Match ends, Accrington Stanley 4, Tranmere Rovers 1.
AccringtonAccrington Stanley4TranmereTranmere Rovers1
Jack Nolan scored two penalties to give Accrington manager John Doolan his first home win with a 4-1 victory over Tranmere.
Both teams finished the season just below mid-table in League Two, with Doolan taking over the Reds in March.
It was a lively opening as, with just 95 seconds gone, Regan Hendry's free-kick found James Norris, who drilled the ball home from 20 yards to put Tranmere ahead.
Stanley replied in the fourth minute when Nolan's corner was headed home by defender Lewis Shipley.
Stanley's Radek Vitek dived low to keep out Hendry's strike in the 32nd minute and his opposite number Luke McGee denied Shaun Whalley and Shipley before half-time.
The Reds were awarded a penalty in the 51st minute when Liam Coyle's header hit the arm of Rob Apter. Nolan hit the spot-kick straight down the middle.
It was quickly three when teenager Alex Henderson, who has just signed a new three-year deal, got the ball in the area, made space and fired home in the 53rd minute.
Stanley pressed for a fourth and Whalley was fouled in the area with Nolan rifling the penalty into the roof of the net in the 82nd minute to end the season on 17 goals.
Match report supplied by PA Media
Line-ups
Accrington
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 21Vítek
- 38O'Brien
- 5Hills
- 16Gubbins
- 2ShipleyBooked at 90mins
- 28ConneelySubstituted forMartinat 89'minutes
- 6CoyleBooked at 78minsSubstituted forWoodsat 83'minutes
- 17Nolan
- 30HendersonSubstituted forPritchardat 83'minutes
- 7WhalleySubstituted forWoodsat 89'minutes
- 18LeighSubstituted forLoweat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Savin
- 8Woods
- 9Lowe
- 10Pritchard
- 12Quirk
- 22Martin
- 39Woods
Tranmere
Formation 4-4-2
- 1McGee
- 2O'Connor
- 15Hockenhull
- 30Belehouan
- 26Norris
- 25ApterSubstituted forTaylorat 72'minutes
- 8Hendry
- 16MerrieSubstituted forMcAlearat 85'minutes
- 19SaundersSubstituted forDennisat 51'minutes
- 9NorrisSubstituted forHawkesat 84'minutes
- 18Jennings
Substitutes
- 5Davies
- 11Hawkes
- 13Murphy
- 14Dennis
- 20Taylor
- 23McAlear
- 27Wood
- Referee:
- Martin Woods
- Attendance:
- 3,361
Match Stats
Home TeamAccringtonAway TeamTranmere
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home21
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home9
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Accrington Stanley 4, Tranmere Rovers 1.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Samuel Taylor (Tranmere Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Connor Jennings.
Post update
Foul by Ben Woods (Accrington Stanley).
Post update
Regan Hendry (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Matt Lowe (Accrington Stanley).
Post update
Ben Hockenhull (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Ben Woods.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ben Hockenhull (Tranmere Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Reece McAlear with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Tranmere Rovers. Conceded by Ben Woods.
Post update
Foul by Matt Lowe (Accrington Stanley).
Post update
Ben Hockenhull (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Lewis Shipley (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Lewis Shipley (Accrington Stanley).
Post update
Samuel Taylor (Tranmere Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Tranmere Rovers. Josh Hawkes is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Matt Lowe replaces Tommy Leigh.
Substitution
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Dan Martin replaces Seamus Conneely.
Substitution
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Josh Woods replaces Shaun Whalley.
Post update
Attempt missed. Brad Hills (Accrington Stanley) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jack Nolan with a cross following a corner.
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