TRANMERE have suffered too many 11th-hour calamities this season for anyone to pretend it’s just bad luck. They tend to miss a trick in the art of seeing a game out.
The worry gnawing at manager Ronnie Moore is that the flaw could cost them dear in the race to secure a League One play-off spot.
The point lost to a goal conceded a few seconds before the end of injury time at Roots Hall followed a defeat by a similar margin at Crewe Alexandra a fortnight earlier, in which they surrendered a winning position in the final 10 minutes.
Tomorrow, Rovers play host to Peterborough, whose FA Cup success at Prenton Park in December hinged upon an equaliser in the final moments of injury time.
The fact that Tranmere have put themselves in a position to challenge for a top six place with a small squad weakened by injuries is no small achievement and does credit to the players and staff alike. But in a division in which there is precious little difference between the strength of most teams, the effect of any minor failing can be magnified.
Tranmere put in hard work and enjoyed a slice of good fortune with a penalty award to bring themselves back on terms with Southend just after the hour mark.
Once level at 1-1 they looked the side more likely to snatch the winner until they allowed Southend frontman Dougie Freedman the freedom to set up the decisive goal for substitute Kevin Betsy.
Southend manager Steve Tilson reckoned his side deserved the spoils on the strength of their performance in the first 45 minutes.
He said: “We were dominant in the first half and we should have killed Tranmere off. I felt they were there for the taking. It was too easy at times and we got complacent.
“We knew it they would be a different side in the second half and they got back in it with a very dubious penalty.”
Tranmere’s first half showing was a pale imitation of the assured performance they produced in a 1-0 win at Colchester a few days earlier.
A goal conceded within three minutes did not help to ease the travel weariness from two trips to Essex inside five days.
