Young Rovers seize chance to shine in win

Jul 23 2008 by Staff Copytaker, Liverpool Daily Post

THE young hopefuls in Tranmere’s pre-season squad seized the opportunity to do themselves a favour at Haig Avenue last night.

Manager Ronnie Moore put the accent on youth in Rovers’ fifth warm-up game of the summer, and found encouragement from several quarters in an entertaining contest.

Teenager Craig Curran, enjoying a 90-minute run, notched two well-taken goals and could easily have had a couple more.

Right back Danny Holmes, another second year professional, showed how his game is progressing on a ground where he spent three months on loan last season.

Teenage trialist Charlie Barnett was a busy, probing influence at the heart of the action.

The former Liverpool youth team player, who was released in the summer, helped to give Tranmere the creative edge in midfield.

Curran’s goals were split by an Andy Taylor header just after half-time, and Rovers rounded off with a first goal of the summer from experienced striker Ian Moore.

Southport registered a consolation through striker Steve Daly on 61 minutes, and the Blue Square Conference North part-timers showed enough enterprise to have notched a couple more.

They were let down by rusty finishing.

Barnett and Holmes were both involved in the move that led to Tranmere’s seventh-minute opener, with Curran finishing off by heading powerfully into the top corner of the net.

Rovers survived a glaring miss by Daly, who shot over a yawning goal on 40 minutes.

Defender Anthony Kay thought he had added a second goal when he headed in a 22nd-minute corner from Barnett, only to see the strike ruled out for pushing.

But there was nothing wrong with a near carbon copy goal headed in by Taylor from Barnett’s right-wing corner three minutes after the restart.

Daly missed another opportunity before finally finding the net from Neil Robinson’s through pass on 61 minutes, tucking the ball past John Achterberg while Tranmere appealed in vain for offside.

The League One team regained a two goal cushion on 76 minutes when Curran, running onto a short sharp pass from Steve Jennings, on the edge of the box, finished with a crisp low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Moore was queuing up at the far post to curl in Tranmere’s fourth goal from another Jennings’ pass seven minutes from time.

TRANMERE ROVERS: Achterberg, Holmes, Chorley (Waterfall, 46), Kay (Goodison, 46), Taylor (Creswell, 70), O’Callaghan (Henry, 73), Edds (Jennings, 40), Barnett, Gornell (Moore, 46), Curran, Savage (Greenacre, 46).

REFEREE: Mr Joe Johnson.