But he still delivered a knockout blow to Tranmere's hopes in the promotion six-pointer.

Coppinger scored what turned out to be the winner after less than two minutes.

Again playing just behind the front two, Coppinger robbed Tranmere centre-back Anthony Kay and unleashed a 25 yarder which gave former Wales 'keeper Danny Coyne no chance.

It was only Coppinger's second goal of the season.

But what he lacks in quantity he more than makes up for in quality. That goal, and the one at Millwall last month, were both out of the top drawer.

After going through a spell when he was not on the top of his game, and looking to be a bit short of confidence at times, gifted Coppinger is once again firing on all cylinders.

Rovers have lost only twice in the league when they have scored first.

But with Tranmere having climbed to sixth on the back of eight games without defeat, such statistics would not have entered their heads at the time.

There was certainly time for Tranmere to not only pull back a goal, but to go on and win.

But they rarely looked like doing either. They seemed stunned by Rovers' early blow for much of the first half.

Apart from a couple of early tilts by on-loan right-sided midfielder Jennison Myrie-Williams, Tranmere did not produce much in and around the box and generally looked half-a-yard off the pace.

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Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll decided against playing either midfielder Paul Green or 20 year-old defender Sam Hird in place of injured right-back James O'Connor, and elected to go with just three at the back.

Once again he got it right tactically, and the back-three of Steve Roberts, who played the central role, and skipper Adam Lockwood and Matt Mills were so dominant that keeper Neil Sullivan had a quiet afternoon until late on.

Rovers had expected Tranmere to be in their faces, as had been the case when the two sides battled out a goalless draw at the Keepmoat Stadium in November.

However, it did not turn out to be the case - particularly in the first half - and the likes of Brian Stock and Richie Wellens were given the room to display their talents.

Former Tranmere favourite, Gareth Roberts, also proved a threat pushing on down the left.

He also almost grabbed a second goal from a stoppage-time 25-yard free-kick which Coyne, who must have seen the ball late, did well to save.
Roberts spent seven years at Prenton Park before moving to Belle Vue in the summer of 2006, and is obviously still fondly remembered by the Tranmere fans judging by the warm reception he received.

"It was my second time back as a player and I've got a good reception on both occasions," said the former Welsh international.

"I've still got family over here and I often come back over on my day off and come down here if Tranmere have got a game, so I've seen them a few times this season.

"I didn't think that they would be as direct as they were today. I was certainly surprised by how much they used the long ball.

"I thought that they would play a bit more football than they did, but in a way the fact that they were so direct suited us. We won a lot of headers and we picked up a lot of second ball, which was important.

"I thought that we defended well as a team and restricted them to just a few chances.

"It was a brilliant goal by Copps. He's played well recently and it was an unstoppable shot."

If the Tranmere fans were pleased to see Roberts back, not so Jason Price. He was even booed while laying on the turf injured.

Price's 12-goal tally in his first season at Prenton Park remains his best haul in the Football League.

He did not have too many chances to add to his current nine-goal haul on his return to his old stomping ground.

His best effort was an angled shot in the first half, following a neat back-heel by skipper Adam Lockwood, which Coyne did well to block for a corner.

But he worked tirelessly, both on and off the ball, before picking up a knock early in the second half.

Rovers must have expected a change in tactics by Ronnie Moore's side in the second half, but that did not prove to be the case.

The effort was there, but apart from when Ian Moore tested Sullivan with a late diving header from eight yards out, they rarely looked like grabbing an equaliser.

Not a game which will live long in the memory.

Rovers were not at their fluent best and hard work and endeavour was the order of the day., but they came away with the points and that is
the important thing at this stage of the season.

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