Preview: Newport County

23 May 2019

Setting the scene…

Tranmere Rovers are back at Wembley Stadium for the third time in three years on Saturday afternoon when they meet Newport County in the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final, 3pm kick-off.

Micky Mellon’s men are 90 minutes away from a back-to-back promotion and a return to Sky Bet League One having secured a 2-1 aggregate win versus Forest Green Rovers in the semi-final.

A first-half volley from top scorer James Norwood against his old club cancelled out Joseph Mills’ header to earn a 1-1 draw on the night at the New Lawn last Monday which saw TRFC progress over two legs.

Michael Flynn’s Exiles reached the Play-Off Final after overcoming Mansfield Town 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless second leg over 120 minutes at Field Mill.

Saturday’s final will be Newport’s fourth appearance

at Wembley Stadium since it reopened in 2007.

Their previous three visits included 2-0 defeat to York City in the FA Trophy Final back in May 2012.

They later beat Wrexham 2-0 in an all-Welsh Conference Premier Play-Off Final a year later to secure EFL promotion in May 2013 before losing 2-0 away to Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur in an FA Cup fourth-round replay in February 2018.

Team news

Manager Micky Mellon has no fresh injury concerns heading into the game this weekend.

Mark Ellis, Luke McCullough, Evan Gumbs and Ishmael Miller all remain long term absentees.

The Exiles season so far

Newport’s journey to the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final saw the Rodney Parade club put together an impressive unbeaten form in the closing weeks of the campaign to finish in seventh position.

Unbeaten in their last 12, which included impressive home victories against the promoted duo of champions Lincoln City and runners-up Bury in April, that turned the race for a top seven place in their favour, a final day trip to Morecambe stood between them and the Play-Offs.

Trailing 1-0 late on at the Globe Arena, Jamille Matt’s 87^th minute equaliser ensured Newport snatched seventh to conclude the season with 20 wins, 11 draws and 15 defeats.

Newport also enjoyed a run to the FA Cup fifth-round, knocking out Leicester City and Middlesbrough before bowing out to eventual English treble-winners Manchester City.

One to watch

Irish forward Padraig Amond’s 22 league goals sees him lead Newport County’s goal-scoring charts this term.

Amond, who recently earned his first call up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad, started out at Shamrock Rovers, where he won the League of Ireland First Division in 2006.

The Carlow-born player went on to spend a year at Sligo Rovers, collecting winners’ medals in the League of Ireland Cup and FAI Cup in 2010.

Following a brief stint in Portugal at Pacos de Ferreira, Amond signed for Accrington Stanley permanently in 2012 after a year on loan at the Crown Ground.

Amond has also represented Morecambe, Grimsby Town, where his 30 goals in 2015/16 helped the Mariners to promotion, as well as a stay with Hartlepool United.

The 31-year-old signed for Newport in August 2017 and he has found the back of the net 27 times in 88 Sky Bet League Two games since his arrival in South-East Wales.

Tickets

The SWA have been allocated 16,734 tickets for the East End of Wembley Stadium (this can increase if required).

Pricing categories at Wembley Stadium are split into six sections and there is also a concession rate for Senior Citizens and children aged 16 and under.

Category 1 - £60 Adults, £45 Ages 17-21, £30 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under

Category 2 - £48 Adults, £36 Ages 17-21, £24 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under

Category 3 - £44 Adults, £33 Ages 17-21, £22 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under

Category 4 - £38 Adults, £28.50 Ages 17-21, £19 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under

Category 5 - £32 Adults, £24 Ages 17-21, £16 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under

Category 6 - £26 Adults, £19.50 Ages 17-21, £13 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under.

Tickets are only available to purchase via TRFC’s official ticket partner, seetickets.com.

Click here to purchase your Play-Off Final tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/event/sky-bet-league-2-play-off-final-tranmere-rovers/wembley-stadium/1380870

For any supporter wishing to buy a wheelchair user ticket, sales of these tickets will be directly from Tranmere Rovers Football Club.

Click here to purchase your wheelchair user tickets: https://tickets.tygit.com/shop/group-tickets

Tranmere Rovers will be running club coaches from Prenton Park, which are set to depart for the capital at 8am. We advise that supporters arrive no later than 7:15am.

Click here to reserve your coach travel: https://tickets.tygit.com/shop/options

Match officials

Referee: Ross Joyce

Assistants: Nik Barnard and Rob Smith

Fourth official: Eddie Ilderton

Reserve assistant referee: Matthew Lee

Match coverage

Can’t make it to Rovers’ Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final against Newport County on Saturday afternoon? Don’t worry as you can keep up with goings on at Wembley Stadium.

You can now sign up to Tranmere Rovers’ iFollow, which allows access to extended highlights and interviews with manager Micky Mellon and the players.

To sign up, click here

Alternatively, you can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.

Twitter: @tranmererovers

Facebook: @trfcofficial

Instagram: @tranmererovers

Match Previews

Match Reports

Tranmere promoted to League One!

25 May 2019

Connor Jennings’ last minute header in extra time sealed Tranmere Rovers’ back-to-back promotion up to Sky Bet League One as they beat 10-man Newport County 1-0 in a dramatic Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium

In a goalless opening 90 minutes, chances fell for both sets of players, with a turning point coming in the stages of normal time when Newport had their captain Mark O’Brien sent off by referee Ross Joyce for bringing down James Norwood.

But as the Final looked to be decided by penalty kicks, up popped Jennings, who guided his close-range header beyond County goalkeeper Joe Day to seal promotion for Micky Mellon’s Wirral side.

Rovers’ first sight of goal came through Jennings inside four minutes, who received a pass from David Perkins to drive in space at the defence but saw his right-footed low strike caught by Day.

Shortly after, play dropped to Jennings again on the left though the midfielder could only bend his effort over Day’s crossbar.

Up the other end, Michael Flynn’s side went close when Robbie Willmott’s deep cross found Scot Bennett, though his header went wide of Scott Davies’ goal from eight yards.

Willmott then had a tame daisycutter effort from outside the box saved by Davies while Josh Sheehan sent an effort high and wide off target.

Top-scorer Norwood then went close to opening for scoring for Mellon’s men with 25 minutes on the clock, after being found by Jake Caprice’s cross from the right, the forward powered a right-footed volley from 12-yards which was beaten away by Day.

Perkins then drilled low right-footed from 18-yards which was gathered comfortably by Day prior to Norwood meeting Jay Harris’ right-sided cross in the box which he glanced over.

Following on from the restart, it was Michael Flynn’s Exiles who created the first notable opening of the second half, with Wilmott’s right-footed strike missing to Davies’ right-hand post.

On 56 minutes in the capital, Rovers’ substitute Ben Pringle forced Day to tip his deep free-kick from the right, which evaded every player in the box and needed the shot-stopper to palm away for a corner.

The two teams would trade opportunities, with Joss Labadie trying his luck for the Welsh outfit, striking rom the edge of the box, which he scuffed across goal.

With 67 minutes gone, Tranmere had claims for a penalty waved away by Joyce after ending up on the floor having been sandwiched by two Newport defenders.

As the half ticked onto 73 minutes, TRFC captain Davies came to Mellon’s men’s rescue, thwarting forward Jamille Matt from a matter of yards, superbly pushing his point-blank range free header onto the post after Dan Butler’s cross from the left found its way to the back post.

And Davies was called into action again with 10 minutes to play in the fixture under the Wembley Stadium arch, diving down low to his right to keep Amond’s low drive from right out.

In a tense affair, and with seven minutes of the Final to play, Jennings’ effort from the right-edge of the area went just beyond Day’s left-upright.

Newport were reduced to 10 men on 89 minutes when Liam Ridehalgh’s lofted pass was chased down by Norwood on the left flank, who was brought down on by O’Brien, a tackle which saw him pick up a second yellow card and his marching orders Joyce as a goalless 90 minutes forced 30 minutes of extra-time.

It took until the 13^th minute of extra-time for there to be a clear-cut opportunity, with Davies dropping down to his left to deny Amond’s following a corner.

In the second half of extra-time, Davies kept out substitute Keanu Marsh-Brown’s low shot from a tight-angle.

Norwood was then inches from putting TRFC in front, driving down the right, holding off a challenge from Dan Butler before cutting inside and striking right-footed which was deflected across goal and behind for a corner before later testing Day into a low stop at his right-hand post after heading Ollie Banks’ cross.

And Tranmere won it in the final minute of extra-time when Jennings’ headed in from close-range at the back post following a Caprice's cross from the right to earn Rovers a back-to-back promotion in dramatic circumstances.

Mellon’s players battled through the closing minutes of extra-time to seal a return to the third-tier for the first time since 2014.

TRFC: Davies ©, Ridehalgh, Nelson, Monthe, Caprice, Harris (Pringle 52) Perkins, Banks, Morris (McNulty 81) Jennings, Norwood

Unused subs: Pilling, Dagnall, Mullin, Buxton, Gilmour

Attendance: 25,217

Match Reports

Ticket News

Wembley Play-Off Final Ticket Information

22 May 2019

Tranmere Rovers are pleased to confirm ticket information to supporters for the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium later this month.

Following Micky Mellon’s side’s Semi final victory over Forest Green, Tranmere will face Newport County in the Final on Saturday 25th May 2019 (3pm) in a bid to reach Sky Bet League One.

Rovers have been allocated 16,734 tickets for the East End of Wembley Stadium (this can increase if required). Pricing categories at Wembley Stadium are split into six sections and there is also a concession rate for Senior Citizens and children aged 16 and under.

TICKET PRICES
Category 1 - £60 Adults, £45 Ages 17-21, £30 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
Category 2 - £48 Adults, £36 Ages 17-21, £24 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
Category 3 - £44 Adults, £33 Ages 17-21, £22 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
Category 4 - £38 Adults, £28.50 Ages 17-21, £19 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
Category 5 - £32 Adults, £24 Ages 17-21, £16 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
Category 6 - £26 Adults, £19.50 Ages 17-21, £13 Ages - 65 and over, 16 and under
The price categories will be sold on a first come first served basis and are subject to availability.
Due to the anticipated high volume of sales, the Club are using See Tickets to sell Play-Off Final tickets.

HOW TO BUY
Tickets are ONLY available online at www.seetickets.com/go/tranmererovers OR over the phone on 0871 230 7137 (13p + standard network charges). There will be NO tickets available over the counter at the Tranmere Rovers Ticket Office for this match.
Due to the anticipated demand the Club and See Tickets recommend booking online as the easiest
and most convenient method of booking. Supporters will also be able to view a Wembley seating
plan online and choose which block they would like to sit in.

WHEN TO BUY
Ticket sales will are now on general sale.
Maximum of 9 tickets per transaction.

Wheelchair Disabled Supporters – There are a number of Wheelchair and Personal Assistant tickets available. These will be sold directly from Tranmere Rovers as soon as the Club receives them from Wembley Stadium (this will be announced once they arrive), NOT from SEE Tickets. EFL regulations apply, including the availability of age related concessions.

Ambulant disabled supporters can only purchase tickets online at www.seetickets.com/go/tranmererovers OR over the phone on 0871 230 1737 (13p + standard network charges).

Disabled supporters are charged the relevant price for the area in which they’re situated, with their carers gaining access free of charge (carers will also require a ticket). Concession rates will apply across all of these tickets for Junior Wheelchair patrons 16 years of age and under, senior citizens and young adults (17-21).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Should you have any problems accessing your account with SEE Tickets please phone 03330144452
(option 1) or email tickets@tranmererovers.co.uk for assistance.
Family Area – Wembley Stadium have designated 1,700 seats in Blocks 105 to 108 in the East side
of the Stadium as a Family Area for Tranmere Rovers supporters. Tickets in this area are only available to fans that are purchasing 16 and under tickets at a ratio of no more than one adult for one child, at a maximum of four children for every adult ticket.

Booking Fees – There is a £2.40 per ticket booking fee for every ticket sold online or over the phone.

Postage - £2.25 for First Class or £6.50 for Registered Post.

14 Years And Under – All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Babies – Babies/babes in arms under two years of age will be allowed entry without a ticket.
Children aged 2 years and over do need to purchase a concession ticket.

SEE Tickets Opening Times – SEE Tickets are open 24 hours a day both online and over the phone.

Crowd Flags And Musical Instruments – Any supporters wishing to take flags or musical instruments
to Wembley Stadium must obtain permission. Please contact timr@tranmererovers.co.uk to request
permission. Anyone wishing to gain entry to Wembley Stadium carrying flags or musical instruments
without prior permission will not be permitted to enter with them.

Coach Travel – Official club travel is now available from www.trfctickets.co.uk

Travel – Wembley Stadium will shortly be issuing a full travel pack for Tranmere Rovers supporters
travelling to Wembley. This will be launched shortly.

No Resale Of Tickets – It is an offence under Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, for any unauthorised person to sell tickets.

Ticket Terms & Conditions

Tickets are sold as instructed by the EFL and as per terms and conditions of sale which can be viewed on https://www.efl.com/ticketconditions

Ticket News

Tranmere Rovers Football Club

Standings

Preview: Newport County

Spectator information guide - Wembley Stadium

Wembley ground regulations

Tranmere promoted to League One!

Spectator information guide - Wembley Stadium

Wembley ground regulations

Wembley Play-Off Final Ticket Information

EFL Play-Off final tickets conditions of use

Standings

Fixture News

Spectator information guide - Wembley Stadium

Wembley ground regulations

Fixture News

Spectator information guide - Wembley Stadium

Wembley ground regulations

Ticket News

EFL Play-Off final tickets conditions of use

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