Tranmere vs Southampton - Play off Final at Wembley
The Build Up: Geoff Shreeves
Geoff Shreeves: Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS IS THE NPOWER CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF FINAL! I will be running round the stadium, looking to see who I can find. I think that's err... Ronnie Moore is there, manager of Tranmere, lets have a word with him.
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GS: Hello, Ronnie, you must be buzzing, waiting for a chance to play in the top flight perhaps?
Ronnie Moore: Yeah, I just hope we play as well as we do normally, and maybe, just maybe, we can go up.
GS: You've done a great job so far, winning League One last season, are you confident you can do a double promotion, just like your opponents today, Southampton, did two years ago?
RM: Southampton are obviously a bigger club, but yeah, we might be a better side and I think we can do it.
GS: Thanks for chatting Ronnie.
GS: Hmm, lets see if we can find Chris Kamara... oh, there he is! Chris!
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GS: Hello, Chris, first question, what on earth are you wearing? Haha, on a more serious note, are you confident about today?
Chris Kamara: Sorry? Don't you like my cream suit? Haha, err, yeah, I think we are a stronger side, and I'm confident we can win.
GS: There is once again a big selection dilemma for you, Jay Rodriguez or Rickie Lambert? And Patjim Kasami will be out, he's been suspended, so who will replace him?
CK: Ha! When god closes a door, he opens a window! Kasami is suspended, so I can replace him with Lambert, and Rodriguez can go up front.
GS: Ingenious. I believe we're done for now. Cheers Chris.
CK: My pleasure.
The Introduction
Sam Matterface: Hello there, I am Sam Matterface, and alongside me, is Jim Proudfoot.
Jim Proudfoot: Yep, I'm Jim Proudfoot, and I am ready, for the playoff final. The winner, heads to the Premier League. Lets check the line ups.
Tranmere: fon Williams, Holmes, Hartley, Hoshney, Chalmers, Thompson, Wallace, Taylor, Power, McGurk
Southampton: Gazzaniga, Cummings, Shotton, Yoshida, Shaw, Davis, Spearing, Mackie, Lambert, Lallana
SM: Of course, Patjim Kasami is suspended, so Saints manager Chris Kamara has decided to play Rickie Lambert in the attacking midfield role, where Kasami normally plays. Rodriguez starts up front.
The Match
0’JP: The play-off final is underway! Let’s see what these teams have in store for us!
40’ SM: Mackie, spots the run of Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Rodriguez beats his man, Rodriguez shoots! Saved. But the follow up comes, it’s Lallana! Great challenge, last ditch challenge, by Holmes.
JP: Great, great defending, Holmes, he just gets in, across him, and knocks the ball away. 0-0.
45’ JP: The first half is over, a cagey affair so far, lets hope there is a goal, in the second half, which s up next.
45’ SM: Southampton get the game underway, it’s passed to Mackie. Beats his man, chance for Mackieeee! Kept out by fon Williams, good stop, but good start to the half by Southampton. Throw in, now, as Thompson gets rid of it. Shaw takes it quickly, Lallana, Rodriguez is making a run, he’s found him, but the defender tracks him and he lays it off for LAMBERT!
JP: GOAL! GOAL! RICKIE LAMBERT! HE’S DONE IT BEFORE, HE’S DONE IT AGAIN! LAMBERT IS SURELY A SOUTHAMPTON HERO NOW! RICKIE LAMBERT! SOUTHAMPTON ARE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE!
SM: Near post, found the gap, maybe fon Williams could have saved it, but Lambert will not care any less. It is a goal, it is a goal for Southampton! 1-0.
60’ SM: Chance for Rodriguez. Rodriguez, he’s been forced out wide, good defending, the chance is gone now. Rodriguez could have added to Southampton’s tally there, but it’s Shaw now.
JP: Shaw, outside the box... good ball...LAMBERT! Oooh! So close! Thundering header, into the crossbar. So nearly 2-0.
87’ SM: Lat few minutes now, Southampton relaxing, back to Shotton, oh, poor pass! Stockton for Tranmere, plays the ball to Thompson, into the box and it has gone to STOCKTON! NO! HOW DID HE MISS! 6 YARDS OUT AND IT’S AN EASY CATCH FOR GAZZANIGA!
JP: Stockton did well there, good ball to Thompson and it was poor marking by Shotton, and a poor pass by Shotton, but Stockton, he has his head, in his hands, what a chance to finish the move he started.
91’ JP: Hall. Tranmere need a goal. Hall for Tranmere, in his own half, Stockton is making a run, ooh, it’s way too long and it goes out, for a goal kick. Not long to go now.
SM: Poor, poor ball, it was half hearted, I don’t think Hall expected it to work out, and THAT IS IT! SOUTHAMPTON! PLAY-OFF WINNERS! THEY ARE BACK IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE, AND IT IS FAIR TO SAY, IT WAS DOWN TO TWO INSPIRATIONAL MEN! THE GOALSCORER, RICKIE LAMBERT, AND THE SAVIOUR OF THE SAINTS, CHRIS KAMARA! Thank you for watching, Southampton, are back in the Premier League!
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The fans celebrate promotion
Southampton 1-0 Tranmere