Micky Mellon hails Tranmere desire

Posted Sunday, December 09, 2018 by PA

Micky Mellon praised his players and his team’s supporters after Tranmere edged out Cambridge 1-0 to move back into the League Two play-off places.

James Norwood tapped home his 15th goal of the season 13 minutes from time, ending a three-match winless run in the league for Rovers and pushing them back up to seventh.

United also had a late penalty appeal waved away as they left with nothing.

Tranmere boss Mellon said: “I think (we got) reward for resilience and just digging in. We all know that’s what it took today.

“I thought the fans were mega. When we needed them, they raised the atmosphere in the place and you saw the reaction from the players, they all seemed to energise from it and the whole togetherness came back again and drove us on.

“We got the goal then you see what a goal does to a team. Ten or 11 of them played in the conference last year. We’d do well to remember that.

“This is a group of lads who are fighting very hard for the club, leave nothing on the pitch and keep battling.

“That deserves a lot of respect, because we know over 46 games you’ve got to have those qualities and certainly they don’t lack in that.”

United goalkeeper David Forde twice denied the hosts in the opening 10 minutes, first saving brilliantly from Norwood before tipping a Cole Stockton header over the bar.

Cambridge’s George Maris saw a great chance saved by Scott Davies before Paul Lewis’ bending 35-yarder clattered the post with Davies beaten.

However, on 77 minutes a fierce shot from Johnny Smith was tipped away by Forde but only into the path of substitute Paul Mullin and his goal-bound header was poked home by Norwood on the line, amid offside appeals.

United’s caretaker manager Mark Bonner said: “It was a difficult day for us but I was really pleased with the start that we made to the game and first-half performance.

“It just got away from us a tiny bit in the second half but we can be a bit aggrieved by a few things towards the end of the game as well, with their goal and a possible penalty appeal from us.

“In fairness we were under a bit of pressure at the time (of the goal) and they turned the screw on us a little bit and really made it count in that moment.

“They got the goal and then we go down the other end and Maris flashes a ball across the box and Jabo’s (Ibehre) wiped out from the back of him to avoid him scoring a tap in. I think if that’s at home we get a penalty.”