Former Tranmere Rovers defender Gareth Roberts is delighted with his old Club’s promotion up to Sky Bet League One after Saturday afternoon’s Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final 1-0 extra-time victory against Newport County at Wembley Stadium.
Connor Jennings proved to be the match-winner as he headed Jake Caprice’s cross from the right beyond goalkeeper Joe Day after 119 minutes of action to seal a third-tier return for Micky Mellon’s men.
In 90 minutes of goalless stalemate under the arch, a Final which saw Michael Flynn’s Exiles reduced to 10-men after captain Mark O’Brien was dismissed by referee Ross Joyce for a foul on James Norwood, the tight encounter in the capital looked to be heading for penalty kicks.
That was until an unmarked Jennings popped up to power Caprice’s inviting cross into the net from close-range in front of the SWA.
And Roberts, 41, who made 337 appearances for the Prenton Park Club between 1999-2006, hailed TRFC’s back-to-back achievement as they made it two in a row.
He said: “I watched the game, I watched it will all of the family, it was a fantastic day and it was fantastic result for the Club.
“I’m so pleased for Micky, the lads and the staff and for everyone involved at the Club.
“It’s an unbelievable achievement what they have done, and Micky and his current staff and players deserve so much credit for getting them into the league and getting them up again.
“It was a really close game, a really close day, I thought it had penalties written all over it but it was a fantastic ball by Caprice and a great header at the far post back across the goal by Connor.
“Tranmere have done it the right way, they can play football, they can mix it and it’s great and the lads have scored the goals, Nors has got 32 goals, Connor getting the winner yesterday with all that he has gone through is unbelievable really, everyone is on a high and roll on next season.
“Even when we went down to the Conference the fans were always there, we were getting 4,000, 5,000, 6,000 on and it goes to show the support was always there and the fans really deserved it.”