Tranmere salvage draw against Hartlepool

Tranmere hosted Hartlepool United this afternoon in their latest fixture in the 2022/23 League Two season.

Ahead of the game, Micky Mellon said, “I’ve always said it’s about trying to find that consistency in picking up points. We want to improve parts of our game, but I think getting clean sheets and results is something to build forward from because that’s what everyone wants, to win games and trying to hit a little run at this stage of the season would be great.

“We’ll take it step-by-step and one game after game and see where it takes us. 

“We try and pick a team that we think can get us a result, and the players in that team then use the qualities that they have in order to try and give us the chance of winning that game.

“We’ll have to be alert against Hartlepool this weekend but we’ll go and do what we have to do to try and win the game, and we will do that again on Saturday.”

Match Report: Tranmere Rovers v Hartlepool United

Tranmere Rovers 1 v 1 Hartlepool United
Hawkes (68′ pen)GoalsCooke (44′)
AssistsKemp (44′)
HT 0-1

Josh Hawkes’ penalty in the second half helped Tranmere Rovers salvage a 1-1 draw against Hartlepool United at Prenton Park.

The draw potentially earned a crucial point in Hartlepool’s efforts to evade relegation.

During the early stages of the game, Rovers had the upper hand, as Harvey Saunders and Josh Hawkes had promising chances to take the lead.

However, despite a well-timed ball from Chris Merrie over the visitors’ defence, Harvey Saunders was unable to convert his first-time shot, hitting it weakly and straight at goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, who kept Rovers from taking the lead inside the first 11 minutes.

However, just before half-time, it was the visitors who managed to take the lead with a goal from Callum Cooke.

Daniel Kemp delivered a lofted pass that found Cooke unmarked in the box, who cleverly chipped the ball with his right foot beyond Joe Murphy, slipping between Josh Dacres-Cogley and Tom Davies.

In the 68th minute, Tranmere was given a glimmer of hope when Harvey Saunders was brought down in the penalty box, leading to a penalty kick that Josh Hawkes confidently converted – marking his second successful spot-kick in a week.

Hawkes, who had scored the winner from a penalty in their previous match against Stevenage, powerfully struck the ball high into the top corner, hitting the crossbar before going in past the outstretched arms of Jakub Stolarczyk.

In the closing moments of the game, both teams had opportunities to secure all three points, but it was the visiting team who came closest to clinching victory. Daniel Kemp missed a crucial chance to win it for them, heading the ball wide despite having a clear shot at goal.

Tranmere visit Gillingham for a 3pm kick off on Saturday 15 March in their next game of the 2022/23 League Two season.

Match Highlights

Gallery

Credit: Tony Coombes

Fans’ Twitter Reaction



Post Match Interview

Line-ups

Tranmere Rovers – Formation 4-4-2
13 Joe Murphy GK
2 Josh Dacres-Cogley DF
3 Ethan Bristow DF
14 Jordan Turnbull DF
5 Tom Davies (C) DF
20 Brad Walker MF
6 Chris Merrie MF
24 Regan Hendry MF
11 Josh Hawkes MF
22 Paul Lewis FW
26 Harvey Saunders FW
Substitutes
23 Mateusz Hewelt SUB
18 Kyle Jameson SUB
4 Lee O’Connor SUB
33 Jay Turner-Cook SUB
27 Jake Burton SUB
19 Logan Chalmers SUB
25 Joel Mumbongo SUB

Manager
Micky Mellon

Match Officials
Referee:
James Oldham
Assistants: Alan Clayton and Marvyn Amphlett
Fourth official: Scott Simpson

Hartlepool United – Formation 3-5-2
41 Jakub Stolarczyk GK
15 Edon Pruti DF
5 Euan Murray DF
35 Taylor Foran DF
2 Jamie Sterry MF
3 David Ferguson (C) MF
20 Mohamad Sylla MF
40 Daniel Kemp MF
10 Callum Cooke MF
36 Connor Jennings FW
19 Jack Hamilton FW
Substitutes
1 Ben Killip SUB
16 Matthew Dolan SUB
8 Nicky Featherstone SUB
38 Oliver Finney SUB
11 Wesley McDonald SUB
48 Leon Clarke SUB
12 Joe Grey SUB

Manager
John Askey

Attendance: 6320

League Table

League 2 season attendance

DateOpponentHome
Attendance
Away
Attendance
20/07/2022Stevenage6111
06/08/2022Mansfield Town7128
13/08/2022Gillingham5414
16/08/2022Hartlepool Utd4072
20/08/2022Newport County4070
27/08/2022Colchester Utd5041
03/09/2022Leyton Orient6578
13/09/2022Bradford City5864
17/09/2022Salford City3175
24/09/2022Walsall5845
01/10/2022Barrow6123
08/10/2022Sutton Utd3007
14/10/2022Crewe Alexandra8001
22/10/2022Harrogate Town2316
25/10/2022Rochdale5742
29/10/2022Carlisle6576
01/11/2022Stockport County6800
12/11/2022Swindon Town9425
19/11/2022AFC Wimbledon6010
03/12/2022Northampton Town5,601
10/12/2022Grimsby Town5134
26/12/2022Doncaster7033
29/12/2022Barrow3383
01/01/2023Crewe Alexandra5349
07/01/2023Sutton United5368
14/01/2023Walsall6027
28/01/2023Leyton Orient5946
04/02/2023Stockport County10231
07/02/2023Doncaster Rovers5775
11/02/2023Salford City6516
14/02/2023Bradford City15482
18/02/2023Mansfield Town6282
25/02/2023Stevenage3675
28/02/2023Crawley Town5104
04/03/2023Hartlepool United6320
2022/23 Total home attendance110278
2022/23 Total away attendance100246
2022/23 Total attendance (Home & Away)210524
2022/23 Average home attendance6127
2022/23 Average away attendance5897
2022/23 Total average attendance6012

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