MANAGER Les Parry hailed the performance of Mark McChrystal for giving Tranmere “a little bit of a lift” on a weekend when they subsided to defeat at MK Dons.

The Irish centre-back, making his first start in a Rovers shirt, coped impressively in making the adjustment from Irish League football with Derry City to League One.

Parry signed McChrystal earlier this month on a contract that runs until the end of the season, to provide permanent defensive cover – and within a few days he had lost centre-backs Ian Goodison and Marlon Broomes to injuries.

McChrystal could not hold back the tide on Saturday as classy MK Dons swept Rovers away with second-half goals by Daniel Powell and Jabo Ibrhre.

But Parry found grounds for encouragement.

“I thought Mark was our best player,” he said.

“He did really well. He was always putting his head in and got back to make the clearance off the line in the first-half. After losing Ian Goodison, Mark’s performance has given us a little bit of a lift.”

Parry added: “We had Mark over for a week of training at the end of last year and we were impressed with what we saw in a practice game. So we knew what we were bringing in. League One is different to the level he’s been playing at but Mark looked like he had been playing with us for some time.

“He’s a level-headed lad and I hope he builds from this.”

McChrystal’s solid showing was particularly welcome for Parry on a weekend when Broomes handed in a transfer request.

The 33-year-old, who has played only a handful of games this season because of injury problems, wanted to negotiate a new contract to extend his current deal with Tranmere, which runs out in June.

Parry said: “Marlon has handed in a transfer request.

“The reason for that is he is feeling a little bit insecure about only having six months of his contract left.

“He wants another year and at this moment I was unable to commit to another year.

“So I have agreed to let him go and see if he can find himself an 18-month contract somewhere else.

“But Marlon is still our player and very much part of the squad.”

Parry is hoping Broomes can overcome a calf injury in time to be in contention for Tranmere’s home game against Southampton on Saturday.

The defeat at MK Dons reduced Tranmere’s cushion above the relegation places to mere goal difference ahead of Yeovil in 21st place.

Parry said: “The way the game went was disappointing but MK Dons are a good side, especially at home.

“There was nothing in the game for 35 minutes and we were happy with the way things were going at half-time.”

Ibehre set up the first goal for Powell just 14 seconds into the second half and Parry admitted: “That really killed as. Ash Taylor said the lad (Ibehre) fouled him. I don’t know if he did but we have got to defend better than that.

“The second goal was always going to put us out of it.

“When you come up against quality strikers you have to deal with them and the game was a bit of a lesson for Ash playing at centre half. We will do some work with them and hopefully he won’t have that happen to him again.”