Tranmere Rovers v Southampton match programme

Match archive

FA Cup · 2001-02-20

Tranmere Rovers4-3Southampton

Venue
Prenton Park
Attendance
12,910
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Rovers kit
2000-02 Home

Rovers scorers

Paul Rideout (3), Stuart Barlow

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Match report

The story of the game

Tranmere Rovers produced one of the greatest comebacks in FA Cup history, recovering from three goals down at half-time to beat Premier League Southampton 4-3 at Prenton Park.

Paul Rideout scored a remarkable 21-minute hat-trick to drag Rovers level before substitute Stuart Barlow completed the turnaround with the winning goal six minutes from time. The victory earned John Aldridge's side a home quarter-final against Liverpool.

There was little indication of what was to come during a first half dominated by Southampton. Hassan Kachloul opened the scoring after 11 minutes, curling a skilful 20-yard effort beyond John Achterberg.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 25th minute. Marian Pahars delivered a cross-field pass to Kachloul, whose low centre was turned in from close range by Jo Tessem.

Southampton appeared to have settled the tie during first-half stoppage time. Achterberg was unable to hold Tessem's header from a Kachloul free-kick and Dean Richards reacted quickest to force home the loose ball.

Rovers left the pitch 3-0 down and apparently heading out of the competition. Aldridge responded with a furious interval team talk and an attacking change, replacing defender Dave Challinor with Barlow.

The adjustment transformed the contest. Tranmere played with renewed intensity and reduced the deficit after 59 minutes. Jason Koumas delivered a corner, Andy Parkinson sent the ball towards goal and Rideout supplied the decisive touch.

That goal gave Rovers belief and Southampton began to retreat. The second arrived after 71 minutes, again following a Koumas corner. Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones initially produced an excellent save to deny Steve Yates, but Rideout met the resulting delivery with a powerful header to make it 3-2.

Jones briefly preserved Southampton's lead with another superb stop from Barlow, but the pressure continued. With ten minutes remaining, Parkinson crossed into the area and Rideout headed home his third goal to complete a stunning hat-trick and bring Rovers level.

Prenton Park had barely recovered when the winning goal arrived. Rideout turned provider, releasing Barlow to slide the ball past Jones in the 84th minute and complete an astonishing transformation from 3-0 down to 4-3 ahead.

Southampton had looked certain to progress after a commanding first half, but they had no answer to Tranmere's spirit after the interval. Rovers played with the urgency and determination which had already made them formidable cup opponents, while Rideout and Barlow punished an increasingly unsettled visiting defence.

The victory added another top-flight scalp to an extraordinary period of knockout football at Prenton Park. Rovers had already reached the Worthington Cup final during a campaign in which they repeatedly refused to accept defeat, and this comeback provided the most dramatic example yet.

After appearing dead and buried at half-time, Tranmere scored four times in 25 unforgettable minutes. Rideout's hat-trick supplied the inspiration, Barlow delivered the final blow and Aldridge's side secured a dream quarter-final meeting with Liverpool.

Rovers goals

How the goals were made

4 goals recorded

  1. Goal 1
    Paul Rideout

    Assisted by Andy Parkinson

    Goal type
    Shot
    Foot
    Right
    Assist type
    Pass
  2. Goal 2
    Paul Rideout

    Assisted by Jason Koumas

    Goal type
    Header
    Foot
    Head
    Assist type
    Corner
  3. Goal 3
    Paul Rideout

    Assisted by Andy Parkinson

    Goal type
    Header
    Foot
    Head
    Assist type
    Cross
  4. Goal 4
    Stuart Barlow

    Assisted by Paul Rideout

    Goal type
    Shot
    Foot
    Right
    Assist type
    Header

Matchday milestones

A day to remember

2 recorded

Team sheet

Rovers XI

Player positions are assigned using a best-guess algorithm based on the formation and each player's preferred position.

5-3-2 · John Aldridge

Substitutions

Dave Challinor replaced by Stuart BarlowStuart Barlow yellow card · 46

Des Hamilton replaced by Nick Henry · 45

Jason Koumas replaced by Gareth Roberts · 89

Community archive

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Andy Parkinson

No. 9

Dave Challinor

No. 5 · replaced by Stuart Barlow (46)

Des Hamilton

No. 27 · replaced by Nick Henry (45)

Graham Allen

No. 15

Jason Koumas

No. 16 · replaced by Gareth Roberts (89)

John Achterberg

No. 1

Paul Rideout

No. 25

Richard Hinds

No. 18

Richard Jobson

No. 31

Sean Flynn

No. 26

Steve Yates

No. 2

Match video

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Tranmere Rovers v Southampton - FA Cup

TranmereTV

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Fixture history

Last time we met

The previous Rovers meeting with Southampton.

Complete head-to-head
DFA Cup · 2001-02-17 · AwaySouthampton 0-0 Tranmere Rovers

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