THE fog that crept up Borough Road and into Prenton Park wasn’t quite thick enough to prevent this North West derby reaching a conclusion – or shrouding a Tranmere show as pale as the afternoon sky.

The cold and clammy hand of the elements matched the mood of fans as they watched Rovers deliver a performance that dipped below the standards they have set over the last couple of months.

Les Parry’s side could not complain about losing the points to an Oldham team posting a first away victory since October.

The Latics were value for the only goal of the game, glanced home by Pawell Abbott on 41 minutes, because their football was just that little bit sharper and brighter.

Tranmere, for all of their positive intentions, were not fluent or creative enough to open up the visitors’ defence and clear-cut scoring chances arrived only late on.

Home teams need to produce more, especially when the stakes are high.

Rovers’ recent form at Prenton Park – four wins and a draw in five league games – and an enterprising display in taking a point at Charlton Athletic at The Valley the previous weekend, encouraged optimism among the faithful.

Instead, they witnessed a reminder of why Rovers have found climbing out of the League One drop zone such an obstinately difficult task.

Parry and his team are yet to crack the formula to unlock a run of results and fire them up the table. Progress continues at a painstaking pace because Tranmere don’t seem to be able to get beyond two steps forward before taking one back.

Even so, there were some sparks of encouragement amidst the gloom, not least in the contribution of new arrival Marvin Sordell in the final 40 minutes of the game.

The 18-year-old striker, recruited on a month’s loan from Watford last week, showed a confident touch and talent for the unpredictable that suggested he could become a potent attacking force over the coming weeks.

Oldham’s defenders were less sure of themselves after Sordell was introduced as a 54th-minute substitute and if the teenager had been able to make a better contract with a double opportunity at close range on 87 minutes, Tranmere might have escaped with a point.

Another youngster, Aaron Cresswell, made a positive return to first-team action at left-back and Chris Shuker produced occasional touches of invention to back up some diligent attention to his defensive responsibilities.