Tranmere Rovers’ blushes spared by late winner at Marine FC

Jul 19 2010 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Echo

TRANMERE enjoyed a measure of unmerited good fortune in squeezing out a pre-season victory over the part-timers of Marine at the Arriva Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

A Rovers side mixing senior professionals and trainees with a clutch of trialists, lost control of the game in spite of going two up in 16 minutes.

The visitors spent most of the final hour on the back foot, largely because they gave the ball away too cheaply too often in the face of some enterprising football from the Crosby side.

But after the Evo-Stick League Premier Division team had deservedly drawn level midway through the second-half, Tranmere snatched victory thanks to a well-taken goal from trialist Ian Daly on 77 minutes.

However, it was another trialist, Bakary Bojang, a front man who has been playing in Denmark, who provided Rovers fans among the 431 spectators with most encouragement.

Bojang’s pace and movement caused the Marine defenders a succession of problems in the first half-hour. He had a hand in the two early goals and worked a couple of opportunities to score himself, which he did not take.

Bojang was less effective in the second half. But the same could be said of every player in the Tranmere side with the exception of youth team goalkeeper Andy Coughlin, who equipped himself well and made a couple of resourceful saves.

Les Parry’s team could not have made a better start. The game was less than a minute old when the ball dropped loose from Bojang’s challenge for a high ball on the edge of the box and young midfielder Ryan Fraughan, spotting goalkeeper off his line, left the goalkeeper stranded with a well flighted chip shot.

Bojang’s pace carried him into the box on a run from the left six minutes later and his low shot failed to beat McMahon at the near post with two attackers waiting for a pass inside.

Bojang was less selfish when he ran through the same channel on 16 minutes, laying the ball into the centre for Max Power. The young trainee’s close range shot took a deflection off a defender that sent the ball spinning over McMahon’s reach into the net.

Tranmere could not keep the momentum going, in spite of the advantage of a strong, gusting wind.

Marine began to carve out scoring opportunities as soon as they applied pressure to Rovers’ back four. Left back Zoumana Bakayogo was the only player of substantial experience in a defence that also included trialist Curtis Wynter, a right-back released by Coventry City, trainee Will Vaulks and another triallist, Faroe Islander Paul Johannus.

Marine’s Sean Doherty and Jamie Rainford narrowly missed the target with shots from the edge of the box, a Steve Hussey shot was deflected straight at Coughlin and Doherty should have scored but found the side netting after cutting in from the left.

So it was no surprise when Marine pulled a goal back from a 43rd minute penalty converted by Hussey after Doherty had been tripped by Wynter.

The home side maintained the pressure with the wind at their backs in the second half. Neil Harvey, galloping clear into the heart of Rovers’ area, was thwarted by Coughlin’s full-length save at his feet on 60 minutes and Marine substitute Thomas Moore chipped a good chance over from a dozen yards.

The equaliser duly arrived on 71 minutes. Tranmere were once again pierced by a through pass, this time from Rainford and Moore took the ball around the advancing Coughlin before applying a cool, side-footed finish.

Marine looked to the side most likely to force a winner but Tranmere surprised them with a well mounted counter-attack on 77 minutes.

Ian Daly, a former Manchester City prospect who is playing for Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, showed a deft touch in curling a 20 yard shot into the top corner.

Bojang might have added a fourth after being well set up by substitute Dave McNamara two minutes from the end. McMahon’s sharp save prevented the scoreline becoming a distorted reflection of the contest.

MARINE: McMahon, L Parle, Latham (Doyle 67), Shaw, Davies (Elliott 67), Hussey (Banyihwabe 64), Rainford, Goulding (Callagher 46), Harvey (Rushton 64), Dohertry (P Parle 64), Johnson (Moore 46).

TRANMERE: Coughlin, Wynter, Vaulks, Johannus (McNamarra 74), Bakayogo, Fraughan, McLaren, Power, Bojang, Daly, Thomas-Moore. Not used: Conchie, Courtney, Appleton.

REFEREE: Bobby Pollock.

ATTENDANCE: 431.

l ANOTHER mixed Tranmere side needed a late equaliser from the spot to take a 1-1 draw from the pre season friendly at Colwyn Bay. Striker Terry Gornell converted a penalty kick after Dale Jennings had been fouled in the box.

Tranmere (at Colwyn Bay) Collister, Wainwright, Cresswell, Welsh, Agakan,Benson, Mackreth, Labadie, Gornell, Connor, Jennings. Subs: Gibbs, Healing.