WHO rated - who didn't

Wanderers 1 TRANMERE ROVERS 2

WANDERERS

4-2-1-3

KEVIN POOLE ... 6

Injured his ankle after 20 minutes but soldiered on; made an excellent save from Beresford early second half.

ANTHONY BARNESS ... 7

Always looked comfortable in this company; one of the few Allardyce can rely on at Premiership level.

DANNY LIVESEY ... 7

Looked impressive as he added another game to his CV; showing good progress.

CHARLIE COMYN-PLATT ... 6

Roughed up by Dadi when the Ivory Coast striker gave Rovers the lead but generally did okay.

JEFF SMITH ... 6

Went the distance at left back but didn't do enough to suggest he can make the step up to the first team.

PER FRANDSEN ... 7

The pick of the senior players; tireless in his effort on and off the ball.

STELIOS ... 6

Looked rather subdued after taking a painful knock in a clash with Mellon.

RICARDO VAZ TE ... 6

A bright and breezy eye-catching performance from the youngster; still a long way to go but there is promise.

DELROY FACEY ... 5

Again missed an opportunity to play his way into the Premiership squad.

MARIO JARDEL ... 5

After a nondescript first half, he was substituted at half-time after picking up a shoulder injury.

HENRIK PEDERSEN ... 6

Hit the post first half and missed with an extra-time header that might have taken it to penalties.

Subs: Kevin Nolan (7) for Jardel at h-t, Cleveland Taylor (6) for Facey 79 mins, Ricky Shakes (6) for Stelios 86 mins. Not used: Jason Talbot, Donovan Ricketts.

TRANMERE

5-2-3

JOHN ACHTERBERG ... 7

RYAN TAYLOR ... 7

IAN SHARPS ... 7

GRAHAM ALLEN ... 7

GARY JONES ... 7

GARETH ROBERTS ... 7

MICKY MELLON ... 8

DANNY HARRISON ... 6

IAIN HUME ... 7

EUGENE DADI ... 7

DAVE BERESFORD ... 6

Subs: Alex Hay for Beresford 98 mins, Alan Navarro for Hume 107 mins. Not used: Sean Connelly, Russell Howarth, Paul Linwood.

Referee: Howard Webb (South Yorks).

Attendance: 8,759.

Goals: Wanderers - Shakes 90 mins; Tranmere - Dadi 82 mins, Hume 91 mins.

Shots/headers on target: Wanderers 7, Tranmere 4.

Corners: Wanderers 6, Tranmere 4.

Offsides: Wanderers 3, Tranmere 3.

Fouls committed: Wanderers 10, Tranmere 13.

Bookings: Wanderers - Nolan 112 mins (foul on Dadi), Taylor 113 mins (foul on Navarro); Tranmere - Jones 45 mins foul on Jardel, Taylor 101 mins (foul on Taylor), Mellon 108 mins (foul on Vaz Te).

Man of the Match

MICKY MELLON: The Rovers captain, who played under Sam Allardyce and Phil Brown at Blackpool, worked his socks off in midfield, leading by example.

Magic Moment

EVERYBODY remembers their first team debut but few manage to crown it with a goal. Ricky Shakes managed it, but sadly ended up on the losing side.

Moan of the Match

SAM Allardyce is "glad to be out of the competition" but Kevin Nolan is not so pleased since it means he misses the Carling Cup semi-final at Aston Villa.