TRANMERE Rovers' manager Gary Brabin was frustrated that his side didn't take all three points from their away fixture at FC Halifax Town.

The squad picked up a point from a 1-1 draw at the MBi Shay Stadium on Saturday, but Brabin felt it could have been more.

Although disappointed, he was pleased with his team's defending and said the base is there to start moving back up the league table.

James Norwood opened the scoring on 40 minutes before a Ncky Wroe equaliser ensured the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw.

The first effort fell to the home side as the ball pin-balled around the penalty area before Hamza Bencherif swung his right foot at it but his shot went well wide of the target.

On eight minutes, Rovers hit the woodwork, as Gary Taylor-Fletcher burst into the penalty area and the ball ricocheted into Adam Mekki's path whose shot bounced back off the post.

Rovers created other early chances with Mekki and Lois Maynard, against his former club, both forcing Halifax goalkeeper Sam Johnson into smart saves in the opening 20 minutes.

Tranmere finally made the mark on the scoresheet five minutes before the break as Norwood picked up the ball on the left and drilled the ball past Johnson into the roof of the net with his left foot for his 10th of the season.

Halifax equalised on 44 minutes as a thunderous shot from Nicky Wroe from 25 yards went in off the underside of the crossbar as the sides went in at the break with the scores level.

Rovers made a change at half time with Liam Ridehalgh replaced by Ritchie Sutton with Vaughan shuffling to left back.

It was Norwood again who had a chance on 80 minutes as Ben Tomlinson's cross from the right found the striker who put it wide from 12 yards.

In the final minute of normal time, substitute Ben Tomlinson drove forward down the right and unleashed a powerful low strike which struck the far post and bounced back out in what was the final action of the game.

Brabin said after the game: "We put on a good performance and we have a striker in form in James Norwood who looks a real threat and is enjoying his football.

"We hit the post through Adam Mekki, Ben Tomlinson came on and hit the post and their 'keeper has made some good saves.

"It was a performance that I thought we deserved three points from."

On his squad’s performance, Brabin said: "We defended really well, we restricted them to one shot on goal, unfortunately it was a world class goal.

"We looked more solid as a defensive unit and we created chances and always looked like scoring so there were a lot of positives to take from today.

"We just need to rebuild that confidence. We're not a million miles away.

“If we defend like that and with the threat up front, going forward we're confident we'll be winning matches."

Rovers face Macclesfield in an away match on Boxing Day and Altrincham at Prenton Park on Monday, both games start at 3pm.