On The Ball written by Gemma Gifford.
Final score: Tranmere 3 Norwich 1
90+4: Curran has a dig but it's straight into the arms of Declan Rudd.
90+3: Thomas-Moore again tests Rudd as he sniffs his hat-trick.
90+2: Taylor tries one from distance but no trouble for Rudd as it goes wide.
90th: Four minutes additional time has been signalled.
89th: Drury lifts ball to far post looking for Holt, it evades his captain and Doherty can't quite collect and it goes out for goal kick.
87th: Tranmere have another corner. Labadie's delivery met by Taylor who heads well over.
85th: Holt wins free-kick - Broomes booked. McNamee takes and curls the ball into the box and through a mass of bodies it's digged out by Tranmere. Calls for a penalty as Holt goes down but the referee waves play on.
83rd: Thomas-Moore hits the woodwork with Rudd beaten.
82nd: Great chance for the Canaries. Chris Martin attacks the near post and the ball breaks for Hoolahan but he scuffs his shot well-wide of the far post.
80th: Labadie takes a corner and it goes out to McCready but his shot luckily hits his team-mate Marlon Broomes and Declan Rudd gathers.
79th: Tranmere corner, Taylor's cross was deflected, but well defended by the Canaries. Joss Labadie replaces McClaren for Rovers.
77th: McNamee with curling delvery from left cleared by Tranmere.
76th: Adam Drury takes free-kick for City just inside Rovers' half.
75th: Anthony McNamee replaces Stephen Hughes.
73rd: Curran with curling effort which referee deems took a deflection and he awards a corner to Rovers. The ball comes in and Tranmere go close again.
68th: Great interception by Doherty from Gordon - the forward receives treatment.
66th: Hoolahan linking up with Hughes around the box but the Scot just misplaces his attempt at a one-two and Tranmere clear.
64th: Tranmere attack - Declan Rudd makes a great save with his feet from Welsh.
60th: Both Paul Lambert and Gary Karsa have been sent to the stands by the referee.
59th: Grant Holt pulls one back! Chris Martin crossed and finds his captain who strikes home. Luke Daniels booked for remonstrating with linesman obviously feels Martin didn't keep the ball in play before he crossed.
58th: Chris Martin with low drive from edge of area after good build-up play. Tranmere break and Terry Garnell heads just wide.
56th: Booking for McClaren for high challenge on Hughes. Drury puts high cross into box but Nelson heads over.
55th: City corner - good move from City through midfield - Hughes with one two with Holt and the defender concedes flag-kick.
48th: City have free-kick on edge of box Holt fouled. Martin takes free-kick but it's deflected off Welsh for corner. Hoolahan's delivery is palmed out by Daniels and Tranmere clear danger.
Tranmere kick second-half off.
The Canaries are out for second-half - looks like Chris Martin has replaced Stephen Elliott.
Half-time: Tranmere 3 City 0
'... and the minimum time added on that was played was actually less than the time they displayed !!! Whatever happens it can't be good to play with 10 men on this pitch for the bulk of the game, with another match in 2 days.... I sense that Lambert will bring on more forwards at half-time...' - camberwick_g
'They don't even need a goalie with these officials, I don't think I've ever been so angry watching a game, the missus has already gone out and I suspect the neighbours maybe complaining shortly, lol' - IMT
'The Club should lodge official complaints against these officials they are diabolical' - camberwick_g
45+3: Thomas-Moore tries a curling effort on edge of box but it's wide of Rudd's far post.
45th: Nelson concedes a corner. Delivery headed out by Doherty and then blazes high and wide by Tranmere. Three minutes remain.
44th: Corner to City after good work on left. Nelson heads high over the bar from Hoolahan's corner.
43rd: Ben Gordon crosses dangerously into City's box but evades everyone and it goes out for goal kick.
42nd: Great chance for Hughes. Throw by R. Martin to Elliott who puts ball in and Hughes connects at near post but it just goes wide.
39th: Hoolahan has a good effort but it whistles past post, looked to have got a touch by 'keeper but goal-kick given.
37th: Tranmere attack on break but Doherty makes a great block nalthough forward deemed offside.
36th: City free-kick on far side. Hoolahan delivery causes scramble both Doherty and Holt unable to dig it out and it's cleared for corner. Again good pressure from corner but just unable to direct it goalwards.
35th: Two good chances for City - first Russell has effort saved by Daniels and then ther ball is put across the face of the Tranmere goal but it evades Elliott and runs out.
34th: Rudd clears from Thomas-Moore with his legs.
31st: Holt again has an effort cleared off the line by Goodison.
29th: Good save by Rudd from Curran concedes corner. Corner comes in and Welsh's initial shot is blocked, calls for handball again from the home crowd but this time nothing is given but the ball falls to Craig Curran and he crashes a fierce shot home.
28th: 'It will finish 2-2. They are going to keep dropping deeper and deeper as the game goes on and our superior fitness will show through if we can keep the ball' - norwichaggy
26th: City free-kick far left, Elliott fouled. Russell takes and it drifts to far post causing Daniels in goal to take a touch. Nelson brings down and puts ball back into danger zone but asa Holt looks to connect he catches a defender an a free-kick is given.
24th: Rovers corner. McClaren takes short and puts in another cross but Nelson heads clear.
22nd: Holt escapes into area and rounds the 'keeper he looks to have scored but a great clearance by Goodison clears danger for Tranmere.
21st: Combination of Hoolahan, Holt and Elliott gives the on-loan striker an opportunity to shoot which he does but it's wide of far post.
20th: 'Underhit backpass as predicted' - camberwick_g
17th: Good ball in from the left by Drury to edge of box but Holt in space can't connect and it goes out to touch.
14th: Tranmere attack down the right and a good ball in causes uncertainty in the City box but the danger is eventually cleared.
11th: Declan Rudd replaces Lappin. But the youngster can't prevent Tranmere extending their lead - Thomas-Moore again this time converts from the spot high into the back of the net.
10th: Forster sent off after bringing down Thomas-Moore - another penalty! A weak pass by Doherty gathered by Thomas-Moore and as he rounds Forster he goes down.
9th: Hoolahan finds R. Martin on the overlap and he puts a good ball in but Holt can't quite catch as he rises to head it.
6th: Tranmere go ahead - Thomas-Moore steps up and slots home the penalty - Forster went right way but it was well-placed in the corner.
5th: Corner comes in from McClaren and after a bit of a scramble a penalty is given after the linesman flags - a flick from Gordon adjudged to have been handled. Russell Martin is booked after some confusion.
4th: Curran deflected shot goes out for corner.
3rd: Hughes with challenge on Welsh about 25-yards out, free-kick to Tranmere. Three people stand over it and McClaren takes but it's easily cleared.
2nd: Good move by the Canaries, Russell puts a ball across the box but it's too high and strong and goes out to touch far side. Good start.
We're off! Hoolahan and Russell kick the game off.
The Canaries will kick off with our fans behind them.
The teams now enter from the tunnel - ticker-tape welcome from the City faithful.
A bright but breezy evening on the Wirral this evening. A hardy and vocal bunch of Canary fans have made it to Prenton Park and are housed in the Cowshed Stand to our left behind the goal. We await the teams.
Team News:
Stephen Hughes finds himself in the starting line-up replacing Korey Smith who looks not to have recovered from the dead leg he picked up in last Saturday's 1-0 win over Leeds.
Stephen Elliott keeps his place partnering Grant Holt up-front with Leeds goalscorer Chris Martin on the bench.
CITY: Forster, Drury, Nelson, R. Martin, Hughes (McNamee 75), Holt (c), Elliott (C. Martin 46), Doherty, Hoolahan, Lappin (Rudd 11), Russell. Subs not used: Gill, Rose, Whitbread, Johnson.
TRANMERE: Daniels, Goodison, McClaren (Labadie 79), Broomes, Thomas-Moore (c), Welsh, Taylor, Gornell, McCready, Curran, Gordon. Subs not used: Edds, Savage, Collister, Shuker, Bakayogo, Sordell.
