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Brilliant Tranmere Rovers are 90 minutes from Wembley after they produced a supreme performance to gun down Aldershot in the play-off semi-final first leg.

Cole Stockton gave Rovers the dream start – converting from close range in the second minute – before James Norwood capitalised on a goalkeeping howler to double the advantage just two minutes after the break.

Aldershot tried to fight their way back in but were caught on the break, allowing Stockton to grab his second and Tranmere’s third in what was a performance of Football League quality from the Birkenhead club.

With Lee Vaughan breaking his leg against Southport, Micky Mellon changed the shape of his side and reverted to a flat back four.

Lois Maynard returned to the starting XI in a midfield diamond with Stockton getting the nod ahead of Andy Cook up front alongside Norwood.

The atmosphere inside this old, compact and traditional Hampshire football ground was electric half an hour before kick off as fans waited eagerly for the high stakes encounter to begin.

Rovers kicked off attacking the terrace end where their supporters were situated, with Jeff Hughes immediately lashing a 25-yard volley onto the roof of the stand.

A minute later they were in the lead. Norwood and Hughes colluded to rob the ball off Aldershot on the edge of their own penalty area and the latter crossed for Stockton, who slammed the ball home on the turn.

The early strike sent the travelling Super White Army mental, as a huge blue smoke bomb bellowed on the side of the pitch.

Kundai Benyu tried to respond for the shaken Shots, but Scott Davies gathered his low cross at his front post.

Rovers had the upper hand in the opening 20 minutes, with Adam Buxton smashing an effort high over the bar after the hosts could only half clear a free kick into the box.

A seeping move from one end of the pitch to the other saw Tranmere only denied a second goal when Connor Jennings’ shot – from Liam Ridehalgh’s cross – was blocked at point blank range.

As the rain lashed down, Aldershot were all at sea. A loose pass put Rovers on another attack but when Jennings squared for Maynard his shot was repelled by another last-ditch body.

Just before the half hour mark the hosts finally threatened Tranmere’s goal. A cross from Idris Kanu was met by the head of Matt McClure and he was only denied by the finger tips of Davies.

From the subsequent corner, Callum Reynolds nodded inches wide, to the relief of the travelling contingent.

Six minutes later the Shots should have been level when Kanu got around the back of Rovers defence and crossed for Bernard Mensah, who saw his shot cannon back off the underside of the bar.

Centre back Will Evans then fired a 30-yard effort just wide moments later as the hosts continued to demonstrate their ever-threatening firepower.

Nick Arnold sent an ambitious 35-yard free kick high over the bar five minutes before the break but Tranmere held firm to protect their first half lead.

Aldershot made a change at the interval, replacing Jim Kellermann with Shamir Kellermann and the former Tranmere loanee forced a save out Davies inside a minute.

But Rovers doubled their advantage just 60 seconds later when – under no pressure – Shots ‘keeper Jake Cole inexplicitly dropped Ridehalgh’s floated cross at the feet of Norwood, who tapped in from a foot to score surely the easiest goal of his career.

Rovers were rampant. The travelling fans delirious. Aldershot stunned. The home crowd silenced.

Bullish Tranmere could smell the opportunity to kill their prey in the first leg. A volley from Norwood flew over the bar as he looked for his second.

Gary Waddock brought striker Scott Rendell on for Matt McClure after an hour as the hosts tried to find a way back into the contest, before Manny Oyeleke replaced the injured Benyu.

Tranmere dropped off 10 yards as they tried to deal professionally with an attempting resurgence from the hosts.

But as Aldershot tried to attack, Rovers had chances to pick them off on the break.

In interception by Hughes saw the midfielder release Norwood down the left channel and when his cross was blocked by the hand of an Aldershot defender, Tranmere’s penalty appeals were waved away, enraging Mellon in the dugout.

A mistake by James Wallace gave the hosts a chance to break themselves and when the scampering Bernard Mensah was tripped by Wallace, one can only assume that the referee let it slide as a leveller for the handball incident.

With quarter of an hour to play the threat of that Tranmere counter-attack came to fruition when the outstanding Norwood broke clear and slipped in Stockton.

The reborn striker clinically dispatched his chance and sparked scenes of jubilation in the away end surely not witnessed since the 1990’s.

Moments of pure joy have been in short supply for the club from the Wirral but finally here was genuine moment of ecstasy for their dedicated supporters, who will be cautious, but must feel that the job of reaching Wembley is almost done.

Match facts

Scorers: Stockton 2, 75 Norwood 47

Half time: 0-1

Star man: Cole Stockton (Tranmere striker). Difficult to choose with so many superb performances all over the park but Stockton’s clinical finishing has put Wembley within touching distance.

Attendance: 5,614 (896 away)

Entertainment: 4/5

Ref rating: Craig Hicks (7/10)

Aldershot (4-3-3): Cole; Arnold, Evans, Reynolds, Alexander; Gallagher, Kellermann (Fenelon 46), Benyu (Oyeleke 65); McClure (Rendell 60), Mensah, Kanu. Subs not used: Straker, Smith

Tranmere (4-4-2): Davies; Buxton, McNulty, Ihiekwe, Ridehalgh; Maynard (Mangan 87), Hughes, Wallace, C Jennings; Stockton (Cook 85), Norwood (Dunn 90). Subs not used: Turner, Collins

Bookings

Aldershot: Alexander

Tranmere: Maynard, Wallace