Tranmere Rovers FC manager Les Parry hails great save by Owain Fon Williams in 1-0 win at Leyton Orient

Aug 17 2011 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

MANAGER Les Parry admitted an “absolutely wonderful” save from Owain Fon Williams was the turning point in Tranmere’s 1-0 victory at Leyton Orient last Saturday.

Rovers took the new season’s haul to six points out of six on the strength of a 60th minute winner from debutant David Buchanan.

But a few minutes before the full-back crashed a 30-yard shot into the top corner, Welshman Fon Williams denied Orient the lead by tipping a fierce shot from Jamie Cureton against the post.

Parry said: “I thought that was the turning point of the game. It was an absolutely wonderful save and I would like to see it again.

“Once again, Owain has shown what a good keeper he is.”

Buchanan, a 25-year-old who was with Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Premier League last season, showed his long-range strike against Liverpool a fortnight ago was more than just a flash in the pan.

Parry said: “We knew Dave could strike a great ball.”

Buchanan came into the side in place of Zoumana Bakayogo while Parry also made a change at right-back by replacing Michael Kay with the experienced David Raven.

Parry said: “Zoum was a little bit unfortunate to be dropped but we were looking to keep the ball better than we had been doing and that’s why Dave got the nod.

“There are going to be some changes made early on in the season because we have brought in five players and I’m still messing around with what I think our best team is.

“We have the likes of Joss Labadie and Lucas Akins sitting on the bench and both did really well for us last season.”

Parry added: “Overall, that went into the category of a battling performance.

“At half-time I felt Orient only hurt us when we gave the ball away and from set-plays.

“We needed to stop giving the ball away and stop giving away free-kicks and we carried on doing both.

“But we defended well and reaped the full benefit of keeping a clean sheet.”

Tranmere took seven games to get onto six points last season and Parry said: “It’s a bright start.

“We know it will come to an end at some point but we will keep on going as long as we can.”

TRANMERE visited Notts County last night for their third League One match of the season.

On Saturday afternoon, Parry’s charges host Sheffield United at Prenton Park (kick-off 3pm).