Tranmere Rovers 5 Barrow AFC 1

TRANMERE advanced to the semi-final of the FA Trophy with a second-half master-class against shell-shocked Barrow.

The visitors took the lead early on through hot shot Jordan Williams before Michael Ihiekwe restored parity just past the half hour mark.

But after the break it was all Rovers as Cole Stockton hit a hat-trick and Andy Mangan scored a sumptuous free kick, leaving the Super White Army dreaming of Wembley.

Rovers, who face Forrest Green Rovers in league action on Tuesday night, will play either Dulwich Hamlet or Macclesfield Town in the semis.

The two teams replay tomorrow evening for the right to face Tranmere.

The first leg will be away on Saturday, March 11. The second leg is at Prenton Park on Saturday, March 18.

As a result league fixtures against Dover and Torquay will now be rearranged.

The only black spot on Saturday was a suspected broken leg for Jake Kirby, adding to Tranmere's mounting injury issues.

With the midweek losses of Jack Dunn and star winger Ben Tollitt, Micky Mellon made four changes to the team that beat Boreham Wood and tweaked his formation.

Ritchie Sutton returned to form a back three with Steve McNulty and Ihiekwe, with fullbacks Lee Vaughan and Liam Ridehalgh pushing into midfield.

Andy Cook and James Norwood stepped down to the bench as Andy Mangan, Cole Stockton and Jake Kirby all came back in, to fashion a three-pronged attack.

McNulty was disposed in a dangerous position by Williams in the eighth minute but recovered to force a corner, which Rovers cleared.

But four minutes later Barrow took the lead when a flick on was collected by Williams, who rode the challenge of Ihiekwe before smashing the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Alex-Ray Harvey then sent a 25-yard effort just over the bar as the visitors tried to take advantage of unsettled Rovers.

A coming together between Kirby and Nick Anderton saw the Tranmere player come off much the worse, immediately signalling to the bench.

After lengthy treatment, he was stretchered off with what was later confirmed a broken leg, as Adam Mekki replaced him.

McNulty ended a run by Richie Bennett into the penalty area but the Barrow striker’s appeals for a penalty were dismissed.

Having failed to produce a shot on goal in the first half an hour, Rovers then equalised.

Barrow didn't deal with a corner from Jeff Hughes and Ihiekwe was on hand to volley home from six yards.

Another corner from Hughes caused bedlam in Jonathan Flatts' penalty area, as McNulty was twice denied in quick succession.

Mekki then pulled a shot wide from 30 yards, as Tranmere's young player of the year tried take the opportunity to push himself back into Mellon’s first team plans.

Rovers went onto the front foot early in the second half, with a shot from Stockton deflecting over and from the resultant Hughes corner, Sutton glanced a header just over.

A marauding run up field by Ihiekwe broke down and left Tranmere exposed on the break, as Hughes was forced to take a yellow card for the greater cause with a cynical challenge on Bennett.

Just before the hour mark Rovers took the lead with a brilliantly worked goal.

Lois Maynard drove through the middle of the park and flicked a ball wide for Vaughan.

Mangan side-footed his cross back across goal and with Flatt unable to intervene, Stockton was on hand to convert the simplest of tap-ins.

The Bluebirds responded with Harvey blazing a long-range shot over the bar but the same player ended up in the book after foiling a run from Mekki illegally.

Mekki dusted himself down to take the resultant free kick but his effort didn’t trouble Flatt in the Barrow goal.

Tranmere started to ramp up the pressure as they looked to secure their passage to the semi finals.

A beautiful cross from Mangan was missed by Stockton – running into the six-yard box – before the same player headed Mekki’s delicate reverse cross over the bar.

But he was not to be denied and when Flatt repelled Mangan’s fierce drive, Stockton stroked home the rebound to double Rovers’ advantage.

And that lead was rapidly increased as Rovers ran riot.

Mangan ended his lean spell with a sublime 25-yard free kick to make it four, before  Liam Ridehalgh was felled in the area by Luke Burke, leaving referee Scott Oldham with no choice but to award a penalty.

Regular spot kick taker Hughes intrusted Stockton to complete his hat-trick from 12 yards which he emphatically delivered, smashing the ball past Flatt into the net.

This was a spectacular second half performance from Rovers who are now just a two-legged semi final away from a trip to Wembley. How the long-suffering Prenton Park faithful would love that.

Tranmere's assistant manager Mike Jackson said: "We've said to all the players that an opportunity will come and if you're not ready for it you'll miss your chance. The lads who've come in today have all contributed.

"Performances have been good and steady but we've not been finishing our chances off. Today we did.

"There were some great goals in there.

"We've been saying between ourselves if these chances start going in there is four or five goals a game.

"We've got to keep creating them and as long as we do that I'm confident that the lads will score.

"We say to the group, you've been brought here to play. not to keep us company. We want you all to play and deliver on it.

"That's the way they’ve been coached ever since we came in."

Match stats

Tranmere Rovers 5 (Ihiekwe 32, Stockton 58, 72, 83, Mangan 80)

Barrow 1 (Williams 12)

Half-time: 1-1

Star man: Cole Stockton (Tranmere Striker)

Attendance: 3,487

Entertainment: 4/5

Ref rating: Scott Oldham (7/10) Tranmere (3-4-3): Davies 7; Sutton 7, McNulty 7, Ihiekwe 7; Vaughan 8, Hughes 9, Maynard 9, Ridehalgh 7; Kirby 6 (Mekki 25, 8), Stockton 9, Mangan 8.

Subs not used: Turner, Jennings, Cook, Norwood Barrow (3-5-2): Flatt 6; Rowe 6, Livesey 6, Diarra 8; Burke 6, Turnbull 6, Thomas 6 (Tuton 77, 5), Harvey 6, Anderton 6; Williams 7, Bennett 6

Subs not used: Hannah, Panayiotou, Hughes, Platt