The Liverpool Echo described how Tranmere boss Les Parry has promised to reward his players with a holiday in Magaluf if they win their fight for League One survival following their 0-0 draw at the Memorial Stadium.
It admitted the game "was by no means a classic," but said there was enough commitment, discipline and desire on show to prove that last the 4-1 home defeat in their previous game against Leeds was merely a blip rather than the start of a worrying slide.
The Echo reported that Tranmere's gradual rise from the relegation zone under the guidance of physio-turned-manager Parry has been built on defensive resilience and a stubborn refusal to lose back-to-back matches. Those qualities were in evidence again as the Wirral visitors put up the barricades and frustrated an in-form Bristol Rovers side gunning for a fourth win on the spin.
"Fresh from the previous Saturday's 4-0 trouncing of derby rivals Swindon, The Pirates must surely have sensed blood when Tranmere - still licking their wounds from the Leeds defeat - rolled into town.
"Pirates strikers Paul Heffernan and Jo Kuffour had helped themselves to a goal apiece in the demolition of Swindon, but they were barely given a sniff by Goodison and McCready on an afternoon when the best players on show from both sides were defenders.
"Tranmere's best chance of the game saw Ian Thomas-Moore burst through the heart of the Bristol defence.. The visitor's skipper looked favourite to score, but his well-placed shot into the corner from 16 yards lacked the power to beat keeper Mikkel Andersen, who dived low to his left and pulled off a superb finger-tip save.
"There was a brief scare at the other end of the pitch when an excellent free-kick from Chris Lines had to be turned around the post by Tranmere keeper Luke Daniels. But it was a rare highlight for the home fans, who saw Byron Anthony carried off on a stretcher late in the half after the defender was injured preventing Savage from scoring a certain goal as Tranmere pressed forward again.
"It looked like the visitors' failure to score would come back to haunt them in the second half as The Pirates finally started to exert some sustained pressure.
The Tranmere keeper had to punch away a Danny Coles header from a Stuart Campbell corner on 75 minutes, and he also repelled long-range strikes from Jeff Hughes and Daniel Jones as full-time approached.
With results elsewhere going their way, it was another satisfactory afternoon for Tranmere.
The Great Escape is still on for Tranmere - and so is that holiday to Magaluf.
DANNY Wilson admitted to the Swindon Advertiser that he was disappointed with the standard of defending displayed by his side over the course of a forgettable 90 minutes for the Robins against Rovers at the County Ground.
Having reviewed the DVD of the 4-0 defeat against Rovers, the former Bristol City boss has claimed mass reprisals would do no good for the club as their play-off challenge enters its most trying month to date.
"I don't get carried away with wins and I don't get too deflated with defeats," he told The Advertiser.
"For 24 minutes they didn't get into our half, and anybody who wasn't at the game, and then watching the highlights, will think that it's a pummelling.
"It was a pummelling but the other way round. It's unbelievable that we didn't have anything to show for our efforts.
"We've got to make sure we get over it. We're disappointed but we will get over it."
In their match report The Advertiser described how Swindon's automatic promotion aspirations "took a huge dent as they were handed a thumping by their local rivals.
"Swindon dominated the opening exchanges and Alan Sheehan struck the woodwork inside two minutes, but once Jo Kuffour broke the deadlock with a fantastic finish there was no looking back for the visitors.
"Paul Heffernan then struck from close range and Chris Lines fired home a free-kick before half-time to put Rovers completely in control.
"Although Swindon briefly threatened after the break, Jeff Hughes tapped in from little more than a yard to put the game beyond any doubt and inflict a first defeat in 14 games on the home side."
Jo Kuffour told the Bristol Evening Post: "Having not won away for so long, it was good to come here and do the damage that we did. We played really well.
"We were very strong at the back and didn't give anything away, while up top we counter-attacked very well and took our chances when it mattered.
"We'd worked all week on hitting them on the counter-attack and our game plan paid off really well."
Kuffour was full of praise for the contribution of loan marksman Heffernan, who left the field to chants of "Sign him up" from the away fans.
" Heffs' experience means he's great to play with," said Kuffour.
"I've not long come back from injury but I think we are starting to link up well - and if he stays then hopefully we can continue it."
