Tranmere Rovers lost 2-0 at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday afternoon.
Crewe had the first chance of the game when Shilow Tracey cut inside from the left, but Luke McGee produced a typically strong save.
The hosts opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Mickey Demetriou headed in from a free-kick.
Harvey Saunders had a great chance for Rovers with a shot from the edge of the box ten minutes later but Harvey Davies produced a fine save down low.
Rovers sustained a period of pressure as the half wore on but the hosts manage to absorb it and see out any danger.
Davies was forced to tip away a goalbound cross from Lee O’Connor on the stroke of half time as Tranmere continued to push, but we eventually went into the break one down.
Luke McGee was sent off three minutes into the second half for a handball outside the box to prevent a goal as Courtney Baker-Richardson attempted to chip the ball over him, with Joe Murphy coming on in goal replacing Kieron Morris.
Crewe scored from the resulting free-kick, Chris Long doubling their lead.
Connor Jennings struck the bar on 67 minutes with an effort from range, just before Kristian Dennis entered the fray in place of Charlie Jolley.
Rovers continued to push, Connor Wood and Dennis trying their luck from range, before Connor Jennings headed at goal from a corner and saw his effort cleared off the line.
Thirteen minutes of added time saw Tranmere hit the bar again through a Harvey Saunders header and Tom Davies receive a second yellow card reducing Rovers to nine men, before the hosts came away with the points.
Crewe Alexandra: Harvey Davies, Rio Adebisi (Finney, 67), Zac Williams, Mickey Demetriou, Luke Offord (C), Chris Long (Nevitt, 71), Courtney Baker-Richardson, Shilow Tracey (Lunt, 90), Joel Tabiner, Jack Powell, Joe White (Rowe, 71).
Subs: Tom Booth, Ryan Cooney, Charlie Colkett, Owen Lunt, Elliott Nevitt, Aaron Rowe, Charlie Finney.
Tranmere Rovers: Luke McGee, Lee O’Connor, Tom Davies (C), Kieron Morris, Regan Hendry, Josh Hawkes (Apter, 85), Charlie Jolley (Dennis, 67), Connor Jennings, Joe Yarney, Connor Wood.
Subs: Joe Murphy, Brad Walker, Kristian Dennis, Sam Taylor, Rob Apter, Jean Belehouan, Joe Starbuck.
Attendance: 5826