Present tense for Tranmere as play-off race hots up

Mar 7 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

RONNIE MOORE may have predicted a promotion shake-up involving more than half of the teams in League One – but that does not offer the Tranmere manager any protection from the mounting tension of the race.

As Rovers prepare to protect their hold on the last play-off spot at Oldham Athletic tomorrow, Moore admits: “These are nerve-wracking times.”

Moore was among a number of manages who foresaw, back in August, that there would be precious little to choose between most of the teams in the division.

“I said openly at the start of the season that there would probably be 14 teams who would think they had half a chance of getting promoted – and that’s how it is panning out,” Moore said.

The group of teams with designs on Tranmere’s sixth place include Oldham – even though the Latics’ cause was not helped by a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Hartlepool in midweek.

A strengthening challenge is coming from Brighton, who moved to within three points of Rovers with a 4-2 home win over Gillingham on Tuesday – and the Seagulls have two games in hand.

But as the programme enters its final quarter, Moore argues that Tranmere are better off with points on the board.

He said: “A number of the teams below us have games in hand. But I keep saying to the lads, don’t worry about other teams with games in hand. I honestly believe we are in the position that most of those below us want to be in.

“It’s not going to be easy for them making up the ground. It’s very difficult to sustain a winning run when you are having to play twice a week with the small squads clubs have at this level. It’s all right if you are Man United or Liverpool with a big squad but when you have 20 players is more difficult to cope.”

Moore admits he would probably accept the offer of going into the last game in May holding sixth spot. But his ambition is to lift Tranmere further up the play-off zone and ease the pressure.

He said: “We don’t want to be hanging around in sixth position if we can get higher up the table , so we are pushing for the third, fourth and fifth spots.”

Victories won’t come easy against either Oldham or Swansea, the runaway leaders of the division who play host to Tranmere next Tuesday. Rovers will be attempting to make amends for home defeats earlier in the season to their next two opponents.

Moore acknowledges the Latics were for value for money in the 1-0 victory at Prenton Park in November. He said: “Oldham played really well when they came to our place and deserved to beat its. They had more chances than we had.

“But we are playing well now and if we perform to our potential and take the game to them, we are capable of winning this one.

“Boundary Park should not be a ground that holds fear for us.”

Moore knows all too well however that the regulars of Boundary Park hold no affection for him. They did not take to his management methods during a 15-month spell in charge of Oldham in 2005-2006.

Booing, jeering and possibly worse will be the order of the day. The locals had little to crow about during Moore’s first return as Tranmere manager last season – until an injury-time mistake by goalkeeper Gavin Ward gifted the winner to Oldham. Moore admits he went too far in taking his frustrations out on Ward in the dressing room that afternoon.

“I think I over-reacted a little bit,” Moore said. “I was probably too severe but you’re never too old to learn.”