Match Preview: Crewe (Papa John's Trophy)

18 October 2022

Following on from a fifth straight win and clean sheet in the league, Rovers play Crewe Alexandra for the second consecutive game, this time in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night.

After a convincing 3-0 win over the Alex on Friday night, Micky Mellon now looks for a similar result in a different competition as Rovers still search for their first win after being defeated by Leeds under 21’s and then defeating Bolton Wanderers on penalties following a 2-2 draw.

As for Crewe, they’ve only featured once in the competition this campaign so far which ended in defeat when they faced Bolton and lost 4-1.

So, with both sides searching for a win, Crewe will be hoping to keep their hopes in the competition alive whilst a win for Rovers could move them into joint-top depending on the Bolton v Leeds U21’s result.

In terms of form heading into the clash, Rovers are by far the form side having won their last five league games, scoring eight and conceding zero. As for Crewe, their last five league games haven’t been quite as successful with one win in the last five but with a lot of changes expected for tonight’s game, form could prove irrelevant.

Whilst those changes may make form irrelevant, Friday nights convincing score line under the lights at Prenton Park could well play in the minds of the players featuring tonight.

Goals from Dynel Simeu and a brace from Elliot Nevitt meant Rovers won 3-0 as the Wirral was bouncing following another dominant display from Micky Mellon’s men. But with a change of venue and certainly a change of personnel, the Rovers gaffer will want another quick start from the respective team he selects.

Team News:

No new injury concerns however Micky Mellon will look to heavily rotate his squad for this one. After Friday's win he said: "We don't have a squad big enough to attack all of these tournaments with the same eleven. We will be giving all people opportunities to keep their fitness levels up but make no mistake, we'll be going there to win a game of football. We're not putting a team out just to fulfill a fixture but if we can help it, there won't be many players from Friday involved"

Manager: Alex Morris

After coming through at Crewe, injuries prevented Morris from ever making a professional appearance despite being offered a professional one-year deal with Alexandra.

He then moved into coaching, originally within the academy set-up at Crewe before being promoted to assistant manager under David Artell. When Artell departed, Morris took interim charge before being given the job on a permanent basis in late April of last season.

Speaking off the back of Friday’s defeat to Rovers, Morris spoke to Crewe’s official website and expects a ‘big response’ from his side.

Morris said: “I’m looking for a big response after the poorest performance of the season, in this next game and going forward.

“You try to win every game, but it’s important that we win a game of football soon because it’s been a while since we did that - it was against Crawley five games ago. We need that winning feeling back.

“No competition is as serious as the league is, I think everyone would acknowledge that. But for all the criticism this competition gets, it is an opportunity to play at Wembley and you have to give it all you can.

Match Coverage:

Tuesday's game will be streamed live on iFollow in both the UK and abroad! Click here to get your match pass now for just £10

You can also 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 reaction from Micky Mellon and a player will follow on our website and YouTube channel.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Tranmere Rovers

18 October 2022

Tranmere Rovers picked up three points in Northern Group B of the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night against Crewe Alexandra.

Micky Mellon fielded a mainly inexperienced team for the fixture at the Mornflake Stadium with the hosts only making four changes from Friday’s game.

A second half strike by substitute Elliott Nevitt was enough to see off The Alex for the second time in five days.

Rovers started brightly when Arthur Lomax, making his full debut for Rovers, cut inside from the right and unleashed a powerful shot which forced Richards to palm over his bar as the ball headed for the top corner.

Dan Agyei looked to be the main threat for the hosts and he found space in behind after Hockenhull lost his balance under the flight of the ball before recovering well and blocking Agyei’s low shot for a corner.

Hockenhull was there again not long after as Finney found space on the edge of the box and fired low however the defender got his body in the way to divert it off target.

On the 36th minute, Kyle Jameson paced forward from left back and beat his man before whipping in a dangerous cross into the box. A combination of Burton and Lomax flung themselves at the ball but a red shirt got between them to flick the ball away for a corner.

The sides went into the break with not a great deal of goal mouth action for either team.

Crewe came out for the second half with more energy and started on the front foot. Joel Tabiner drove forward from midfield and shot from 25 yards which whistled past Hewelt’s left hand post.

Agyei was next to try his luck when he picked the ball up on the right hand side, cut onto his left foot and curled an effort just past the far post.

On the hour mark, Hewelt was called into action to keep the deadlock unbroken. Finney was left unmarked at the back post inside the Tranmere box and his downwards header was kept out by the quick reactions of Hewelt’s feet.

Just after coming on as a substitute, Elliott Nevitt burst through on goal and just got to the ball before Richards before attempting to lift the ball over him but the keeper spread himself well to keep it out.

Nevitt wasn’t to be denied though and just five minutes later, he had his goal. Picking the ball up in a good position, he knocked the ball past McDonald and fired underneath Richards to give Rovers the initiative heading into the final 15 minutes.

Rovers nearly had a second just few minute later. Nolan played a neat pass through to Taylor, also making his full debut, who tried to poke it underneath the onrushing Richards in the Crewe goal but the keeper pounced on the ball to deny him.

As the four minutes of added time ticked away, Hewelt had to make one last smart save to preserve the win. Tabiner’s swerving drive was parried away by Hewelt before Agyei fired the rebound across the face of goal however he was offside regardless.

Rovers claimed all three points in Cheshire and will have to wait to see the outcome of Crewe against Leeds U21s to see their fate in the competition.

Tranmere team: Hewlett, Dacres-Cogley (O’Connor 45’), Hockenhull, Byrne, Jameson (Merrie 56’), Hughes, McAlear, Nolan, Lomax (Hawkes 66), Burton (Nevitt 66’), Taylor (Morris 85’)