REND IN THE END IS JUST TOO HOT
BIRTHDAY boy Scott Rendell gave Aldershot Town the best possible late present with a 95thminute winner to cap a superb second-half.
The 31-year-old got the slightest of touches on Jim Kellermann’s teasing, inswinging cross deep into time added on for Rovers’ delaying tactics as a resurgent Shots snatched all three points at the death.
Steve McNulty had given Tranmere an early lead but Gary Waddock’s side roared back in the second period and the veteran striker notched his second goal in consecutive games.
“What a fantastic comeback,” suggested Waddock, who was perhaps the calmest man in the stadium in admitting: “We were on the front foot and I felt quite comfortable.
“I thought we dominated in the second half and I’m a big believer that you have to keep going right until the end. I could see us scoring and I could see us getting the second as well.
“We want winners here, and that’s what we showed today,” he continued of the spirit and will to win which shone through for the hosts. “They’ve got ability but need to be consistent.”
A windswept first half with a blustery breeze at Rovers’ backs, yielded scant few chances as both sides struggled for space amidst a congested midfield.
Aside from a long-range Bernard Mensah shot which was charged down, the first sniff of a chance gave the visitors a 17th minute lead. Dylan Mottley-Henry won a corner down the right and Jeff Hughes’ deep delivery was nodded into the net by McNulty, who appeared to know very little about it.
Mensah fired into the sidenetting from 15 yards after Kellermann and Robert hurried an error from the Rovers’ midfield, but the Shots largely laboured to little effect. Scott Davies was forced into a slightly awkward save as Robert’s drive, in first-half stoppage time, swerved in front of him, but Aldershot found greater tempo and creativity in the second-half.
Perhaps crucially, a rash of bookings included Jay Harris, who had hitherto been a tigerish presence in midfield, and steadily the Shots mustered a head of steam which resulted in a succession of corners but still frustratingly few opportunities. Robert’s header was cleared off the line by Jay McEveley but, with both managers responding to tactical switches with changes of their own, Tranmere seemed set to frustrate their hosts.
“We knew that we were facing the wind in the secondhalf but we didn’t seem to adapt,” lamented Micky Mellon, who conceded that the hosts deserved the victory. “There were too many balls coming into our box and we probably didn’t have enough quality going forward, which is unlike us.”
Adam McDonnell, Cheye Alexander, Kellermann and Robert all had efforts blocked by the stoic Rovers’ defence, but one rare mistake from McNulty gave the Shots a glimmer of hope as a rainbow appeared over the East Bank end which they were attacking.
His mis-judged header, in attempting to clear James Rowe’s cross, invited Robert to pounce and fire in a shot which was deflected past Davies.
The Rovers keeper had to smother Kellermann’s shot at the end of a quick interchange of passes on the edge of the box, but the midfielder’s crucial delivery was perfectly placed towards the far post on 85 minutes.
Rendell claimed that the ball brushed his cheekbone on its way into the corner of the net but few home fans were analysing the details as they claimed a vital victory which provides a timely boost to their flagging home form.