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Rookie Rovers
kick-off with defeat
Saturday 8th
August, 2009
By Richard Ault
John Barnes's tenure
as Manager started badly as
Tranmere's inexperienced defence was unable to deal with
Yeovil at Huish Park. A goal in either half condemned
Rovers to a 2-0 defeat on the opening day of the League One
season.
A sun-soaked Somerset
welcomed Tranmere fans in dribs and drabs as the SWA battled
with a motorway network choked by holiday traffic, many fans
trying their luck away from the main routes to try and beat the
queues. As a result, Rovers fans continued to arrive for
the game throughout he first half, missing not only the opening
minutes of the new season, but also the chance to grab a cold
cider in Huish Park's beer tent and garden.
Team news
Luke Daniels lined up in
goal for Rovers, one of six debutants. Fellow loanees
Shaleum Logan (Man City) and Gavin Gunning (Blackburn) were also
in from the start, as were the returning Alan Mahon and Paul
McLaren, both starting their second spells with Rovers, and
midfielder John Welsh.
Youngsters Aaron
Cresswell and Ash Taylor completed the back four with Logan and
Gunning, meaning new boy Marlon Broomes was amongst the subs.
Mahon started wide left, Shuker on the right, Welsh and McLaren
through the middle, leaving Ian Thomas-Moore to be partnered by
Craig Curran up front.
It was a sign of how
weak Tranmere's squad still is that we were unable to name a
full compliment of substitutes. Collister, Broomes, Baker,
Fraughan, Gornell and Macaualey were the six selected by Barnes,
only two have first team experience with Rovers.
The match
The first ten minutes or
so were dominated by Rovers, much as we became used to watching
pre-season. A relatively low-paced possession game trying
to stretch Yeovil as the back four fell deep and knocked the
ball around comfortably. From the early stages though it
was apparent that the home side has expected just this as they
remained solid and closed down Rovers at every opportunity.
Former Tranmere flop
George O'Callaghan lined up in an energetic midfield for the
Glovers, and with Tomlin and Bowditch upfront, Yeovil always had
a bit of pace and spark that threatened to unsettle Barnes'
rookie back four.
For all Tranmere's
possession it was the home side that started to create the
better opportunities midway through the first half.
Daniels was twice called into action, once saving a low shot
from the edge of the box and then he reacted brilliantly to palm
over O'Callaghan's header.
It wasn't long before
some woeful defending handed the home side the lead though.
From the corner that followed O'Callaghan's effort, former
Ipswich striker Dean Bowditch was left totally unmarked to place
home a header into the top corner of Daniels' net, much to the
anger of the on loan keeper.
Tranmere needed a
reaction but didn't really get one. Tentative efforts from
range is as good as it got, Yeovil coming the closer to scoring
again before the break. The half-time whistle was greeted
with a couple of boos from a very small pocket of Rovers fans -
booing the team with 45-and-a-half games to go? You've got
to be kidding.
Unfortunately Barnes'
men were unable to improve second half. Shaleum Logan was
perhaps lucky to escape worse punishment when he was booked for
hauling down Bowditch on the edge of the box, it looked as
though he may have been the last defender. The challenge
ended Bowditch's afternoon as he fell awkwardly and dislocated
his shoulder.
Daniels was called into
action twice more in the minutes that followed, whilst Logan was
on hand to clear the ball off the line as the home side looked
likely to double their lead.
They were given the
perfect chance to do so on 76 minutes when Cresswell brought
down a Yeovil player ont he edge of the box. With the
benefit of TV afterwards, the offence looked like it occurred
outside the box, but that mattered little to the Huish Park
faithful when Tomlin stepped up to convert his kick off the
inside of the post, sending Daniels the wrong way.
Rovers nearly grabbed a
goal late on, both Moore and Curran seeing headers bounce
marginally wide of McCarthy's left hand post, but it wasn't to
be and the SWA were left to set off on the mighty trek home and
reflect on the afternoons events.
The good
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Luke Daniels saved
Rovers on several occasions and looks to be John Barnes'
best signing on the early evidence.
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Slick passing
football
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Encouraging display
from a relatively novice back four
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There's a massive
amount of football still to be played this season
The bad
Man of the match
Luke Daniels - The on
loan West Brom keeper looked assured and commanded his box well,
not to mention he pulled off some superb saves. Looks
capable of earning a lot of points for Rovers this season.
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