TRANMERE ROVERS v HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Mark Rankine wants Tranmere fans to cheer the team on to a comeback victory against Hartlepool. Brian Little's men are two goals adrift from the first leg when Adam Boyd's brace ensured that Hartlepool will be taking an advantage into the play-off second leg for the first time in their history.
Hartlepool have lost their five play-off semi finals – in the last six years – and are looking to break their hoodoo against Tranmere. Rovers did beat their north east rivals on both occasions in the league campaign and will draw solace from that fact as they try to achieve mission impossible.
And Rankine believes that if Prenton Park is full to it's 14,000 capacity, the atmosphere could make all the difference. "The crowd can be very important to us on Tuesday. If our fans are as passionate as Hartlepool's 6,000 were on Friday night, they can raise the roof at Prenton Park," said Rankine.
"A full house with the fans behind us can make a difference. It will give us a hell of a chance because as a team we are capable of setting a tempo in home games that can frighten opponents. Some of the people at Hartlepool on Friday were leaving the ground thinking they were already through. That could be a mistake for them and it's up to us to prove those celebrations were premature."
He added: "Hartlepool got two goals from three or four chances. Credit to them for taking them. I think, deep down, they know we were a better team but it is not always the better team that wins. They started very well, played with some passion as the home side and put us on the back foot."
Rovers boss Brian Little said: "They have the advantage, but we're capable of beating teams 2-0 at home so we've just got to roll our sleeves up and see if we can do it. We've got a difficult task, but it's not impossible. We'll have a good go."
Hartlepool captain Micky Barron, meanwhile, said the first leg victors were not getting carried away. "We'd have taken 2-0 before the first leg but it is only half time," he said. "I've played plenty of games where we've been 2-0 up at half time and ended up getting beaten.
"We still wanted to be in the tie going to Tranmere, whether that was a draw or a win. It's important we go there, do a good job and score another goal."
