DANNY COYNE insists there are no faint hearts in the dressing room as Tranmere head down the final furlong of the race for the play-offs.
“We all believe we can do it,” says the Wales international goalkeeper. “It’s about getting into the games and making it happen. We are going to have a real go.”
Rovers approach the Easter programme with eight games left to play. A victory over bottom club Port Vale at Prenton Park tomorrow (kick-off 7.45pm) would lift them into fifth place, and steal a march on promotion-chasing rivals who play on Friday and Saturday.
Coyne said: “The league table is so tight but a play-off spot is there for the taking for us. We have a great chance. The belief is there. We know we can put a run together and do it.”
Port Vale’s visit marks the second of three home games in less than a fortnight that provide Tranmere with a chance to gain valuable ground on rivals.
They took maximum points from the first outing, even though the 3-1 success over Hartlepool last Saturday owed a great deal to good fortune.
The unusual Thursday date for the encounter with the Valiants enables Rovers to enjoy an extra two days of rest and preparation before the long Easter Monday trip to Bournemouth. Then Tranmere return to Prenton Park to take on Swindon Town on Friday of next week.
Coyne said: “We need to capitalise on these home games with victories. If we win them we should be in the top six going into April.
“If we slip up we will be playing catch-up again. With the race being so tight and with so many teams involved, there is very little margin for error. So we really need to capitalise on now.”
The 34-year-old from Prestatyn reckons the 1-1 draw with leaders Swansea City last Tuesday could prove to be a pivotal moment in the campaign.
Rovers were a couple of minutes away from losing a third game in succession when substitute Chris Greenacre plundered an injury-time equaliser at the Liberty Stadium.
But it was the quality of Tranmere’s football against the best passing team in the division that gave Coyne so much encouragement.
He said: “The second half at Swansea was probably the best we have played this season and when you come back and equalise so late in the game, it feels like a win.
“A performance like that gives you the belief that we are as good as anyone up there. Now we need to find consistency to perform well, right through to the end of the season.”
Coyne expects the imminent return of skipper Ian Goodison to the heart of the defence will enhance Tranmere’s prospects of claiming a top six spot.
Manager Ronnie Moore says the Jamaican international defender’s recovery from a knee injury puts him on course to return to the side at Bournemouth – much sooner than initially predicted.
Coyne said: “Ian is a big player for us and we do miss him when he is not there. Antony Kay and Ben Chorley are strong players themselves and they showed at Swansea they can play well as a unit.
“But Ian is a player who sets an example on the field. He is a laid-back character who does his job very consistently.”
Tranmere coped less than convincingly when Goodison was absent from the side during a four-game suspension in January. They also had to deal with the loss of hot prospect Steve Davies for all but the first month of the season after the youngster suffered a cruciate ligament injury in September.
Winger Chris Shuker spent the best part of three months on the sidelines after Christmas with a knee injury, prior to his return to first-team action against Hartlepool.
“Having Ian Goodison and Chris Shuker back will be a massive boost for us,” Coyne said. “We have been unfortunate in losing key players this season and I think the position we are in shows that we do have a strong squad.”
