Tranmere and Harrogate share spoils in entertaining draw at Prenton Park

Tranmere hosted Harrogate yesterday evening in their latest fixture in the 2022/23 League Two season.

Ahead of the game, caretaker manager Ian Dawes said, “The players are ready and it’s a big game for us against Harrogate who will test how we play because they will get after us. We’ll have to be at our best to go and beat them.

“The way I see it, you’re wearing a Tranmere kit and your motivation needs to be to win for the Club. They’re the demands that the fans have, the staff have, the owners have, and the Club have. “

Match Report: Tranmere Rovers v Harrogate Town

Tranmere Rovers 1	v	1 Harrogate Town
Oxley (36′ og)	Goals	Armstrong (4′)
	Assists	Thomson (4′)
	HT 1-1

In one of the most entertaining matches at Prenton Park recently, the spoils were shared as Tranmere and visitors Harrogate drew 1-1. 

Harrogate injected impetus straight from the off, pacing forward and getting a shot off within the opening twenty seconds.

Kazeem Olaigbe laid off Dannty Grant who spotted an opportunity to strike and he did, but the boot of Tom Davies thwarted the visitors on that occasion.

This proved to be a sign of things to come, as only several minutes later, the Yorkshire outfit drew first blood.

The pace of the Harrogate attack proved arduous for the Tranmere defence to deal with, and a venomous ball swung in from the right was met by the trailing leg of Luke Armstrong, who just beat his marker to the ball in the area. Armstrong’s strike flew past a hapless Mateusz Hewelt who could only stare in despair as the ball flew into the net.

Tranmere’s reaction to going a goal down was to venture forward and attack, but nothing of note came until around the half hour mark, as a looping Harvey Saunders header didn’t trouble the goal a great deal.

Armstrong seemed to be posing Harrogate’s biggest threat, with many shots by the visitor’s 29 were valiantly blocked.

Out of nothing it seemed, Tranmere drew back on level terms through a free-kick.

Fresh off returning from his loan spell at Chester, Rhys Hughes curled the ball over the wall, which cannoned off the underside of the post, before bouncing off the back of the unfortunate Mark Oxley’s head and drifting in, bringing Rovers level.

This seemed to lift Tranmere. However, despite the ball being in their half and many balls being hauled into the box, nothing of note materialised as the scores were level at the break.

On his return to the Rovers squad due to the unfortunate injury of Joe Murphy, the Polish Mateusz Hewelt was called into action early in the second half, in what was rare action on both teams’ targets.

Kazeem Olaigbe’s low drive towards the near post warmed Hewelt’s gloves before Luke Armtrong beat the Tranmere ‘keeper with his slot across goal, but his strike trickled past the post.

Tranmere urgency was upped and authoritative efforts were swung desperately at Mark Oxley’s abode, as a Jordan Turnbull poke goalwards was thwarted on the line before Mumbongo’s firm effort was denied by Oxley.

Harrogate couldn’t have had a better opportunity to regain their lead, but Hewelt in the Rovers net made his body big and produced another magnificent stop. 

A free-kick was laid off to the edge of the box into the path of Kazeem Olaigbe, who thundered the palms of Hewelt which was swiftly followed up by Jack Muldoon, who was identically thwarted by the returning Pole.

Hewelt was forced to grip onto another Harrogate chance, this time keeping out Olaigbe’s pivot from the edge of the area.

The substitution of Kane Hemmings, returning to the Tranmere side after many weeks on the sidelines, almost proved to be an inspired one, with him gathering the ball deep into Tranmere’s final third and driving forward. Unfortunately, his end product never matched his build-up play as the effort trickled wide.

As time ticked out, both sides needed to deal their final trick up their sleeves, and both had late efforts to win the game.

For Tranmere, a gaping ball placed into dangerous territory in the box was just about met, but then safety was restored as Harrogate averted the danger with a clearance.

The visitor’s most potent threat seemed to be coming from Kazeem Olaigbe, but his drive was denied by Hewelt, with the Polish shot-stopper making an impression on his Tranmere return.

Tranmere visit Carlisle United for a 3pm kick off on Friday 7 April in their next game of the 2022/23 League Two season.

Match Highlights

Gallery

Credit: Tony Coombes

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Fans’ Twitter Reaction

Post Match Interview

Line-ups

League Table

League 2 season attendance

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