MELLON RUES ROVERS START
MICKY Mellon admitted his Tranmere side paid the price for a slow start as they were forced to settle for a frustrating draw at Sutton.
Mellon turned 50 on the eve of his side’s trip down to the capital, but his side were unable to lay on the perfect birthday present.
Rovers needed a second-half Josh Hawkes equaliser to secure a point at Gander Green Lane after defender Ben Goodliffe had put the hosts ahead.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t win the game in the end,” admitted Mellon.
“It was a game of two halves really. We didn’t start the game too well in the first half, but we performance much better in the second half.
“We had some good chances and I thought we should have won it. It’s frustrating that we’ve only got a point, but we need to move on now.
“We could have done a bit better with the goal, to concede from a set piece is always disappointing.
“We had some good momentum after winning a couple of games in a row so it was important not to lose against a team around us. I was pleased with the second half performance, but we need to start better.”
Defender Goodliffe opened the scoring for the hosts after only 15 minutes with his first goal since October.
But Sunderland loanee Hawkes hit his fifth of the campaign to ensure Mellon’s side made it three games without defeat.
Matt Gray’s U’s are now three points off the play-off pace after their third game without a win, and Rovers are fifth on goal difference after only two wins from their past eight outings.
The hosts started brightly in the London sunshine as Enzio Boldewijn’s header was cleared off the line early on.
But the early pressure paid off as Goodliffe headed home Boldewijn’s corner in the 15th minute, directing his effort into the bottom left-hand corner from the centre of the box.
Veteran shot-stopper Joe Murphy denied Sutton a second when he kept out Omar Bugiel.
Tranmere threatened in the second half and got their deserved equaliser with 22 minutes left as Hawkes poked home at the back post from six yards following Lee O’Connor’s cross.
Sutton slipped to ninth and manager Gray said: “It’s another good point. As I keep saying, if you can’t win, then you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose.
“It’s another game at home where we haven’t lost. It’s 16 games without losing here at home and that’s something we’re really proud of. I know we’ve drawn a lot of games of late, but we’re not far away.
“We started the game well and were good value for our lead at half-time. We could have gone in two up maybe, but we were pleased to be ahead. We didn’t really look like getting the second and then they scored.”