TRANMERE secured their League One status on a dramatic final day of the season with a thumping 3-0 victory over already relegated Stockport.

Goals from Ian Goodison, Ian Thomas-Moore and on-loan midfielder Joss Labadie proved to be enough for Rovers after results elsewhere went their way.

On the back of last Saturday’s impressive win over Millwall, Tranmere went into the game needing to pick up all three points and then hope that one of Exeter, Hartlepool or Gillingham would slip up.

And a win for Exeter, coupled with a draw for Hartlepool, meant that Gillingham slipped into the bottom four after losing 3-0 at Wycombe.

Rovers, backed by more than 3,000 vocal supporters, made only one change to the side that brushed aside Millwall the week before.

Gareth Edds replaced the injured John Welsh in midfield, while Andy Robinson kept his place on the left of the front three.

Signs of nerves were evident early on as Rovers struggled to keep possession, with a number of hopeful balls and misplaced passes setting the tone in the first 20 minutes.

With news filtering through that Exeter had fallen behind, Tranmere gradually began to impose themselves with the impressive Joss Labadie, whose introduction to the team has coincided with an upturn in results of late, dominating the midfield.

And the Wirral side reaped the rewards their improvement deserved in the 38th minute.

Ian Goodison flicked on a long throw from Zoumana Bakayogo to Bas Savage, who held up the ball for long enough to allow the Jamaican centre-half to turn and smash the ball home from six yards out.

The relief around the ground was palpable as Goodison, kissing the badge in glee, ran towards the jubilant Rovers fans in the Popular Stand with his elated team-mates in tow.

Moments later it was nearly two, when Labadie smashed in a shot from outside the area that cannoned back off the post, with Thomas-Moore screwing the rebound over the bar.

Rovers fans’ hearts were in their mouths not long after as Ibehre flashed a header just wide for the hosts, who had in truth offered little, and that proved to be the last chance of the half.

With news of a goal for Wycombe coming through during the interval, Rovers could finally dare to dream that survival was in their grasp.

Les Parry’s side came out fired up for the second half, and when Ian Thomas-Moore managed to divert Bakayogo’s low cross past the despairing dive of Rigby soon after the restart, the fans packed in behind the goal began to celebrate the most unlikely of final day escapes.

15 minutes from the end, a tame effort from Savage was poorly dealt with by Rigby, leaving Labadie with the simple task of tucking home his third goal in the final game of an impressive loan spell.

With Wycombe leading Gillingham by three goals, the party could start in earnest and Rovers fans flooded onto the pitch at the final whistle to celebrate survival in a season that for so long looked to be heading towards disaster.

Now Chairman Peter Johnson has some difficult decisions to make, with Parry’s success in avoiding relegation furthering his cause to retain the top job for next season.

A year ago Rovers narrowly missed out on the play-offs on the final day, this season they ended up surviving by just one point after a tense 90 minutes at Edgeley Park.

And while last day drama has it’s merits,  most Rovers fans would probably be more than happy with a mid-table finish next time around.