Little went right for Blackburn as they suffered an eighth away defeat and missed the opportunity to close in on the play-off zone.

But for Tranmere this was their second league win in four days to well and truly put behind them the disappointment of their Worthington Cup final reverse.

It needed a penalty in the 47th minute to break the deadlock. Alan Mahon netted into the top right hand corner for Tranmere after skipper Wayne Allison had been brought down by Marlon Broomes.

Blackburn, who lost Jason McAteer at half-time through injury with Per Frandsen taking over, missed a glorious opportunity to draw level. Home keeper Joe Murphy brilliantly turned away a 67th-minute effort by Ashley Ward who was in the clear.

Nathan Blake got free in the next minute but this time Murphy made a brave diving save at his feet.

Blake had a goal ruled out as early as the fifth minute for a marginal offside decision and it was just not his day when, in the 75th minute, he beat Murphy with a right foot shot only to see the ball hit the right hand post and fly across the face of the gaping goal.

Murphy went on to make another good save from Damien Duff and Blake headed over as Blackburn searched for an equaliser.

Tranmere were presented with a second goal in the 90th minute. A back pass by Simon Grayson was far too weak and Allison nipped in, rounded keeper Alan Kelly and netted.

Blackburn were finally rewarded in the fourth minute of injury time when Christian Dailly headed home from a corner Garry Flitcroft.

Duff was outstanding in midfield for Blackburn and there was also some good work from Grayson until his late error.

Leg weary Rovers battled through to the end with some great work from Rueben Hazell, Gareth Roberts and Mahon in addition to keeper Murphy.

Teams:

Tranmere: Murphy, Hazell, Challinor, Yates, Roberts, Henry, G. Jones, Mahon (L. Jones 89), S. Taylor (Black 46), Allison, Kelly (Morgan 83).

Subs Not Used: Nixon, Thompson.

Booked: Morgan.

Goals: Mahon 47 pen, Allison 90.

Blackburn: Kelly, Grayson, Broomes, Dailly, Davidson, Flitcroft, Duff, Gillespie, McAteer (Frandsen 46), Ward, Blake.

Subs Not Used: Jansen, Johnson, Peacock, Miller.

Booked: Flitcroft.

Goals: Dailly 90.

Att: 9,502

Ref: C Wilkes (Gloucester).