MANAGER Les Parry admitted to having a pre-match “gut feeling” that Tranmere’s encounter with relegation-threatened rivals Oldham Athletic was going to end in disappointment.

Rovers could not find the bright form that earned them a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic the previous weekend as Oldham took the points through a headed goal by Pawell Abbott.

The result lifted the Latics out of the League One drop zone and left the hosts still four points adrift of a place of safety. Parry said: “Even before the game I had an inkling we were going to struggle to get something.

“It was a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ and I think we were deservedly beaten. Our record against Oldham isn’t great and I just had a gut feeling we were going to have a difficult afternoon.”

Parry conceded Rovers’ display had been flat, with little sign of a creative edge in spite of deploying an attacking 4-4-2 formation. He said: “I wish I could say we were beaten because their goalkeeper made half a dozen world class saves and we missed a lot of chances. But I can’t. We had a couple of opportunities near the end when we probably should have scored but that was it.We should have created more chances.”

Parry added: “I thought Oldham were fortunate to go in 1-0 up at half-time because they were as poor as we were. But it was up to us. We were the home side.

“We were always going to get chances in the final 10 minutes because the team that is ahead are always going to drop off and defend.”

Parry picked out the contribution of new arrival Marvin Sordell as the brightest light in a gloomy afternoon. The 18-year-old striker, on a month-long loan from Watford, showed flashes of exciting potential after joining the action as the 54th-minute substitute.

“Marvin did well when he came on,” Parry said. “We needed that spark. I think he is going to be a very good acquisition.”

Parry said he was also pleased with the first-half showing of full-back Aaron Cresswell, making his first senior appearance since October in place of Zoumana Bakayogo.

However, Parry admitted Rovers missed Bakayogo’s creativity and the Frenchman will be hoping to reclaim his place in tomorrow’s visit to Gillingham.