Neil Danns says Tranmere ‘got what we deserved’ after extending winning run

Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2024 by PA

Tranmere assistant manager Neil Danns believes his players got what they deserved after Rovers made it four League wins on the bounce with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Notts County at Prenton Park.

The home side took the lead after just five minutes through Kieron Morris, only to be pegged back 20 minutes later when Aaron Nemane steered the ball home from a Jodi Jones cross.

Four minutes later the Magpies were ahead when the division’s top scorer Macauley Langstaff slid home his 19th league goal of the season, but Tranmere then hit back on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-2 through Connor Jennings.

Rovers were in front once more 10 minutes after the break when Harvey Saunders followed up Rob Apter’s shot which had squeezed under County ‘Keeper Aidan Stone.

Jennings could have extended the lead four minutes later but his penalty was well saved by Stone, but the Tranmere forward made the game safe in stoppage time when he successfully converted another spot-kick.

The only blemish on Tranmere’s day was manager Nigel Adkins being shown a red card for venting his frustration at the referee with 10 minutes left.

Danns said: “I’m so proud of the lads, it was absolutely unbelievable out there today.

“The lads have been fantastic over this Christmas period and we knew this was going to be a tough one and to end this run against one of the best sides in the division was very pleasing.

“We’ve seen over this festive period the best and sometimes the worst of us, but we are a team that’s constantly improving and everyone is working so hard for each other and they got what they deserved out there.

“We’re disappointed to let in the goals we did today, but today was all about celebrating the victory and that sort of performance typified how hard the lads have been working.

“We just want to keep this momentum going that we’ve got now and we’ll enjoy tonight and tomorrow, then it’s back to work and we go again.”

Notts County manager Luke Williams rued his side’s “horrible” start to the match and admits they struggled to contain Tranmere midfielder Apter.

He said: “It wasn’t the start to the game I was hoping for today, let alone the new year, it was very disappointing.

“It was a horrible way to begin, being undone like that so early on, but we battled back and going into the break we looked comfortable but we fell into traits that we’ve seen too often.

“We stopped playing with the same intensity and concentration and the opposition didn’t, they stayed focused and I thought Rob Apter was incredible, he destroyed us and caused us endless problems and we couldn’t cope with that.

“We had a number of opportunities but just lost a grip on the game because we didn’t have the same focus and concentration.

“Then we became a bit emotional and out of control and we’re just not the same threat when we’re like that.

“I think it would have been different if we’d gone in at half-time ahead, but Tranmere were so well organised and so together and they won the battle of wills in the end.”