MANAGER Les Parry let the applause at the end of Tranmere Rovers FC’s 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday do the talking to his disappointed players at Prenton Park.

Rovers went down to a third defeat in a row at the hands of the promotion-chasing Owls after making exits from two cup competitions in the previous week.

But Parry insisted: “I can’t be critical of our lads after a performance like that. All you can say is that if we play like that every week, we will win more games than we lose.

“I thought our crowd were magnificent because they had a job on their hands as well as us, with the Cowshed Stand being full of Wednesday supporters who were very noisy.

“I think the majority could see the effort that went in and it wasn’t just everyone running themselves into the ground. There was a lot of skill and application out there.”

Tranmere were a goal up on 38 minutes through a strike from Jose Baxter, who made an impressive return to action after a three-game suspension. Chris Lines equalised in first-half injury time.

Wednesday, second-best in the opening 45 minutes, were rejuvenated after the break and notched the winner on 80 minutes through Ryan Lowe, a signing from Bury who proved too expensive a target for Tranmere last summer.