Tranmere 0, Morcambe 1

Sep 5 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE Rovers went out of a second knockout competition inside the first month of the season at Prenton Park last night.

Football League newcomers Morecambe ended Rovers’ interest in the Johnstone’s Paints Trophy thanks to a well-taken goal by midfielder Jamie Burns on 55 minutes.

Tranmere, beaten by Stockport in the Carling Cup, once again struggled to impose their authority on League Two opponents.

Morecambe, with the scalps of Coca-Cola Championship clubs Preston and Wolves already claimed in the Carling Cup, deserved their victory on the strength of creating the game’s greater share of clear-cut chances.

Rovers, making fewer changes in personnel than the visitors, gave summer signings Anthony Kay and Adnan Ahmed their first starts to the season.

But Tranmere could not find the rhythm of recent performances and did not put the visitors’ defence under sustained pressure until the final quarter hour.

Morecambe resisted doggedly, blocking shots with legs and bodies as Steve Davies led Tranmere’s vain attempts to force a penalty shoot-out in the closing stages.

The two teams conspired to ensure that anyone unaware of the earlier than usual kick-off time missed little of consequence by turning up 45 minutes late.

Goalmouth incidents and moments of excitement were thin on the ground during the opening half. Morecambe made seven changes from the side that started last Saturday’s League Two fixture at Notts County.

The Shrimps have bigger fish to fry in knockout competitions, with a Carling Cup third round tie against Sheffield United approaching next week.

Tranmere made four changes from the side that started the 1-1 draw at Yeovil last Saturday, although injuries restricted manager Ronnie Moore’s room for manoeuvre.

The visitors fashioned the first half’s best chance after four minutes when striker Matthew Blinkhorn burst into the box from the left, to fire in an angled drive that was beaten out by goalkeeper John Achterberg. The goalkeeping coach, making his first senior appearance of the season, made another good save just seconds before the break, touching over a rising 16-yard shot from Garry Hunter.

Morecambe goalkeeper Steven Drench had even less to do before the break, as Tranmere struggled to put a threatening shot on goal.

The only effort on target came from the head of Morecambe full-back Adam Yates, who directed a right-wing cross from Chris Shuker sharply but safely into the arms of Drench.

Chris Greenacre attempted to surprise Drench with an ambitious half-volley from the edge of the penalty area two minutes after the restart. The ball dropped onto the top of the netting as the goalkeeper scampered back. But the near miss signalled a more enterprising approach from the home side.

Davies quickly followed up by going close with a low 20-yard effort that hit the side-netting. And teenage winger Mike Jones, given his second senior appearance as a half-time substitute for Chris Shuker, was eager to make an impression down the right.

So it was an unwelcome surprise for Tranmere when the visitors snatched the lead on 54 minutes.

The home defence was opened up on the left by a neat pass from substitute Paul Lloyd that gave midfielder Burns the chance to fire a powerful rising shot into the roof of the net, giving Achterberg no chance.

It could have been worse for Tranmere on 67 minutes, when a misunderstanding between Achterberg and centre-back Ben Chorley allowed Blinkhorn to wriggle clear into the box. Fortunately for Rovers, the tall Blinkhorn lost his footing after rounding Achterberg and the chance was lost.

Teenage striker Craig Curran fired a yard over the bar from just outside the box, as Tranmere attempted to build up some pressure in their search for an equaliser.

Burns came to Morecambe’s rescue in his own penalty area with a fine block tackle that prevented Ahmed from scoring.

Moore took the opportunity to look at Kay in a right-back position through the final 20 minutes by withdrawing Robbie Stockdale in favour of Ian Goodison.

Kay showed his potential to create danger going forward by firing a powerful 25-yard shot just beyond the left-hand post.

Ahmed just missed the right hand post with an acrobatic half-volley as Tranmere’s frustration continued to the end.