Darrell Clarke wants Tranmere to turn close games into victories when they travel to Chesterfield this weekend, after a late equaliser against Walsall left them with another frustrating draw.
It was the third time this season Tranmere have let a lead slip late on, and Clarke made clear that he believes those moments are costing his side a better place in League Two. Tranmere are tenth, but Clarke feels the table could look different if his team had been sharper at key moments.
What Clarke said after Walsall
Clarke said he thought Tranmere produced a really good performance against Walsall, but the late goal meant the result did not match the performance. After reviewing the game, he said there was plenty of good in it, along with a few things that were not so good, and added that it was a display that should have been enough for three points.
He was also clear that Tranmere needed to be more clinical. Clarke said his side conceded a sloppy late goal and should never have allowed Walsall to come through the middle of the pitch in the way they did. He added that he analysed himself on the decisions he made as well, which is a sign of how much the result mattered to him.
Even so, Clarke pointed to the mood around the camp as a positive. He said the players were disappointed, but that the group also had to take heart and spirit from the performance. He added that the team spirit is really good and that Tranmere are in a good place overall.
Test at Chesterfield
The next task is a difficult one. Chesterfield lost 2-1 at Cheltenham Town last Saturday, and Clarke was full of respect for the team they will face. Chesterfield are managed by ex-Tranmere player Paul Cook, whom Clarke described as having a top manager who gets his teams playing in a way that can cause plenty of problems and create lots of chances.
Clarke said Tranmere will need to be at their best on Saturday and insisted it is not a game they can turn up to without seven or eight out of 10 performances from the players. He also stressed that Tranmere have to be on the front foot because they are going there to try to win the game.
That is the next step for Tranmere: keeping the good parts of their recent performances, cutting out the late lapses and making sure the points match the effort.
