SAM Allardyce has revealed why Wanderers snubbed Tranmere's facilities after their Bank Holiday win at Prenton Park.

"We just didn't want to spend too long there," the Reebok boss explained as the feuding between the clubs took a bizarre twist with what appeared to be a 'dirty protest'.

"We went there to do a job. We didn't want to hang around."

Wanderers, who were angered by the unsporting antics of John Aldridge and his Rovers during the Worthington Cup semi-final in January, arrived at Prenton Park just 35 minutes before kick-off, having taken the precaution of sending assistant manager Phil Brown and skipper Mike Whitlow to the ground earlier to hand in the official teamsheet.

When they emerged from the team coach, the players were already changed into their warm-up gear instead of in their usual dress tracksuits. But the biggest surprise was to come after the 1-0 win - courtesy of a superb 53rd minute goal from Whitlow - when they left without showering.

"We just came back to the Reebok to get showered and changed," the manager explained.

"I suppose we put ourselves on the line again by arriving late, as we had done at West Brom on our previous trip, but I really wanted the players to be up for this one because I knew it would be our biggest test of the season - not from a footballing point of view but from the mental aspect.

"It was all about getting the players motivated and not about winding Tranmere up. We went there to do a job and we did it. We were excellent and Tranmere ran out of ideas. All they could resort to was launching the ball up to Wayne Allison and we dealt with that magnificently. Jussi Jaaskelainen only had one save to make.

"Another clean sheet was terrific; we're rattling them off at the moment. And two wins over the Bank Holiday weekend was magnificent. Considering the size of the squad and the problems we've had, it's been a fantastic start to the season."

Allardyce is to be reported to the FA by the fourth official at Prenton Park for throwing a bottle of water to the ground. "He said some of the water splashed him so he has to report it," the manager explained. "I couldn't believe it!" Sam Allardyce

The manager hailed the 53rd minute matchwinner from Mike Whitlow as "a fantastic piece of finishing."

The victory, Wanderers' third in a row following an opening day draw at home to Burnley, has put them into third place in the table.