FC Halifax Town 0 Tramere Rovers 2

HIGH-flying Tranmere secured second place in the table at FC Halifax Town but they will yet again have to find their way back into the Football League via the playoffs.

By the time Rovers' match in Yorkshire kicked off, they already knew that their slim hopes of nicking the National League title had been extinguished by Macclesfield's victory at Eastleigh.

But first half-strikes from prolific strikers Andy Cook and James Norwood comfortably clinched a six successive league win, which means the Whites will now contest a one-leg playoff semi-final at Prenton Park on Saturday, May 5.

Micky Mellon named an unchanged side from the one that picked up an impressive midweek victory at Dover, with Larnell Cole continuing on the right side of midfield.

Rovers wasted no time getting their noses in front.

A ball from Connor Jennings reached Cook and the National League's top scorer got the ball out from under his feet before powering it past Sam Johnson into the net.

The Halifax goalkeeper should have done better.

One goal nearly became two almost immediately, when James Norwood got the wrong side of the Shaymen’s defence on the very next attack, but he could only pull his shot wide.

A smart lay-off from Norwood set up Jennings on the edge of the box but his 20-yard driver deflected just wide of the post.

Ritchie Sutton then just failed to convert Jeff Hughes' cross at the far post, as Tranmere continued to dominate the contest.

Adam Buxton was replaced by Jay Harris in the 23rd minute, just as the full back was on his way to take a wide free kick.

Instead Hughes took it and Tranmere doubled their lead as the result when the Northern Irishman swung one in with his left foot allowing Norwood to flick home from six yards.

The hosts should have pulled one back when a good cross found Mike Fondop-Talom unmarked in the middle of the Rovers box, but his bullet header was straight at Scott Davies and Connor Thomson could only blaze the rebound wide.

Tranmere could have made it three just before half time when Cook stole the ball off Raheem Hanley and took it round the 'keeper only to his shot brilliantly blocked on the line by Scott McManus.

Rovers picked up where they left off after the break.

Norwood charged through the middle on 50 minutes, pulling a low drive just wide of the post.

Halifax were awarded a penalty just past the hour mark when Fondop-Talom was brought down in the box by Scott Davies.

But Davies was able to atone for his error when he saved Matty Kosylo's casual spot-kick – clipping it away with his trailing leg.

Thomson had another chance for the Shaymen with quarter of an hour remaining, but he could only shank his volley well wide from 10 yards out.

A corner from Hanley had to be glanced wide by Jennings, before Davies flicked a 25-yard free kick from Kosylo around the post, as Halifax tried to mount a comeback of sorts.

But in the end, Tranmere comfortably collected three points here without ever having to get out of second gear.

Their remaining league fixtures at home to Solihull Moors and Hartlepool United are now effectively dead-rubbers as they will now have to wait to discover who they will face in the playoff semi-final at Prenton Park.

The Super White Army will be frustrated that automatic promotion could not be achieved but they could not be heading into the playoffs in any better form and will be fully focused on a return to Wembley.

Micky Mellon said afterwards: “It's more important that we keep the focus. We keep talking about it all the time.

"The Macclesfield result had no baring on how I wanted us to perform today. That’s the truth. That’s what I’ve always said.

“This is Tranmere. The size of the support that we've got here today deserved for us to go out and be focused and do the things that we needed to do to get a good result. We managed to do that on a lovely sunny afternoon.

“To be fair I think we could’ve had a few more. If we could have got that third it would have been the end but then we gave away a penalty kick and Scott makes a great save.,

“But we did have a number of chances that on another day we would be really disappointed that we don’t take.

“(Cook and Norwood) are different class. I’m just pleased that the play for us. A club like Tranmere should have strikers like them.”

Match stats:

FC Halifax Town 0

Tranmere Rovers 2 (Cook 5, Norwood 23) 

Half-time: 0-2

Referee: Matthew Donohue - 8/10

Attendance: 3,113

Match rating 2/5

Star man: Jeff Hughes (Tranmere midfielder).

FC Halifax Town: (4-4-2): Johnson, Duckworth, Graham, Maher (Oliver 86), McManus, Hotte (Hibbs 37), Collins, Kosylo, Thomson (Hanson 80), Fondop-Talom, Hanley. 

Subs not used: Nicholson, Tuton

Tranmere: (4-4-2): Davies; Buxton (Harris 22), McNulty, Sutton, Ridehalgh; Cole (Ginnelly 60), Hughes, Norburn, Jennings; Cook (Mangan 74), Norwood.

Subs not used: Taylor, Monthe