Tranmere Rovers.......1

Dover Athletic............0

SUPER-sub Cole Stockton's bullet header pushed Tranmere up to second in the National League – behind Lincoln City only on goal difference – in a hard-fought victory over Dover at Prenton Park.

But Rovers only collected three points after incredibly missing a third penalty in as many matches – this time courtesy of James Norwood.

Micky Mellon made one change to the side that overcame Braintree Town on Saturday with Adam Buxton coming in for injured centre back Ritchie Sutton.

New loan signing Aaron Collins was on the bench for the second game running but again, there was no space for recent signing Érico Sousa.

Backed by the reverberations of fierce drummers in the Kop, the early exchanges were largely uneventful until Joe Healy blasted the first shot of match wide for the visitors in the 13th minute.

A deep cross from Liam Ridehalgh was met at the far post by Andy Cook, but his first time volley could only bounce into the side netting.

The same duo combined in similar fashion five minutes later – this time Cook’s bullet header was diverted just over the bar.

When Moses Emmanuel went to ground in the penalty area after evading Steve McNulty, Dover were convinced that they should have had a penalty, but the referee waved the claims away.

Norwood got his first sighter in the 25th minute, cutting in from the right channel before curling a left foot effort over the bar.

A committed slide tackle from Lee Vaughan ignited a promising attack for Rovers just past the half hour mark, but Jeff Hughes' radar malfunctioned at the crucial moment, sending his delivery high over the crossbar.

The best chance of the first half for Dover arrived on 38 minutes, when Miller evaded Michael Ihiekwe and unleashed a thunderbolt from 20 yards that Scott Davies could only tip onto the bar.

Richard Orlu headed wide from the resultant corner, as Athletic demonstrated their threat.

In first-half injury time, Emmanuel flashed the ball across Tranmere's six yard box, but to the relief of the Rovers' defence there was no Dover player on hand to turn the ball home.

Almost straight from the restart Cook made a lung-busting run up field forcing a near post save out of the legs of Mitch Walker.

In the 50th minute Tranmere were awarded their third penalty in a week when Connor Jennings was flattended by Louis Fazackerley.

With Hughes having missed the last two, the responsibility returned to Norwood, but his spot kick was saved by the legs of Walker, handing Tranmere the unwanted feat of having missed three penalties in three consecutive matches.

Moments later Tranmere had another penalty appeal waved away, when Norwood was upended by Walker, but given the spot kick disasters that have unfolded over the last week, few in the crowd complained.

With Cook cautioned in the first half and the chances of him collecting a second yellow looking ever likely, he was replaced by Cole Stockton with over half an hour still to play.

A breakaway from Dover ended with Buxton blocked a left foot shot from Miller, before Hughes blasted one over at the other end.

Norwood’s fruitless evening was ended in the 63rd minute, as he was replaced by Andy Mangan – completing an overhaul of Mellon’s strike force.

That move paid dividends in the 68th minute, when a left foot cross from Ridehalgh was met at the far post by super sub Stockton, who smashed his header into the net, wheeling away in delight.

That goal immediately lifted the tension out of Prenton Park, sparking the Kop into full voice.

Mangan saw one effort deflected wide for a corner before Walker saved another one from Vaughan as Tranmere looked to put the result beyond doubt.

Dover pumped balls forward in the six minutes of time added on but Rovers were able to hang on to make it three wins on the spin and with rivals Lincoln conceding late on against Sutton United, the two sides head into the weekend’s fixtures locked at the top on 76 points.

Rovers' manager Micky Mellon said afterwards: "I loved every minute of it. It was a proper football match: a properly contested game at this time of the season.

"I was in no way surprised in the way that it went because we know how Dover play and they're not at that end of the table because they’re not very good at it – they're very good at it.

"They play a very different system to what you're used to and you've got to find a way of overcoming it and eventually the boys did, so I'm delighted.

"You must compete because the play man for man with you all over the pitch, with a sweeper.

"It's difficult to break down.

"You've got to find players isolated or get on a counter attack very quickly.

"We have a lot of respect for Dover.

"We worked very hard in making sure that we knew what we had to do in order to get that winning goal. We were delighted to see it going in.

"I want to talk about the atmosphere. It was fantastic.

"The guy with the drum has changed the whole place.

"Make sure that he comes again because it was as good an atmosphere as I’ve been involved in for quite some time".

Match stats:

Tranmere Rovers 1 (Stockton, 68) Dover Athletic 0

Half time: 0-0

Star man: Steve McNulty (Tranmere centre-back)

Attendance: 4,281

Entertainment: 2/5

Ref rating: Karl Evans (6/10)

Tranmere (3-4-1-2): Davies; Buxton, McNulty, Ihiekwe; Vaughan, Hughes, Harris, Ridehalgh; C Jennings (Mekki 90); Cook (Stockton 55), Norwood (Mangan 63).

Subs not used: Turner, Collins Dover (4-1-3-2): Walker; Essam, Orlu, Modeste (Lafayette 71), Miller, Fazackerley (Thomas 65), Grimes, Sterling, Emmanuel, Healy, Hurst (Magri 67).

Subs not used: Pinnock, Caton