We must grab this lifeline, urges Moore

Apr 18 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

MANAGER Ronnie Moore will urge Tranmere’s players to seize the opportunity to haul themselves back into the League One promotion shake-up at Huddersfield tomorrow.

Rovers’ ambitions of making the play-offs looked to have foundered on the rocks of a 2-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend.

But Leeds United’s defeat at the hands of Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield in midweek provided a fragile lifeline.

The odds are still stacked against Tranmere gaining six points of ground on sixth-placed Leeds over the final three games of the campaign.

But a slim chance is enough for Moore to insist his team go all out to take maximum points at the Galpharm Stadium (kick-off 3pm) and from the following games at home to Southend next Saturday and at Northampton on the final day of the regular programme.

Moore said: “It is still game-on as far as we are concerned. I always thought we might be left with a chance because Huddersfield-Leeds was a derby game and anything could happen.

“I said to the lads at the start of the week not to be surprised if results went for us. They did go for us.”

Not only did Leeds fail to make the most of the chance to put Tranmere out of the running, fellow pursuers Walsall also lost their game in hand to Bristol Rovers.

Moore admits: “It is still not in our own hands. All we can do is win our games and hope other teams do us a favour and open things up. There could be some twists and turns still to come.

“We have to hope and pray that Millwall do us a favour by beating Leeds on Saturday. If we can win at Huddersfield then we will be only two points behind Leeds with two games to go.”

Moore spent a nervous night at the Galpharm on Tuesday, watching Huddersfield squeeze out a 1-0 win in a fiercely competitive game in which a player from each side was sent off.

He said: “I had the prayer mat out, hoping Huddersfield would win and the tension on the night was horrible. I can imagine what it was like for our fans at home and the supporters of Brighton and Oldham, who also think they have a chance of catching Leeds. I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the gate was left open.

“Huddersfield played really well on Tuesday. They were up for it and just about deserved to win. They did not look like a team with nothing to play for.”

Moore added: “Of course we need help from other teams over the next few weeks. The most disappointing thing now would be to fail to take this chance. We would be gutted if we went to Huddersfield, did not get the win we need and then found that Leeds lost at Millwall.”

The elephant in the cupboard for all of the teams chasing promotion is the tribunal, currently proceeding in London, hearing Leeds’ appeal against the 15 point deduction imposed upon them this season by the Football League.

The reinstatement of some or all of the 15 points would be sure to cause upheaval in the table and almost certainly provoke counter action from clubs affected. Doncaster and Swansea have already threatened to take legal steps.

The tribunal is likely to delay the announcement of its decision until after the weekend, much to the relief of Millwall.

The south London club feared trouble at the New Den from visiting Leeds supporters had a judgement been announced against the Yorkshire club.

Moore said: “We can’t do anything about what happens in the tribunal. All we can do is try to win the game at Huddersfield and keep ourselves in contention.”

The manager will be forced to make at least one change tomorrow because midfielder Paul McLaren begins a two-match suspension after collecting his 10th booking of the season last weekend.

Steve Jennings is available to play after discovering his caution against Forest what his ninth rather than 10th of the season.

John Mullin and Adnan Ahmed will be hoping for a recall in midfield and centre-back Antony Kay could be pushed forward into a creative role.