but there were no more chances and what looked set to be a fantastic afternoon ended in disappointment.