Summary

  • Ollie Banks' long-range strike seals first-leg victory for Tranmere

  • Forest Green played 75 minutes with 10 men following Gunning red card

  • Forest Green (5th) finished one point above Tranmere (6th)

  • Tranmere bidding to win successive promotions

  • Forest Green have never reached third tier before

  • Second leg at The New Lawn on Monday (19:45 BST)

  • Winner to face Mansfield or Newport at Wembley

  1. Postpublished at 45+1 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green Rovers' Dayle Grubb runs forwardImage source, Rex Features

    There'll be a minimum of four additional minutes at the end of this half.

  2. Postpublished at 44 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    As half-time approaches, we've only had one shot on target so far.

    That was Ollie Banks' super opening goal.

  3. Postpublished at 41 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    Tranmere's leading man James Norwood is limping after landing awkwardly on his ankle, but he seems keen to try and run it off.

  4. Postpublished at 37 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    Tranmere are full of confidence now and keen to shoot whenever they have the ball on the edge of the area.

    Forest Green Rovers Reece Brown passes the ball forwardImage source, Rex Features
  5. SUBSTITUTION (Forest Green)published at 33 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    In a bid to steady the ship, the 10 men make a change.

    Midfielder Junior Mondal comes off and Lee Collins comes on. I think they'll be switching to a back three, with wing backs.

  6. Postpublished at 32 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    James Norwood of Tranmere Rovers rues a missed chanceImage source, Rex Features

    Wow, Tranmere could be almost out of sight, but Norwood fires just off target again.

    The man with 29 league goals for the season chests the ball down at the far post from a corner but - to everyone's surprise at Prenton Park - he blasts over from a few yards.

    Forest Green rode their luck there.

  7. CLOSE!published at 31 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    Tranmere's top scorer James Norwood almost has a goal against his former side, as he fires in to the side-netting.

    Half the crowd thought that was in.

  8. Postpublished at 29 mins

    Tranmere 1-0 Forest Green

    It's only Ollie Banks' fourth goal of the season, but it's surely his most impressive, and very probably his most important.

  9. goal

    GOAL: Tranmere 1-0 Forest Greenpublished at 26 mins

    Ollie Banks

    What a cracking strike to give Tranmere the lead. Ollie Banks is given plenty of room outside the area to steady himself and fire a powerful effort at goal.

    It bounces down off the underside of the bar and back out.

    But the ball was clearly over the line and the referee John Busby points to his wrist to indicate the goal has been given by the technology, and correctly so.

    Tranmere celebrate Ollie Banks' goalImage source, Rex Features
  10. Postpublished at 25 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    At the other end, Emmanuel Monthe defends well to hold off Christian Doidge.

    Forest Green Rovers Christian Doidge shoots at goalImage source, Rex Features
  11. Postpublished at 24 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Jay Harris takes Tranmere's first notable shot at goal of this game, but he fires straight at Forest Green defender Nathan McGinley from just outside the area.

    Some home fans appeal, claiming that hit McGinley's arm, but there's nothing in it.

  12. Postpublished at 22 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green Rovers Liam Shephard(2) and Tranmere Rovers James Norwood(10) jump for the ballImage source, Rex Features

    Can the hosts take advantage of their extra man tonight then? The possession has still be pretty evenly shared, since that red card.

  13. Postpublished at 18 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    It's such a needless red card, from the visitors' point of view. They'll be really frustrated at that.

    Former Dundee United defender Gavin Gunning can have no complaints. He didn't need to react like that.

    It's been a physical start to this game, with some rough challenges flying in, and now it's 11 v 10.

  14. RED CARD (Forest Green)published at 16 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green Rovers Gavin Gunning is shown a red cardImage source, Rex Features

    Gavin Gunning is shown a straight red for the visitors!

    He tumbles over under a slightly clumsy challenge from Jay Harris, but then Gunning kicks out at the Tranmere man while on the ground. It's a no-brainer for the officials.

    Gunning's season is over. And Forest Green have a tough task here now, with so long left of this first leg.

  15. Postpublished at 13 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    The team finishing fifth has won the play-offs just once in the past nine League Two seasons, with Southend going up in 2014-15.

    Is that a bad omen for Forest Green?

  16. Postpublished at 10 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green are playing some tidy stuff in these early stages, but Tranmere are looking slightly the more eager to make a break in to the penalty area.

    David Perkins of Tranmere Rovers holds off a challenge from Junior Mondal of Forest GreenImage source, get
  17. get involved

    Get Involved via #bbceflpublished at 19:55 BST 10 May 2019

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Laura: Come on T, externalranmere Rovers. Soft spot for my local team.

    Tranmere are one side that have some pretty illustrious neighbours on Merseyside, but I have a feeling that there is no shortage of love for them.

  18. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green left-back Joseph Mills goes on a brilliant run, carrying the ball about 50 yards down the left flank, but it doesn't come to anything in the end for the away side.

    No chances to report just yet.

  19. Postpublished at 3 mins

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Tranmere Rovers' Kieron Morris (left) and Reece Brown Rovers' Reece BrownImage source, PA

    No team kept more clean sheets in League Two this season than Tranmere.

    I'm sure they'd love another one tonight.

  20. KICK-OFFpublished at 1 min

    Tranmere 0-0 Forest Green

    Forest Green Rovers get this game going. Tranmere are in their traditional white shirts and blue shorts, but the visitors are in their changed black strip, with a splash of green.