Flynn Downes and Kayden Jackson netted second-half goals for the Blues as Town came from behind to beat Tranmere Rovers 2-1 at Prenton Park. Manny Monthe’s 32nd-minute goal gave Rovers a 1-0 half-time lead but Downes headed in the leveller on 55 and Jackson grabbed the winner in the 79th minute as Town deservedly claimed all three points and their eighth League One away win of the season.

James Norwood was surprisingly dropped to the bench against his former club with Jackson returning to an otherwise unchanged team.

Will Norris continued in goal behind a back three of skipper Luke Chambers, James Wilson and Luke Woolfenden. Gwion Edwards and Luke Garbutt were the wing-backs.

In midfield, the Blues fielded the same trio of Flynn Downes and Emyr Huws behind Alan Judge with Jackson, who missed the 0-0 draw at Oxford with a minor hamstring problem, joining Will Keane up front.

Tranmere made two changes from the team which drew 0-0 at Southend last weekend with skipper and keeper Scott Davies returning for loanee Aaron Chapman, who has returned to Peterborough, and Liam Ridehalgh in for Calum Woods at the back.

Given the boggy sand-covered pitch, it was little surprise the game started scruffily with the ball sticking on the surface a couple of times within the first couple of minutes.

Tranmere struck the game’s first shot in the 12th minute but Connor Jennings’s strike from some distance was blocked. Nevertheless, it woke up the previously quiet home supporters.

Huws hit Town’s first effort in the 16th minute, Davies stopping it but as on a number of occasions at Portman Road earlier in the season failing to hold on. Fortunately for Rovers the loose ball fell safely.

The Blues were beginning to get on top and a minute later Chambers shot from distance but his strike curled away from goal and behind.

Despite the conditions, Town began to pass the ball around nicely on their right flank, which wasn’t quite as much of a quagmire as the left. On 24 a neat interchange on the right ended with Edwards whipping over a cross which eventually fell to Keane, whose overhead kick was too close to Davies.

Two minutes later, Keane did well to out-battle his man and had a chance to play in Jackson to his left as the pair broke on goal but the former Manchester United trainee overhit his pass.

In the 29th minute a Judge corner on the left was cleared out to Downes, whose well-struck shot was blocked by David Perkins, a Town target during the Mick McCarthy era.

However, despite the Blues having been on top, it was Rovers who took the lead. Garbutt fouled Jake Caprice on the right flank and Monthe rose highest to nod the Tranmere right-back’s freekick into the far corner of the net past Norris.

The Blues keeper was subsequently booked for protesting with the freekick having come after Caprice had been allowed two goes at taking a throw, the right-back having initially thrown the ball out for a goalkick but referee Busby, for reasons which weren't clear, taking play back and giving him a second go, leading to Garbutt's foul.

Perkins was shown the game’s first yellow card for a late trip on Edwards, then on 37 it was almost 2-0. Peter Clarke was found in the area and hit a low shot on the turn which flew only just past Norris’s left post.

Town faded having conceded but as half-time approached they threatened again. Judge played a clever ball into the path of Jackson on the left, he crossed and Keane missed his kick and eventually he scuffed a chipped cross towards Judge straight to Davies.

Soon after, the whistle ended the half with the scoreline not really a reflection of the balance of the game.

The Blues had seem most of the ball and had managed to pass it around at times, while also looking to hit Keane and Jackson quickly, an unsurprising approach given the surface.

They had had one or two chances but without overly testing Davies in the Tranmere goal.
Aside from their set-piece goal - a poor one to concede from a Town perspective - and the shot on the turn which flew just past the post soon afterwards, the home side had rarely threatened.

Town were first to threaten after the restart, Jackson cutting in from the right and whipping over a ball which was too long for his team-mates.

On 52, with the Blues starting to take firm control of the game, Jackson sent over a dangerous ball from the left but picked out a Tranmere defender rather than a Town shirt. Moments later, Edwards battled in from the right but found Davies’s hands with his cross.

But three minutes later, the Blues were level. Keane brought the ball forward from midway inside the Tranmere half and played it wide to Garbutt on the left. The on-loan Everton man whipped over another brilliant teasing cross which Downes met with his head to power past Davies right in front of the Town support. It was Downes’s second of the season, both headers.

Huws shot over from distance on 59, then a minute later Jackson sent a low ball across the six-yard box but with referee John Busby already having blow up for a foul.

Neil Danns had been yellow-carded for handling a cross from the right towards the Town goal, then on 66 Teddy Bishop replaced Judge Two minutes later Huws was booked for a foul in the centre circle.

Bishop hit a low strike through to Davies from just outside the area on the right in the 70th minute with the game increasingly open. A minute later Monthe was yellow-carded for a foul on Bishop.

Moments later, Town swapped Keane, who had put in an impressive shift, for ex-Rover Norwood, who was applauded by his old fans. Tranmere switched Danns for Ollie Banks.

Bishop felt he had been tripped as he burst into the box on 73 but the referee waved away his protests and the ball broke to Edwards on the right. The Welshman’s low cross found Jackson, whose first effort was blocked and his second diverted over the bar by Monthe.

In the 77th minute, Town swapped Cole Skuse for Huws, who had committed a couple of debatable fouls having been booked and had shown his frustration to the referee.

Much of the build-up to the game had been about Norwood and inevitably the former Rovers frontman had a hand in the Blues’ winner in the 80th minute. The Town sub looped a clever pass over the top for Jackson to chase, Davies rushed off his line and the Blues’ number nine lobbed his ninth of the season over the keeper and under the bar. The Town players were joined by a handful of fans as they celebrated the goal.

As Tranmere pushed men forward looking for an equaliser, Town began to catch them on the break, Jackson ending a long run down the right with a low cross into Davies’s arms. On 84 Rovers replaced Perkins with Corey Blackett-Taylor.

Jackson forced Davies to save at his near post with a powerful strike in the 86th minute with the Blues looking more likely to score the game’s fourth goal than the home team.

In the first minute of five additional minutes, Norwood scraped a shot to Davies when he had time to take the ball on further.

Banks hit a freekick from 30 yards straight at Norris as the Blues saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to claim a deserved win.

Town were much the better side in the second half and allied their performance with decent chances, the first goal was particularly well worked down the left, and Davies kept far busier than he had been in the first period. At the other end, Norris had a quiet half with the Blues backline remaining solid.

The win - Town’s second in three games - continues the recent resurgence but, with Wycombe claiming a late 2-1 victory via a 94th-minute penalty and leaders Rotherham winning 3-0 at home to Bristol Rovers, Town remain third ahead of next week’s home game against Lincoln City.

Tranmere: Davies, Caprice, Clarke, Monthe, Ridehalgh, Morris, Danns (Banks 71), Perkins (Blackett-Taylor 84), Woodyard, Jennings, Ferrier. Unused: Pilling, Nelson, Gilmour, Payne, Mullin.

Town: Norris, Chambers (c), Wilson, Woolfenden, Edwards, Downes, Huws (Skuse 77), Garbutt, Judge (Bishop 66), Keane (Norwood 72), Jackson. Unused: Holy, Earl, Nolan, Sears. Referee: John Busby (Oxfordshire). Att: 7,921 (Town: 1,148).

Photo: Pagepix

Loring added 18:36 - Jan 18 Happy with the win with some tough fixtures coming up. After going a goal down we could of let our heads drop. Happy blue fan tonight, Shame about Wycombe but hey ho! Let's carry this form forward and get the that automatic promotion spot! COYB 🍻
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algarvefan added 19:16 - Jan 18 I love unsung hero's in a game, I thought Wilson was like a rock today, my kind of defender, no nonsense. Well done Town 2 difficult games on very heavy pitches, Bishop is a must to start for me in the next game. Onward and upwards!!
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runningout added 19:24 - Jan 18 I have had some quiet negative thoughts towards our captain. If he's focused like today then he's very good!!. All games in this league going to be tricky for rest of season. Hope we're ( including fans ) are up for it
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blueboy1981 added 19:32 - Jan 18 Welcome away win Guys - well done all round. Performances like that Chambo keeps the knockers quiet.
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runaround added 19:36 - Jan 18 A must win game & win we did. Feels like we might just be starting to build some momentum but with some massive matches coming up in the next month now is the time to hit a good run
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BuckieBlue added 19:43 - Jan 18 Ok some other sides are in bit of form like us, but we've a lot of home games left, so if our home form improves to becoming 'fortress PR,' then that, plus our undoubted several talented (championship level?) players, can see us to automatic place.
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 19:57 - Jan 18 Really enjoyed that, some great individual performances, Downes and Bish, when he came on we're the pick, but all played well. Our fitness showed at the end, we could have won by much more.
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Bluearmy_81 added 20:10 - Jan 18 Critical, crucial win. Was concerned when were down at half time as we had not really created, but once we got the equaliser there was only one winner. Much needed, COYB
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londontractorboy57 added 20:29 - Jan 18 We must of won today 8.30 and only a page and a bit of comments.
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1psw1ch added 20:36 - Jan 18 Fantastic stuff... So happy... Love the fans running onto the pitch to celebrate second goal 😄😄
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ITFCsince73 added 20:40 - Jan 18 Yes Londontractor seems a life time ago Mick Ma was here, boring the hell out of everyone
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pauldart added 21:15 - Jan 18 not all of Mick Ma's tenure was boring- all in all time tells that he did a fantastic job with limited resource. kept in the championship when others would couldn't - time to move on
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BlueandTruesince82 added 22:12 - Jan 18 Good win, essential given other results. Tough on a pitch like that. Great finish from Jackson. Having seen the Wycombe goals.... they got v lucky. Rotherham flying ATM. Must keep the wagon rolling. COYB
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blueboy1981 added 22:45 - Jan 18 Londontractorboy57 ........ that's because the majority of us want us to WIN, and happy when we do. Unlike you, who for whatever reason seem happy with whatever, including losing. Thankfully many of us want more - and are WINNERS.
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loudnproud added 08:03 - Jan 19 Have to agree with different gravy on their post. shocking lack of distribution from our keeper who was without doubt our weakest player. great support as usual from our support. Pleasure to share the terraces with them.....uppa town
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midastouch added 08:57 - Jan 19 Pressure was on at half time and credit to the players as they certainly responded fantastically second half to get an important 3 points. So we managed to secure 4 points out of a possible 6 on the road this week and in tough playing conditions. Surely nobody can moan about that. If somebody had of offered me 4 points before the Oxford and Tranmere games I would of snapped their hand off! I'm still really not sure what to expect this season. Before a ball was kicked I was quietly optimistic. Then when we were sitting pretty at the top I started to dream of automatic, but then after going over 2 months without a league win I started to wonder if we'd even finish in the play off places! It's really tough to call this league, to say it's wide open is an understatement. Every time a team looks to be coming strong they seem to run into turbulence (it's happened to us, it's happened to Wycombe, it's happened to Oxford and Peterborough). Rotherham look in the best shape right now and Coventry have always looked a threat to the automatic places. But there are plenty of others waiting to gatecrash the party too! We really can't afford to take our foot off the gas now, the top two places are up for grabs but there's not going to be much in the way of charity between now and the end of the season. Moreover, if we want to go up automatically I would think we need to start beating some of the teams around us which as yet we haven't managed.

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blueboy1981 added 14:15 - Jan 19 Amazing really - the posts / reactions on here prove once again that some of our Supporters are just as happy to lose, as win. That fact probably goes a long way towards us being a far too easy Club to Manage and play for - not as if we haven't been for many seasons. The bar should always be set high - that's the difference between being an also ran, an actually winning. No point in any competition if your focus isn't to WIN.

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ITFCsince73 added 14:59 - Jan 19 Apparently Blueboy, the club is funded by a billionaire. Apparently this billionaire only puts in enough funds for the club to survive. On that point Blueboy, it would appear there is many supporters who don't have winning at the top of their list. And on another point Blueboy, on driving past the stadium last night. It was noticed the illuminated sign on the outside of the SAR stand was only part working. Ipswich not lit up. The said billionaire has promised stadium improvements. The wait continues.

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Dolphinblue added 17:23 - Jan 19 Unbeaten in 2020 begs to differ with above comments but dont let the TRUTH get in the way of a good thenegcrew story.....and wheres Walktheline since we turned the corner? Oh well sure he will return when we lose 😂😂😂
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midastouch added 18:13 - Jan 19 Dolphinblue is on the happy pills again! 2 wins from the last 11 league games against teams both further down the table. Tranmere are now in the relegation zone and Accrington Stanley are currently sitting in 17th position. While being unbeaten in 4 league games is certainly a welcome improvement in form for Town, it's hard to see how we go up automatically unless we can start beating some top teams which we haven't in month. When was the last time we beat a decent team Dolphinblue? I'd say Leeds back in early May last year, although Leeds had totally fallen apart by then and we were already relegated so it was virtually a dead rubber. The only other teams we beat in the Championship that year were Rotherham 1 nil at home (and that was a real back to the wall job) and Bolton away. And we know where both of those two teams currently are! The last half-decent team we've beaten is Swansea back in early October 2016. We also beat Wigan 1 nil at home in December 2018 but again they are a lower-level Championship side and if they're not careful they will be back in League One next season. No complaints about our recent improvement in form but we're still a long way off being a force to be reckoned with again and until we start turning over teams at the top end of the table it's hard to get too carried away off the back of wins against Accrington Stanley and Tranmere. I'm not being negative, I'm just being realistic and pragmatic.

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midastouch added 18:20 - Jan 19 Meant Swansea in 2018, not 2016 obviously.
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ITFCsince73 added 19:46 - Jan 19 Exciting how big the next 4 games are. Minimum 9 points required.
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midastouch added 08:54 - Jan 20 @ITFCsince73. 4 tough games on paper. Rotherham and Sunderland away will be tricky if recent form is anything to go by. Hopefully we are catching Peterborough at a good time as they have gone off the boil although they might of picked up some by the time we play them on the 1st of Feb. We really need to beat Lincoln. Hopefully it will be a much improved performance compared to the 5-3 beating they dished out at their place recently. The next four games will be a really good measure of just how far our form has turned or hasn't. If Dolphinblue is still so cheery after those 4 games we will all be smiling with him! COYB!!! Anything less than a minimum of 6 or 7 points isn't going to be a good look for our automatic hopes. 8 or 9 would be a brilliant effort, whereas 10 or 12 would be cloud 9 stuff! I set a target of 4 points for Oxford and Tranmere. I'm setting a minimum target of 6 or 7 points from the next 4. A total of 1 point, or 2 or 3 (or even 4) just isn't going to cut it from those 4 games if we are serious automatic promotion contenders. COYB, show us what you've got!!!

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