Tranmere Rovers recorded back to back victories with a 2-1 win against Accrington Stanley in the first round of the FA Cup at Prenton Park.
Goals from Corey Blackett-Taylor and Peter Clarke sealed Rovers’ place into the next round after victory against higher league opposition.
Tranmere named an unchanged line up from the win at Harrogate Town with Corey-Blackett-Taylor and James Vaughan leading the line for the Whites.
Unfortunately, Paul Lewis’ game came to a premature end with a hamstring injury it seemed, as match winner from Tuesday, Otis Khan entering the fray with seven minutes on the clock.
An absolute stunning goal from Blackett-Taylor put Rovers a goal to the good in the 12th minute.
Tranmere hit Accrington on the counter, as Jay Spearing found Khan on the half way line. The midfielder played the ball to Blackett-Taylor and he did the rest, as he breezed past three Accrington defenders from right to left, and struck the ball into the bottom left hand corner.
Accrington created a couple of goal scoring opportunities, the best in the first 20 was a header from Ross Sykes after a free-kick but it was wide of Scott Davies’ post.
Khan nearly made it two in two from the bench as a cross from Kieron Morris but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Against the run of play, Accrington equalised as a lovely cross from Michael Nottingham was met by Colby Bishop who made a great save, but the Stanley man followed up to equalise.
The Lancashire side’s goal didn’t dampen TRFC’s spirit, and Liam Feeney ran 40 plus yards to deliver an excellent cross from the left for Vaughan but was an inch away from connecting.
Tranmere nearly regained their lead just before half time, as Morris clipped the bar with a powerful strike after a misplaced pass by the goalkeeper.
Into the second half, with 51 minutes on Graham Salisbury’s clock, Liam Ridehalgh headed wide from a corner.
Michael Nottingham, who set up Accrington’s equaliser, hit the inside of the post with a tremendous 25-yard strike as the visitors looked to turn the game around.
Tranmere’s second change came in the hour, as Blackett-Taylor, who was making only his third start of the season, was replaced by Kaiyne Woolery.
A lovely move from Tranmere as Woolery scooped a header into Khan’s path, and the former Mansfield man hit the target, but Chelsea loanee keeper Nathan Baxter parried away.
A wonderful save from Davies as he clawed the ball away from the top corner after Accrington dangerman Joey Pritchard aimed the ball to the top right from inside the penalty area.
Baxter had no idea what was happening but he was in the right place as Peter Clarke’s header in the six yard box was saved by the keeper from a Feeney cross.
However, from the resulting corner, the pair combined again and this time, Clarke’s header hit the back of the net, a fantastic header and his second goal of the campaign.
Tranmere progressed to the second round of the competition with victory over higher league opposition. The next game is on Wednesday night at home to Wigan Athletic in the Papa John’s Trophy, 6.30pm kick-off. The game will be live on iFollow, so please CLICK HERE to subscribe. A reminder, season ticket holders do not get the game for free, the cost for all is £10.
The first round FA Cup match report is sponsored by MAIN.
Tranmere: Davies, O’Connor, Clarke, Monthe, Ridehalgh, Spearing, Lewis (Khan 6), Morris (Banks 90), Feeney, Blackett-Taylor (Woolery 60), Vaughan. Unused subs: Murphy, Nelson, Smith, Young.