Tranmere Rovers off to Wembley

BRILLIANT Tranmere are going to Wembley for the third successive season after edging past 10-man Forest Green Rovers in the League Two play-off semi-final.

The Green Devils took the lead early on through Joseph Mills but James Norwood scored his 32nd goal of the season to pull the match level and having won the first leg 1-0, regain the lead in the tie.

On a night of high tension, Forest Green had Carl Winchester sent off in the second half after picking up two yellow cards and from thereon Rovers held firm to book yet another trip to the national stadium.

There they will meet Newport County who beat Mansfield Town via penalties on Sunday night.

The winner will be promoted to League One.

Micky Mellon named the same starting XI that secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg at Prenton Park.

Forest Green took the lead and pulled the tie level when captain Joseph Mills headed home an in-swinging freekick from Junior Mondal.

Goalkeeper Scott Davies will have been very disappointed to let it sneak in.

It wasn't until the 23rd minute that Tranmere finally managed a shot on goal but Ollie Banks’ low 25-yard effort was comfortably held by Lewis Ward.

The Whites took back control of the tie in the 26th minute when talisman Norwood showed why supporters are so desperate for him to sign a new contract, slamming home a sumptuous volley from 12 yards out, after Keiron Morris had flicked on David Perkins’ cross.

That goal rejuvenated Tranmere who had started with a degree of hesitancy.

A shot from Dayle Grubb was held by Davies, restoring the ‘keeper’s confidence from his earlier mistake.

Liam Ridehalgh had to put the afterburners on to prevent Mondal from running on to a long ball over the top, denying him the chance with a last-ditch clearance.

The visitors had a chance to extend their lead just after the break when Morris' in-swinging freekick was inches away from the head of Sid Nelson.

Green Devils substitute George Williams then tried his luck with a 30-yard free kick but pulled it well wide.

Connor Jennings used his strength to create a shooting opportunity for himself but it was blocked by Nathan McGinley.

The hosts were working hard to create themselves a shooting opportunity, but when one finally fell to Winchester on the edge of the box, he could only fade it wide.

When Morris intercepted a loose pass on the edge of the box he cracked a wicked 20-yard strike that curled just over the bar.

That was his last involvement as he was withdrawn with 25 minutes remaining for Harvey Gilmour.

Forest Green were then reduced to 10 men when Winchester fouled Norwood as he was running towards goal and having already picked up a yellow card, he became the second Green Devils player to be sent off over the two legs of this tie.

With the hosts depleted, Tranmere tried to press home their advantage.

A header from Manny Monthe was desperately cleared off the line by Farrend Rawson, before Ridehalgh rocketed a 25-yarder over the bar.

Jennings saw another drilled effort held by Ward as the game moved into the final 10 minutes.

Norwood flashed one over late on before Rovers tried to kill the game in the corners and despite five minutes of injury time, they succeeded prompting a mass pitch invasion from the travelling supporters.

That Tranmere, who so miserable dropped into non-league obscurity only four years ago, are now just one match away from a return to League One is nothing short of miraculous.

The trip to the moon is firmly on!

Rovers manager Micky Mellon said: "It's fantastic that we get to the last stages of the playoffs, contesting the last place in the division.

"We'll enjoy this evening because you have to enjoy getting to Wembley. It’s every players’, fan’s, club’s dream to go there.

"But we will get them prepared and we’ll get them ready to go again to try and gain the next place out of the division. We’ll enjoy it but we’ll very quickly go back to work next week.

"We’re quite experienced at being in these kinds of environments.

"We'd spoken about it and said, look let’s not let anything affect us. We’ll just keep plugging away at what we do as a group.

"The reason that we’re here at this stage of the season is because we’ve got and awful lot right so just continue to do that.

"It was an unbelievable goal. A fantastic goal.

"I was just delighted to see it go in."

Match stats:

Forest Green Rovers 1 (Mills, 12) 

Tranmere Rovers 1 (2) (Norwood 26)

Half-time: 1-1 (1-2 aggregate)

Referee: Eddie Ilderton Attendance: 4,492

Star man: James Norwood (Tranmere forward)

Match rating: 3/5

Forest Green (4-5-1): Ward, Shephard, Collins (McCoulsky 83), Rawson, Winchester, Grubb (James 69), Doidge, Brown, McGinley, Mills, Mondal (Williams 46) Forest Green subs: Montgomery, Pearce, Digby, Gowin-Malife

Tranmere team (4-5-1): Davies, Caprice, Nelson, Monthe, Ridehalgh, Morris (Gilmour 65), Harris, Banks, Perkins, Jennings, Norwood Tranmere subs: Pilling, Buxton, McNulty, Mullin, Dagnall