Tranmere . . . . 1, Port Vale . . . . 2

Attendance: 7,063

by Steve Hunter

SATURDAY'S defeat is a match Rovers will want to forget for a variety of reasons. Defensive frailties were again in evident for both Port Vale's goals.

After a vital 1-0 win over Huddersfield in midweek, Tranmere couldn't find a way past Vale, for whom the unmarked Tony Naylor headed the opening goal, following a fine run and cross from man-of-the-match Gareth Ainsworth. Tranmere, who just couldn't cope with the former Lincoln winger's pace, equalised five minutes into the second-half, thanks to Kenny Irons' superb 25-yard effort; his second goal of the season, both coming in the space of five days.

Lee Jones and Andy Thorn were both denied by Vale 'keeper Paul Musselwhite, but when Ainsworth short changed Andy Thompson he laid on the pass from which the again unmarked Naylor beat Danny Coyne.

Tranmere:- Coyne, Stevens, Thompson, McGreal, Thorn (sub Challinor, 73 mins) Irons, Mellon, Branch (sub Morrissey, 85 mins), Kelly, G. Jones (sub Mahon, 70 mins), L. Jones.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.