Jamie Proctor's stoppage time equaliser grabs a deserved point for the Valiants in Birkenhead
The Valiants came into this game with a five-match unbeaten run but were tested early on by Elliot Nevitt. He found space in the area from a corner to head an effort towards goal but his attempt went well over the bar.
The hosts’ form was quite the opposite with back-to-back defeats. Kane Hemmings had Tranmere’s first shot on target after 13 minutes but Thomas Holy saved the strike well and claimed the ball at the second attempt.
An even game in the first quarter of an hour but Chris Hussey came close to giving us the lead. Tranmere cleared the ball away after a Vale attack which fell into the path of Hussey but his right-footed shot from outside the area went wide of the goal. On 26 minutes Josh Hawkes had a gilt-edged chance to put Tranmere in front but he somehow missed the target from close range.
Rovers took the lead five minutes into the second half. The ball was played into Hawkes who was free on the left wing and the forward carried the ball into the area and stroked the ball past Holy to put the hosts in front. Two minutes later Hawkes was in again after a ball was whipped to the back post for the goal scorer but his shot on the volley went over the bar.
On 55 minutes Hawkes had yet another chance, this one was from around 30-yards but Holy comfortably saved. Four minutes later Hemmings took a shot at goal which sat up nicely for him on the edge of the area but it glanced the side netting.
A set-piece from the training ground for the Valiants two minutes after the hour mark. Hussey played the ball short to Brad Walker who was 25-yards out but unfortunately his effort went wide of the goal. Eight minutes later Hemmings tried to lob Holy from 25-yards but he put too much on it as it sailed over the bar.
Seven minutes from time Lee O’Connor attempted to add a second to Tranmere’s lead with a shot from outside the area but Holy again saved well.
But in stoppage time, substitute Jamie Proctor headed home James Gibbons’ first-time ball into the back of the net to rescue a point for the Valiants.
Tranmere Rovers | Doohan, Dacres-Cogley, MacDonald, Davies, Morris, Hemmings (84’ Foley), Hawkes (80’ McPake), Warrington, Nevitt, O’Connor, Clarke
Subs not used | Murphy, Knight-Percival, Merrie, Jolley, McManaman
Port Vale | Holy, Walker, Hall, Smith, Worrall (71’ Gibbons), Garrity, Wilson, Hussey, Pett, Harratt (46’ Proctor), Cooper (71’ Amoo)
Subs not used | Stone, Jones, Martin, Charsley