Tranmere to get the job done at Wembley
It’s play-off final time! After a 46 game season and a play-off semi-final double-header, it all comes down to this. Will Newport County be Exile-erated or will Tranmere be Rover the moon? Read on to find out more (and no more puns, sorry):
Contrasting campaigns
Newport’s late surge into the play-offs has been remarkable to behold. Mike Flynn has kept his side focused on a game-by-game basis and it has paid off. Getting into the top seven on a budget that is far lower than more than half of the division is a testament to the work the Newport boss and his staff have done.
The great form at the right time help pushed the Exiles into the final play-off spot on the last day of the season and they fully deserved to beat Mansfield in the semi-final. This kind of momentum is hard to stop which is why the side that just sneak in often do quite well.
Tranmere, on the other hand, have been in the play-off places for a while and at one point were outsiders for an automatic promotion charge. Some difficult final fixtures put pay to that but Mickey Mellon’s side are formidable offering both physical play and exceptional talent throughout the squad.
It promises to be an excellent spectacle for the neutrals and a right nerve shredder for the supporters of both clubs involved.
Can Tranmere impose themselves?
Against Forest Green, Tranmere managed to stop Mark Cooper’s men from getting into their rhythm by pressing them high up the pitch and never letting them rest on the ball.
Newport will now try and do exactly the same thing to Rovers on Saturday but if Micky Mellon can get James Norwood into areas where he can do some damage then Newport will struggle to contain them. Behind Norwood, Tranmere boast Ben Pringle, Kieran Morris and Connor Jennings all of whom can be game changers. The key to success will be getting these players on the ball in the final third. Do that and Rovers will be hard to stop.
Setting the standard
Newport have been deadly from set-pieces this season and Jamille Matt and Padraig Amond have found the net 29 times between them giving the Exiles a clinical threat going forward.
If Newport get promoted it will not only be their first third-tier campaign since 1986-87 but it will be the first time three Welsh teams competed in the top three divisions of English football since 1994-95 (Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham).
County will be flying the flag for their compatriots and more importantly for a manager they trust, admire and who gets the best out of them week in, week out.
Newport County v Tranmere Rovers betting tip
Both of these sides work tirelessly to limit space for their opponents while have players up top who can score if given half the chance. With Tranmere’s experience of Wembley they probably carry the edge so backing a Rovers win with both teams to score at odds of 5/1 is where you should be looking to take advantage here.
