Tranmere escape from spot of bother to secure win against Carlisle

Jan 4 2011 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

Tranmere escape from spot of bother to secure win against Carlisle

IAN THOMAS-MOORE had the decisive final word in a game of three missed penalties with a predatory strike 10 minutes from time that secured Tranmere’s first win since November.

The experienced front man was one of two Rovers players to see second-half spot kicks saved by Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Collin as the home side sought to add to a spectacular 40th minute opener from Ian Goodison.

It then looked as if Tranmere would pay the price for the spot kick failures when James Barrett fired the Cumbrians level on 78 minutes.

But two minutes later Thomas-Moore capitalised on a mistake by centre back Peter Murphy to fire a venomous shot into the top corner of the net to deliver three valuable League One points and delight the bank holiday crowd at Prenton Park.

Les Parry’s team just about deserved the success for a strong and enterprising second-half performance, in a game packed full of incident and excitement.

But they were second best in much of the first half when Carlisle played the more cohesive football. The visitors failed to take advantage of the early superiority and missed several opportunities, including a penalty that was fired over the bar by Murphy.

Craig Curran, making his first return to Prenton Park since a summer move to Carlisle, did his best to make an early impression. It took resourceful work from centre-backs Scott Wootton and Goodison to deny Curran close range chances.

The Cumbrians should have gone ahead on 16 minutes when Tranmere full-back Tim Cathalina thrust up his arm to handle a right-wing corner from Berrett, conceding a penalty. However, Murphy lifted the spot-kick high onto the Kop.

The recalled Dale Jennings created Tranmere’s first opportunity on 23 minutes with a teasing cross from the left that was headed a yard over the bar by Enoch Showunmi. Tranmere struggled to get wide players Lateef Elford-Alliyu and Jennings into the game during the first half but they took the lead with a goal out of the blue five minutes before the interval.

Carlisle, unable to clear a right-wing corner from Aaron Cresswell, were grateful that Joss Labadie could not control a half chance but when the loose ball ran to the edge of the box, Goodison met it with a first-time left foot shot of ferocious power that clipped the inside of the left-hand post on its way into the net. The 38-year-old centre back hasn’t scored a goal like it in seven years at Prenton Park. He was so astonished that he celebrated by raising his left foot in the air like a chorus line dancer.

Gary Madine must have thought he had brought Carlisle level 11 minutes after the restart when he stabbed Curran’s left-wing cross goalwards from eight yards. But goalkeeper Collister somehow made ground across his line to get an outstretched arm to keep the ball out.

Collister, keeping his place after a virus once again ruled out Gunnar Nielsen, made another sharp save five minutes later from a low shot on the turn from Curran.

It was Tranmere’s turn to fail from the spot on 59 minutes. The kick was awarded for Matty Robson’s trip on Joss Labadie as the midfielder turned on a right-wing corner from Cresswell. Keeper Collin correctly anticipated Thomas-Moore’s shot towards the left-hand post. Curiously, Thomas-Moore’s only other penalty failure for Rovers came against the Cumbrians at Brunton Park earlier this season.

Cresswell insisted on taking responsibility when Tranmere were awarded a second penalty on 68 minutes after Elfotrd Alliyu’s nimble footwork inside the box induced a rash tackle by Lubomir Michalik. With manager Les Parry not daring to look, Cresswell’s fiercely struck shot was beaten out by the outstretched arm of Collin.

Carlisle added value to Collin’s heroics when Berrett levelled the scores on 78 minutes, seizing on a misjudged attempt to play the ball out of defence by Goodison.

However, Tranmere regained the lead within two minutes when Thomas-Moore capitalised on a mistake at the other end – Murphy’s failure to control an awkward ball into the box – to flash a shot into the top corner from a dozen yards.

Labadie and Showunmi went close to adding to Tranmere’s slender advantage and the home side survived a let off during five minutes of injury time when substitute Mike Grella fired over the target from six yards after being perfectly set up by a low cross from Ben Marshall.