MICKY MELLON cut arelieved but happy fig-ure after Tranmere closed the gap to the top of the National League to just two points with victory over Braintree at Prenton Park.
Andy Cook’s 21st goal of the season after the break proved to be the decisive moment in a match that saw the hosts miss a plethora of gilt-edged chances.
Jeff Hughes’ second penalty miss in a week proved immaterial as Rovers held out for the win, but Mellon acknowledged that tension is part and parcel of the business end of the season.
He said: “If you think about the amount of clear-cut chances that we had, with the quality of players that we’ve got, you would think they were nailed on to score them.
“When that happens and you miss a penalty and the stakes – how high they are, with the opportunity to go two points behind the league leaders – it’s going to become a wee bit nervy and about digging it.
“That’s what they’ve done. The crowd today were magnificent; they’ve got right behind us and stuck with us and roared us on to a fantastic three points.
Denne historien er fra March 26, 2017-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra March 26, 2017-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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CRAIG'S BOOSTS
MANAGERIAL stalwart Craig Edwards is back in charge of Barking – 23 years after he left!
LENNIE GETS THE LOVE
VETERAN caretaker chief Lennie Lawrence says he is “excited” to be handed the reins at Hartlepool United permanently – just a few weeks before his 77th birthday!
MOTORS FEELS LIKE HOLMES!
WHEN he was younger, Danny Holmes played video games that simulated being a football manager.
REES HITS FAB FOUR AS TOWN ROMP IT
RICARDO REES struck four times to help Merthyr Town maintain their spot at the top of the table with a dominant home win against play-off chasing Havant & Waterlooville.
DULWICH DISPLAY DELIGHTS COACHES
GOALS from Danny Mills, Luke Wanadio and Lorenzo’s stoppage-time finish fired Dulwich Hamlet to a comfortable win over fellow play-off hopefuls Potters Bar Town, though the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story.
ANCHORS A RAPID
ASHTON UNITED hit two goals in two minutes to come from behind to win at Stockton Town.
SEAGULLS KEEP THE HEAT ON ROMANS
BATH City were made to pay for their mistakes by high-flying Weston-super-Mare.
CLINICAL COLEMAN KEEN AS MUSTARD
CIAN COLEMAN’S hat-trick lifted Buxton to their highest league position of the season as they became the latest side to frustrate Scunthorpe.
KEV SEES RED IN REE PANT!
SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher hit out at referee Abigail Byrne following his side’s defeat to Yeovil Town at Roots Hall.
MARVEL MATTY DENIES MOORS
BOTH managers insisted their teams deserved more after Altrincham came from behind to steal a point in a six-goal thriller at Solihull Moors.