Moore: This was a victory for patience

Aug 27 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

MANAGER Ronnie Moore described Tranmere’s first home success of the season as a “victory for patience.”

Rovers had to wait 78 minutes for Chris Greenacre to break the deadlock against Brighton with his third goal of the season.

An injury-time strike from winger Chris Shuker completed a 2-0 win that lifted Tranmere to third place in the table after three League One games.

Moore said: “It was a victory for patience and not every team has it.

“Brighton came here to make things difficult for us with the shape of the formation they played – and we had to be patient in breaking them down.

“I am disappointed we did not have many chances but you can’t play like Real Madrid every week.

“There are days when you have to roll up your sleeves, fight and keep going.”

Moore added: “It was important we did not get frustrated. The crowd can get frustrated.

“They want this and that to happen but I think deep down they knew the lads had to be patient.

“We said at half-time but if we got a goal, that would force Brighton to change the way they were playing.

“It did not come until late on but it was a good goal. It was a great ball in from Chris Shuker and Chris Greenacre did what he is good at. The second goal took an age to go in – and that gave us that little bit of breathing space.”

Moore reported that striker Calvin Zola had missed the game with a hamstring injury while his replacement, Gareth Taylor, went off on 74 minutes with a rib injury.

“Gareth got a whack in the rib cage underneath his arm,” Moore said. “But to be fair, Craig Curran would have come on at that stage irrespective of the injury.”

Teenager Curran, the scorer of Tranmere’s equaliser with the first touch of his home debut against the same opposition Prenton Park in April, was on the field for four minutes this time before playing a part in the opening goal.

Moore said: “Craig gave us 15 minutes of enthusiasm and energy. He chased lost causes, got us free-kicks and throw-ins and took the pressure off us.”