Liverpool missed an opportunity to equalise soon after the break when David Amoo found space behind the Tranmere defence on the right but swept his low cross into the goalmouth just beyond the reach of Vincent Weijl.

Much to the delight of thousands of young Liverpool fans who swelled the gate, Gerrard struck on 57 minutes. Taking a pass from substitute Hammill, who had just arrived on the pitch, Gerrard rifled a venomous 20-yard shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Sharp goalkeeping by Daniels prevented Liverpool from taking the lead on 68 minutes as he dived at the feet of Nathan Eccleston inside the box.

Iand it was Tranmere’s turn to go close on 72 minutes when midfield anchorman Paul McLaren drove a 25-yarder inches wide of the right hand post.

Gerrard departed amid a flurry of substitutions midway through the second half while Tranmere, holding some players back for their friendly against League Two side Macclesfield Town at the Moss Rose today, were more frugal in their use of substitutes.

Both teams continued to play some attractive and enterprising football as Liverpool substitute goalkeeper Christopher Oldfield made a fine save to tip over a looping header from Rovers’ centre back Ash Taylor on 77 minutes.

But two minutes later Tranmere went ahead with a headed goal from Gareth Edds. The versatile Australian, playing at centre-back, headed home a cross from substitute Ryan Fraughan following good work on the left by McLaren.

Tranmere were in sight of a morale-boosting victory when Hammill was tripped inside the box by Welsh’s tackle and the Liverpool substitute drove the resulting penalty crisply into the bottom corner of the net.

TRANMERE: Daniels, Abbey (Pursehouse 46), Taylor, Edds, Cresswell, Shuker (Fraughan 66), McLaren, Welsh, Mahon, Gornell (Curran 66), Thomas-Moore.

LIVERPOOL XI: Martin (Oldfield 70), Mendy, Darby (Irwin 46), Ayala (Mavinga 66), Threlfall, Palsson (Flora 66), Eccleston (Crowther 70), Gerrard (Simon 66) , Bruna (Brouwer 70), Amoo (Saric 66), Weijl (Hammill 56).

REFEREE: Mr S Rushton.