Tranmere boss Micky Mellon heaps praise on ‘brilliant’ Kane Hemmings

Posted Wednesday, February 09, 2022 by PA

Micky Mellon insisted Kane Hemmings deserved his brilliant brace against below-par Swindon.

January signing Hemmings struck his first Rovers goals as the hosts boosted their automatic-promotion hopes by solidifying second place in League Two.

Paul Glatzel was also on target as Mellon’s men eased past the Robins 3-0 on Merseyside.

Mellon was delighted with the overall team display but had special praise for Hemmings.

“I think he has been brilliant for us,” Mellon said.

“People will judge his goals but he gives us that know how on that end of the pitch.

“Young players around him are thriving off him and his work-rate is second to none.

“He’s a very driven lad and we’re delighted to have him here but it’s great he got the reward tonight with a couple of goals so I’m really pleased for him.”

Hemmings opened the scoring for the hosts as he capitalised on an error to slot home inside six minutes.

Glatzel tapped-in a deserved second after the break after rattling the crossbar in the first half.

And Hemmings sealed a convincing victory from the spot after Rovers had a previous strong handball appeal waved away.

Mellon added: “We should have had another penalty with hands away from the body and above your head.

“It was a stonewaller and it was difficult to fathom why we didn’t get that decision.

“But we were really pleased with our defending. We work very hard on our defending and take great pride in that.

“They are a good football team and work the overloads very well. But our players are ready for the threat and we dealt with them all evening.

“And when we turned them over we looked really dangerous.”

Swindon boss Ben Garner accepted fault with the Robins now winless in five.

“We got punished for the mistakes we made and made it very difficult for ourselves,” he said.

“There were lapses at certain moments and that gave them confidence to build momentum.

“I accept full responsibility; it’s not on anyone else inside our dressing room except me.

“As the head coach I take responsibility for the performance and the result and I apologise to the fans who made the journey here tonight.

“I will work hard to put it right very quickly. If there’s a game this season where the first goal is most important it is this one.

“They don’t score many goals and if you go ahead they have to come out. But if they go behind they do what they did tonight.

“We spoke about the importance of the first goal and unfortunately we gave one away. If we got the first one it would have been a completely different game.”