There’s a large board in the Tranmere Rovers bar commemorating the club’s famous giant killing exploits down the years. Cup victories over the likes of Everton and West Ham are inscribed proudly and although a draw against fellow League One strugglers Leyton Orient is unlikely to find its way on there, this was, in its own way an important result for the improving Tranmere and their likeable caretaker manager Les Parry.
Rovers will look back on this match and wonder how it is they will be making the long journey south for a replay. Orient offered virtually nothing going forward and it was a shock when they somehow took the lead in the opening ten minutes. It was a simple goal which saw a near post corner glanced in by defender Luke Ashworth. The set piece had been taken by ex Rovers man Sean Thornton and the Irishman, who had dyed his hair bright red for the occasion, made a lively hate figure for the Tranmere fans, still smarting from his underhand defection to Sunderland seven years previously.
The rest of the half was dominated by the team in white and they should have put the tie to bed long before the break. Midfielder Chris Shuker began a personal battle with Orient keeper Glenn Morris when he was put through after 17 minutes. Choosing to curl the ball into the left corner, Morris pulled off a smart save. The routine was repeated later in the half with exactly the same result with Shuker left shaking his head and wondering why he didn’t learn from his mistake.
In-between, Rovers should have had a penalty when Ricketts was clearly hauled down in the area. The FA Cup gods were clearly smiling on the east-enders.
A similar pattern emerged in the second period with Orient showing as much ambition to go forward as a tug o’ war team. Justice was swift however, and Shuker redeemed his earlier errors after 51 minutes. A smart one-two with Alan Mahon on the left hand side of the box created space for Shuker who relied more on power this time and was rewarded with two deflections as the ball ricocheted past the helpless Morris.
Rovers, like a team of Jack the Rippers, could now sniff cockney blood and surged forward for the kill. Tranmere’s Craig Curran hit a fine volley which prompted a superb save from the brilliant Morris. It was an example of acrobatics that the watching gymnast Beth Tweddle would have been proud of. The medal winning Liverpudlian had apparently studied physiotherapy under Les Parry but unfortunately for Rovers, Parry could not inspire another winning performance from his team.
With Rover’s fans screaming for the ineffectual Ricketts to be replaced the game petered out with the ever commanding Ian Goodison mopping up what little Orient spilled over the half way line.
A relieved Orient manager, Geraint Wiliams admitted his team got lucky while Les Parry was left rueing a game which looks likely to be the popular physio’s last as manager. “I do two lots of programme notes and get two lots of cheers,” he grinned afterwards. Sadly for Rovers fans they never got to cheer a second goal too.
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Leyton Orient
(ht 0-1)
Shuker 51 Ashworth 7
Tranmere Rovers: Daniels, Logan, Edds, Goodison (c), Taylor, Bakayogo, Mahon, Welsh, Ricketts, Shuker, Curran
Leyton Orient: Morris, Purches (c), Chorley, Ashworth, McLeish, Thornton, Demetriou, Daniels, Pires, Smith, Patulea (Jarvis 68)
Ref: Mr O Langford
Att: 3,180
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