Tranmere shot down by United accuracy

Sep 27 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE were shot down by the deadly accuracy of Colchester United’s firepower in a seven-goal thriller last night.

Colchester, struggling near the foot of the League One table, stunned Prenton Park by scoring four goals in the first 47 minutes through David Perkins, Mark Yeates, Clive Platt and Jonnie Jackson.

It was finishing of a high order with four of the visitors’ first five shots finding the corner of the net – three of them from long distance.

Tranmere though not outplayed, were unable to find the same kind of penetration when they attacked, or hit the target with the same accuracy. The opportunities they squandered in the first half ultimately proved costly.

They had only Antony Kay’s 11th-minute header to show for their efforts until full-backs Andrew Taylor and Ryan Shotton pulled goals back on 75 and 78 minutes to set up a tense finish.

Colchester’s second win of the League One season provided caretaker Kit Symons with the ideal launch to his campaign to succeed the departed Geraint Williams on a permanent basis.

He was particularly well served by striker Yeates, who gave Tranmere’s defenders problems all night.

There were some grumbles around the ground at half-time and full time but Rovers manager Ronnie Moore was not inclined to join the complaints about the team’s performance.

Moore said: “I can’t be too critical when three of the four goals we conceded were outstanding strikes into the top pocket. There wasn’t much we could do about them, although I can be critical about the third goal.”

Colchester gave caretaker Symons the perfect start by going ahead on four minutes.

A neat passing movement presented diminutive midfielder David Perkins with the opportunity to turn on the ball just outside the box and whip a fierce left foot shot into the top corner of the net.

Tranmere responded with an equaliser seven minutes later when tall striker Bas Savage, finding room beyond the Colchester defenders wide on the right, swept a cross to the far post where midfielder Antony Kay was waiting to head home his second goal of the season.

Tranmere’s relief was short-lived, however. The home players were unhappy about referee Neil Swarbrick’s decision to penalise a tackle by Chris Greenacre 30 yards from the home goal.

Colchester striker Yeates clipped the dipping free-kick around Tranmere’s defensive wall and into the bottom left hand corner of the net, beating the despairing dive of goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

Rovers should have equalised when Savage delivered another penetrating cross from the right on 20 minutes but Ed Sonko put his header wide of the target.

Coyne had to make a fingertip save when Yeates wriggled through a clutch of defenders in the box and stabbed a shot towards the far post.

As Tranmere piled on the pressure in search of a second equaliser, Savage saw a close-range shot deflected over the bar.

Rovers were left to rue those near misses when they fell further behind on 39 minutes.

This time the home defence was opened up by Yeates’s strong and determined run down the left that took him inside the box and beyond two defenders. Yeates supplied a pass inside for striking partner Clive Platt, who had time to steady himself before planting a firm shot past Coyne from 10 yards.

Tranmere were stunned by a fourth Colchester goal two minutes after the restart. The home defenders were at full stretch to check another twisting run by Yeates when the ball broke to Jonnie Jackson and the midfielder fired a rising first time shot high into the net from 15 yards.

When Tranmere attempted to hit back two minutes later Savage fired inches wide from long range as goalkeeper Dean Gerken scrambled across his line.

Rovers’ manager Ronnie Moore responded by introducing substitute George O’Callaghan and Chris Shuker for Jennings and Sonko while adjusting the formation to 4-3-3.

Tranmere pulled a goal back on 75 minutes when Gerken, under no pressure, fumbled a long high free-kick from deep on the right by Andrew Taylor and embarrassingly saw the ball drop behind him into the net.

And Tranmere were given hope of salvaging something from the game when they snatched a third goal on 78 minutes.

There appeared to be little danger to the Colchester defence as full-back Ryan Shotton advanced down the right but the 19-year-old caught Gerken by surprise with a venomous 30-yard shot that hurtled into the top corner of the net.

And a crowd that had been booing Tranmere’s efforts, suddenly came to life.