A deflated Micky Mellon came under scrutiny again, as his Tranmere Rovers side were beaten by Gillingham.
Many people believe it is the Scots time to step back, as Rovers looked lacklustre once more.
After picking up seven points in their previous three games, it was back to the drawing board for Mellon and his side as their gap away from the play-offs fell to eight points.
Shaun Williams drew first blood for the hosts, as he reacted to Alex McDonald’s corner kick to finish off superbly after breaking round the back of a transfixed Tranmere back-line.
The killer blow was netted five minutes from time, as Tranmere were the masters of their own downfall on this occasion.
Kyle Jameson made a mess of his task to hook the ball clear and this allowed Shaun Williams past him as he turned provider for Conor Masterson who brushed home the games sealer.
Here’s four things we learnt after another disappointing afternoon for Tranmere.
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Tranmere second best throughout the clash
Tranmere and Gillingham both came into the clash on favourable runs of form, but in truth, Tranmere never got going.
39-year old ‘keeper Glenn Morris was criminally un-phased, as too was Joe Murphy, but as soon as Gillingham hit the front, the stuffing fell out of Tranmere.
Zero shots on target in the second half pained the picture of Tranmere’s afternoon, as the Gills struck inside the last five minutes to compile more misery on the travelling Rovers.
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Defensive lapse costs Rovers
Even though the hosts were well worth their three points, both goal were easily avoidable.
The first goal was criminal to concede, as a lack of awareness allowed Shaun Williams to break behind the defence and score from point blank range, but it could have been easily thwarted if any Tranmere player was aware of Williams’ darting run in behind.
The second was scrappy, but also a very poor goal to concede, and this goal proved to end proceedings. Williams tussled with Rovers defender, Kyle Jameson, who stepped into the starting 11 ahead of Tom Davies. Despite going down, Williams managed to hold off Jameson from the floor and scoop a ball across to Masterson, who finished with ease.
Mellon admitted before the game that Tranmere needed to be solid defensively, but these avoidable mistakes need to be honed on by Mellon, as it cost his side
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Williams and Masterson hands Gills victory
Gillingham continued their revival under Neil Harris, who guided his side to another three points as they earned a bigger cushion between themselves and the bottom three.
The score could have been greater as chances throughout the game fell their way, but Joe Murphy in the Tranmere sticks managed to thwart what he could, but the two goals conceded were ruthless finishes.
It was another welcomed three points for the Gills as survival looks imminent, and the hard work by Neil Harris has shone to light.
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Tranmere’s mini revival ends
After a mini revival with Rovers picking up seven points from a possible nine, conceding one in that time, Tranmere hit rock bottom once more as a season of mid-table mediocrity looks on the cards.
Three points against Stevenage and Crawley Town coupled up with a draw against a battling Hartlepool United left Tranmere with an outside chance of making the Top seven, but any optimism has seemed to dwindle following their display at Gillingham.
Mellon’s task in hand is to pick his players back up again as they return to Prenton Park on Saturday, as Graham Coughlan’s Newport County visit Birkenhead.