Match report
Rochdale beat Tranmere on penalties after 2-2 draw in League Cup thriller
Tranmere and Rochdale drew 2-2 after extra time in their League Cup Preliminary Round tie at Prenton Park, with Rochdale advancing 2-1 on penalties. The contest swung repeatedly, ending level after 120 minutes before the shootout settled the outcome in the visitors' favour.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
Charlie Jay Whitaker gave the hosts an early lead in the fourth minute, finishing from Tom Conlon's assist, but Rochdale responded within minutes as Ryan East levelled in the 11th. Tranmere restored their advantage midway through the second half when Jordan Davies converted a Jordan Turnbull assist in the 60th minute, putting Pete Wild's side back in front.
Rochdale would not be shaken off, however, and Zain Silcott-Duberry equalised in the 85th minute with an assist from Bryant Bilongo, sending the tie to extra time at 2-2. Neither side could find a winner in the additional 30 minutes, and Jim McNulty's side held their nerve in the shootout to progress.
Tranmere dominated large spells of general play despite conceding twice, managing 15 shots to Rochdale's 10 and forcing six efforts on target against the visitors' two, though they conceded more fouls across the tie.
Jordan Davies scored Tranmere's second goal and earned the highest rating on the pitch at 8.0, while team-mate Jordan Turnbull also impressed with an assist and a 7.7 rating.
Rochdale held just 28% possession yet still found a route to penalties, underlining how little the ball-dominant side controlled the outcome.
Tranmere and Rochdale drew 2–2 (half-time 1–1). Rochdale won the penalty shootout 2–1.
Tranmere met Rochdale in the League Cup (Preliminary Round). Kick-off was Saturday, 1 August 2026, 14:00 UTC at Prenton Park. Referee: Oliver Mackey.
Team pages: Tranmere · Rochdale · League Cup
Key moments
- 4' Goal: Charlie Jay Whitaker (assist: Tom Conlon) — 1–0 · Watch Charlie Jay Whitaker's goal video (4')
- 11' Goal: Ryan East — 1–1 · Watch Ryan East's goal video (11')
- 60' Goal: Jordan Davies (assist: Jordan Turnbull) — 2–1 · Watch Jordan Davies's goal video (60')
- 85' Goal: Zain Silcott-Duberry (assist: Bryant Bilongo) — 2–2 · Watch Zain Silcott-Duberry's goal video (85')
Starting line-ups
Tranmere (4-2-3-1)
Rochdale (4-2-3-1)
About this match
On this page: the Tranmere vs Rochdale final score and result, goal highlights and video clips of every goal, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this League Cup fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
- Watch Charlie Jay Whitaker's goal against Rochdale (4').
- Watch Ryan East's goal against Tranmere (11').
- Watch Jordan Davies's goal against Rochdale (60').
- Watch Zain Silcott-Duberry's goal against Tranmere (85').
Watch the goals: goal highlights and video clips of every goal from Tranmere 2–2 Rochdale. Explore more on the Tranmere and Rochdale team pages or the League Cup page.
Quick answers
›What was the final score of Tranmere vs Rochdale?
Tranmere and Rochdale drew 2–2 (half-time 1–1). Rochdale won the penalty shootout 2–1.
›Who scored in Tranmere vs Rochdale?
Charlie Jay Whitaker (4') for Tranmere; Ryan East (11') for Rochdale; Jordan Davies (60') for Tranmere; Zain Silcott-Duberry (85') for Rochdale.
›Where can I watch Tranmere vs Rochdale highlights?
Goal highlights and video clips from Tranmere 2–2 Rochdale are on this page — open the videos tab to watch every goal.