Micky Mellon talks up Tranmere match-winner Charlie Jolley

Tranmere boss Micky Mellon was thrilled with Charlie Jolley’s “fantastic” double in a convincing 2-0 win over Rochdale.

Jolley netted a first-half brace to put Rovers out of sight in Dale’s first game in four weeks due to Covid-19 issues.

Match-winner Jolley capitalised on Joel Coleman’s mistake to fire an unstoppable opener.

The impressive 21-year-old then cut in to curl home a glorious second to seal the win for second-placed Rovers.

“(Jolley’s) a great young player and he is developing superbly,” Mellon said.

“I was hoping he was going to get his hat-trick but that’s being greedy. He scored two fantastic goals today.”

Tranmere are sitting comfortably in the automatic-promotion spots, five points above fourth-placed Swindon.

Mellon added: “I always find playing Rochdale really difficult because they play in a certain style. You’ve got to get things right and punish them and that’s what we did.

“The second half control that we showed all over the pitch to try and get over the line was fabulous.

“The beauty in football is in the eye of the beholder and I see the beauty in that kind of defending.

“It was a fantastic defensive display by my whole team and I’ve seen nothing but a brilliant performance.

“We went 2-0 up and saw the game through comfortably so I’m really pleased.”

Dale’s lack of match-sharpness was evident in an error-strewn opening that cost them the game.

Dale had the majority of possession after going two goals down but seldom troubled Rovers goalkeeper Ross Doohan.

Substitute Matty Done had an effort well saved by Doohan at close range, but Rovers held on comfortably.

Boss Robbie Stockdale was frustrated with avoidable mistakes.

He said: “We looked like a team for the first 15 to 20 minutes who hadn’t played for a long time.

“We shot ourselves in the foot and I get tired of reminding the players we would be under the cosh.

“Their tails are up, they’re on a good run of form so ‘let’s play properly’

“I didn’t think we did and we gave ourselves an absolute mountain to climb.

“Once you do that against a team that’s got a habit of winning it’s very difficult. Both goals were avoidable which is really frustrating.

“No one means to make mistakes and we knew what was coming, it wasn’t a surprise. We played into their hands and they’re a good team.

“The positive is the players got to task and grew into the game without creating an awful lot.

“We were nice today and I used that word to the players but they were more streetwise.”