Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Forest Green Rovers

Tranmere's automatic promotion League Two hopes were dealt a serious blow as they were beaten 1-0 by play-off rivals Forest Green at Prenton Park.

An early second-half strike from Junior Mondal proved to be the difference as Mark Cooper's side survived an avalanche of Tranmere attacks to move to within a point of their hosts in the play-off pack.

There was little between the sides in the opening period, with League Two Player of the Year James Norwood launching an attempted lob over the bar.

But two minutes after the break, the Gloucestershire club went ahead when a pull back from Joseph Mills was beautifully side-footed into the top corner by Mondal, leaving Scott Davies clutching thin air.

Tranmere responded and laid siege on the visitors' goal. Paul Mullin's overhead kick was brilliantly kept out by James Montgomery, before the Tranmere substitute saw a 25-yard free kick smash against the post.

Despite the hosts' best endeavours - after losing centre-back Mark Ellis in the first half to a knee injury - they could not carve out an equaliser and now look like they must settle for a play-off berth instead.

Report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Tranmere

• 1Davies
• 14Caprice
• 16EllisSubstituted forNelsonat 27'minutes
• 6Monthe
• 24Bakayogo
• 19Morris
• 8HarrisSubstituted forDagnallat 85'minutes
• 28Banks
• 27PringleSubstituted forMullinat 55'minutes
• 10NorwoodBooked at 80mins
• 11Jennings

Substitutes

• 2Buxton
• 4Nelson
• 9Mullin
• 18Smith
• 22Gilmour
• 25Pilling
• 29Dagnall

Forest Green

• 13Montgomery
• 2Shephard
• 6Rawson
• 19McGinleyBooked at 80mins
• 23Mills
• 7Winchester
• 5CollinsSubstituted forGunningat 69'minutes
• 25MondalSubstituted forDigbyat 75'minutes
• 10Brown
• 11WilliamsSubstituted forGrubbat 46'minutes
• 9Doidge

Substitutes

• 4James
• 8Grubb
• 16Gunning
• 20Digby
• 21McCoulsky
• 26Reid
• 34Ward

Referee:

Dean Whitestone

Attendance:

9,468

Match Stats

Home TeamTranmereAway TeamForest Green

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home18

Away4

Shots on Target

Home3

Away3

Corners

Home2

Away5

Fouls

Home12

Away8

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Tranmere Rovers 0, Forest Green Rovers 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Tranmere Rovers 0, Forest Green Rovers 1.

Posted at 90'+4'

Sid Nelson (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 90'+3'

Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Sid Nelson.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Chris Dagnall (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 90'+1'

Reece Brown (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by James Norwood (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 90'

Liam Shephard (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 88'

Attempt missed. Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.

Substitution

Posted at 85'

Substitution, Tranmere Rovers. Chris Dagnall replaces Jay Harris.

Posted at 84'

Attempt missed. Kieron Morris (Tranmere Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 81'

Attempt missed. Carl Winchester (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Booking

Posted at 80'

Nathan McGinley (Forest Green Rovers) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 80'

Nathan McGinley (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Booking

Posted at 80'

James Norwood (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 79'

Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Farrend Rawson (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 77'

Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.

Posted at 77'

James Norwood (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 75'

Foul by Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 75'

Joseph Mills (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Paul Digby replaces Junior Mondal.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Liam Shephard.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Farrend Rawson.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Paul Mullin (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Gavin Gunning replaces Lee Collins.

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Jay Harris (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 66'

Hand ball by Reece Brown (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Connor Jennings (Tranmere Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 64'

Foul by James Norwood (Tranmere Rovers).

Posted at 64'

Lee Collins (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 62'

Kieron Morris (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Reece Brown (Forest Green Rovers).

Posted at 61'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 60'

Delay in match Joseph Mills (Forest Green Rovers) because of an injury.

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