PRIDE OF WIRRAL

(Attendance: 74, 313)

GALLANT Tranmere Rovers brought the curtain down on their truly amazing cup heroics of this season with the sort of fighting display which came oh so close to causing one of football's sensational results in a highly entertaining Worthington Cup Final at Wembley, on Sunday.

The indomitable spirit which swept the Wirral club to their first ever appearance in a major cup final was never more encapsulated than when they found themselves with their backs to the wall following the 63rd minute dismissal of central defender Clint Hill for a rather innocuous-looking challenge on England international striker Emile Heskey.

Hill, though, could have few complaints. He received a yellow card from match referee Alan Wilkie after only nine minutes for a challenge on Leicester's Stefan Oakes which was as crude as it was late.

His dismissal, by substitute official Phil Richards, just six minutes after he had taken over from Mr Wilkie, stretchered off with a calf injury, was almost inevitable. The official, however, could perhaps be criticised for not showing a second yellow card, opting instead for a straight red for a challenge that did not deserve it.

Already a goal down and reduced to 10 men, the outlook seemed bleak for the Nationwide League Division One underdogs. But, as is so often the case, Rovers dug deep into their apparently bottomless reservoir of resources and gave Martin O'Neill's Premier League side a real run for their money.

Some 30,000 Tranmere fans - five times the average 6,000 'gate' at Prenton Park - were sent into raptures as Rovers not only matched their superior opponents' attacking flair, without sacrificing caution to the wind, but actually had the nerve to equalise 12 minutes from time - and threaten, momentarily, to turn the game on its head!

Even after Leicester had regained the lead just three minutes later, Tranmere simply refused to lie down and in a storming finish, which brought them four successive corners, only a wonder save by veteran England goalkeeper Tim Flowers prevented Scott Taylor's last gasp header from forcing extra time.

Leicester got their hands on the silverware, but Tranmere earned the plaudits with a performance which must surely have impressed all neutral observers throughout the world watching the match live on television. They certainly put Wirral on the world stage!

Rovers' contribution to an exciting final should not be underestimated. While not a footballing classic, it was fast, open and laced with plenty of thrills.

The drama started even as the managers proudly led their teams out of the tunnel to be greeted to a cacophony of ear-splitting sound from supporters in the Venue of Legends.

John Aldridge, accompanied by mascot Trevor Goodwin - what a day for that 11-year-old to remember! - and opposite number Martin O'Neill steered their teams through a blanket of fireworks smoke to a thunderous welcome.

What a contrast some minutes later as the players stood around the centre circle for a minute's silence in memory of a player whose exceptional skills once set Wembley alight - Sir Stanley Matthews, who died last week.

The tribute was observed with impeccable respect.

Nineteen-year-old Joe Murphy, who returned to the Tranmere side in the previous week's FA Cup quarter final defeat at home to Newcastle United, kept the goalkeeper's jersey in preference to Dutchman John Achterberg.

The teenager, tipped by Mr Aldridge to go straight to the top, showed his cool temperament in only the fourth minute, when he safely gathered a corner from Taggert.

A minute later, Dave Challinor had his first opportunity to demonstrate his amazing throwing ability - the longest in the world - and promptly drew a chorus of boos and jeers from the Leicester fans who occupied the tunnel end. The Leicester defence, which coped adequately with the threat all afternoon, cleared the danger, but immediately Rovers swarmed back onto the attack and skipper for the day David Kelly completed a great run on the right with a shot which Flowers saved at the foot of his near post.

Tranmere, full of purpose and running, did put the ball in the Leicester net after 13 minutes, when pint-sized Alan Mahon, an inspiration in midfield, threaded the ball through to Taylor. His slid the ball under the advancing Flowers for Kelly to tap home, but the celebrations were shortlived because of an offside decision.

Rovers should, however, have taken the lead five minutes later when Taylor, again put through by Mahon, had a clear scoring chance. But with only Flowers to beat, he could only send the ball high over the bar. An opportunity he, and Rovers, would later rue . . .

Leicester, like Newcastle, always seemed capable of moving up a gear or two, but Tranmere, to their credit, worked hard to close them down and Challinor and Hill, at the back, were in dominant form.

Rovers, though, found themselves a goal behind after 29 minutes. A corner conceded by Taylor was floated into the box by Guppy and Matt Elliott, who had drawn Challinor out of position, sent a free header thudding against the underside of the bar past a despairing Murphy. The ball dropped to the ground and spun into the net.

Leicester held the upperhand until the interval and Hill was fortunate to stay on the pitch after a 43rd minute challenge which upended Heskey, who was closing in on goal. The free-kick presented Lennon with a shooting chance which flew just over the bar.

Hill's luck ran out in the 63rd minute and the player had hardly completed the long, lonely walk to the tunnel when Tranmere brought on defender Steve Yates, in place of striker Andy Parkinson, to plug the gap at the back.

Rovers immediately came under heavy Leicester pressure as they reorganised, but with Mahon prompting splendidly in midfield they were soon on the offensive and giving Leicester cause for concern.

Mahon waltzed past two Leicester players to set up the ever-industrious Gary Jones for a shot which was deflected for a corner.

Then Kelly appeared to be tripped as he bore down on goal, but Mr Richards dismissed the player's appeals.

At the other end, Challinor was booked for a foul on Izzett. Lennon's free-kick went to Guppy, whose cross resulted in Elliott's shot from just outside the box being well gathered by Murphy.

Back stormed Rovers and Kelly's pass set Mahon off on a determined run from the halfway line to the edge of the Leicester box before hitting a low shot which had Flowers scurrying across his line to see the ball go wide of the far post.

Tranmere's efforts were justly rewarded in the 78th minute. Gareth Roberts' free-kick was flicked down by Jones to Kelly on the left of the box. He beat off the challenge of two defenders to let fly a low left-foot shot which beat Flowers at his near post - and the Tranmere supporters gathered behind the goal erupted.

Kelly raced off to celebrate with them, Aldo, arms raised, jumped and danced in the air and one group of Tranmere fans somehow produced a printed banner proclaiming: "You Only Need 10 Men".

With the deliriously happy Rovers 'army' on the terraces taunting their opposite numbers with a chorus of "You're Not Singing Any More", it seemed that Tranmere might, just might, be on the verge of pulling off a cup shock.

They tore into Leicester with renewed vigour, but The Foxes refused to panic and just three minutes later they forced Roberts into conceding a fateful corner.

Guppy again floated the ball over and Elliott again lost his marker to send another powerful header, this time into the corner of the net.

Rovers almost conceded a third goal soon afterwards. Leicester broke quickly from a Tranmere corner and Murphy did well to get a hand to Izzett's shot. The rebound fell to Lennon, but with the goal at his mercy he shot wide.

In the closing minutes, Tranmere had Leicester on the backfoot and they gained four consecutive corners before Flowers intervened.

Taylor's agony, when his header clipped the bar in the final seconds of injury time, was the final irony for Tranmere.

They may have lost a cup final, but, my, how they won the hearts and minds of so many.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.