WHO rated - and who didn't!

Wanderers

3-5-2

KEVIN POOLE ... 9

Outstanding! He made a string of vital saves, none more important than the head-to-heads with Haworth and Hume in the second half.

DANNY LIVESEY ... 6

Offered the chance to return to Notts County but the youngster could not pass up on this opportunity; a good learning curve.

EMERSON THOME ... 5

At this level, Wanderers would have been looking for the big Brazilian to dominate but he struggled against the powerful Haworth.

CHARLIE COMYN-PLATT ... 6

Looked better in the first half as one of three centre-backs than when he switched to left back in the half-time shake-up.

NICKY HUNT ... 5

Rested at half time after playing an attacking wing-back role; set up the early chance for Facey and missed a chance himself.

ANTHONY BARNESS ... 6

Started in midfield but finished in a more familiar right-back role; got through a lot of work.

STELIOS ... 8

Busy and crafty in centre-midfield; Allardyce saw enough to suggest he could fill in there while Okocha is away.

IBRAHIM BA ... 5

A surprise inclusion after he had threatened not to play but he failed to make much of an impact.

JEFF SMITH ... 5

A few forays down the left in the first half; might have missed a great opportunity to force his way into the senior reckoning.

DELROY FACEY ... 5

Started brightly and was unlucky when he hit the post early on but found the going tough on his return to the first team.

HENRIK PEDERSEN ... 5

Surprisingly struggled to make his presence felt but still had the determination to win the ball and make the pass that sent Nolan on his way.

Subs: Per Frandsen (6) for Hunt at h-t; Ricardo Vaz Te (6) for Smith 53 mins; Kevin Nolan (7) for Ba 70 mins. Not used: Jason Talbot, Donovan Ricketts.

TRANMERE

5-2-2-1

JOHN ACHTERBERG ... 7

RYAN TAYLOR ... 7

IAN SHARPS ... 7

GRAHAM ALLEN ... 8

PAUL LINWOOD ... 6

GARETH ROBERTS ... 7

GARY JONES ... 7

MICKEY MELLON ... 8

IAIN HUME ... 7

DAVID BERESFORD ... 7

SIMON HAWORTH ... 9

Subs: Alan Navarro for Sharps 72 mins, Eugene Dadi for Hume 86 mins. Not used: Russell Howarth, Alex Hay, Neil Ashton.

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).

Attendance: 10,587.

Goals: Tranmere -- Haworth 52 mins; Wanderers -- Nolan 79 mins.

Shots/headers on target: Tranmere 9, Wanderers 5.

Corners: Tranmere 6, Wanderers 7.

Offsides: Tranmere 1, Wanderers 3.

Fouls committed: Tranmere 17, Wanderers 9.

Bookings: Tranmere -- Jones 53 mins (foul on Facey), Roberts 77 mins (foul on Vaz Te), Linwood 81 mins (foul on Pedersen).

MAN OF THE MATCH

KEVIN POOLE

KEVIN Nolan grabbed the glory with his magnificent late equaliser but Tranmere would have been home, dry and safely through to the fourth round if the 40-year-old Poole had not produced a vintage performance.

MAGIC MOMENT

NOLAN has scored more important goals in his time -- two in successive Premiership triumphs at Old Trafford come instantly to mind -- but for pure skill and single-minded determination there are none to match his 79th minute equaliser.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

THE critics who do not understand that, for the likes of Bolton Wanderers, the Premiership must take precedence over the FA Cup show a crass ignorance of the new order in English football. Romance and tradition are all well and good but they do not pay the bills.