TRANMERE ROVERS............1

BURTON ALBION................4

(Att: 5,390)

TRANMERE were left counting the cost of an eighth home league defeat of the season as top of the table Burton Albion bolstered their League Two title bid with a 1-4 victory at Prenton Park.

Rovers stayed out of the relegation places due to Cheltenham's 1-2 defeat by Exeter City.

Micky Adams made three changes to the side which beat Cambridge on Tuesday night.

Steve Jennings missed out through suspension while Josh Thompson and Danny Gardner were absent due to injury. Adam Dugdale, Rory Donnelly and Jordan Hugill came in to replace them.

Burton boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink named two former Tranmere players in his starting line-up in the form of Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Lucas Akins.

Damien McCrory put the visitors ahead with a left-foot shot and Lucas Akins' tap-in doubled the lead.

A 25-yard volley from Kayode Odejayi gave Tranmere a lifeline and a foul on the striker handed them a penalty.

But Jon McLaughlin kept out Max Power's spot kick before Nasser El Khayati's clinical strike and Adam Dugdale's own-goal made sure of the Brewers' win.


The Brewers took the lead on 18 minutes. Akins crossed from the right with the ball was flicked on by Stuart Beavon to Damien McCrory, who fired home from 15 yards.

They doubled the lead four minutes later as former Rovers winger Akins received the ball 12 yards out and although Fon Williams saved his initial effort, he turned home the rebound to make it 2-0.

Rovers pulled a goal back on 35 minutes when Jennison Myrie-Williams flicked the ball forward to Odejayi who blasted it into the top corner of the net on the volley.

Tranmere made a change at the start of the second half with Lee Molyneux replacing Jordan Hugill.

Rovers were given a chance to equalise on 58 minutes after Odejayi was fouled in the penalty area by John Mousinho.

Max Power stepped up, but keeper Jon McLaughlin flung himself to his left and saved.

The visitors restored their two-goal advantage on 72 minutes as Akins laid the ball to Adnenasser El Khayati, who steered it nto the net.

In the final minute of normal time, Burton's victory was complete as Akins was played clear down the right and his low cross was turned into his own goal by Adam Dugdale.

Adams said: "You look at the scoreline and you'd think that they have battered us, but I don't think that was the case.

"There were key moments in the game that could have altered the scoreline.

"I felt that the ball was out for their first goal and obviously the penalty miss were defining moments.

"We were well on top in the second half, I was really pleased with the effort at the start.

"We got the penalty, and if it goes in, it changes the game, but we certainly had momentum then."

He added, "If you look at the [remaining] fixtures, I still feel that we can go anywhere and cause any team problems.

"We probably need four wins from the last eight games, so it's going to be tough.

"We know it's a game next week that we have to show up to and stand up and be counted and produce our best if we can and get that win."

Rovers will host 12th-placed AFC Wimbledon at Prenton Park next Saturday.