Tranmere Rovers FC manager Les Parry praises his players’ performance in their narrow defeat to Sheffield Wednesday

Nov 21 2011 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

Tranmere Rovers FC manager Les Parry praises his players’ performance in their narrow defeat to Sheffield Wednesday

MANAGER Les Parry let the applause at the end of Tranmere’s 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday do the talking to his disappointed players at Prenton Park.

Rovers went down to a third defeat in a row at the hands of the promotion-chasing Owls after making exits from two cup competitions in the previous week.

But Parry insisted: “I can’t be critical of our lads after a performance like that. All you can say is that if we play like that every week, we will win more games than we lose.

“I thought our crowd were magnificent because they had a job on their hands as well as us, with the Cowshed Stand being full of Wednesday supporters who were very noisy.

“I think the majority could see the effort that went in and it wasn’t just everyone running themselves into the ground. There was a lot of skill and application out there.”

Tranmere were a goal up on 38 minutes through a strike from Jose Baxter, who made an impressive return to action after a three-game suspension. Chris Lines equalised in first-half injury time.

Wednesday, second-best in the opening 45 minutes, were rejuvenated after the break and notched the winner on 80 minutes through Ryan Lowe, a signing from Bury who proved too expensive a target for Tranmere last summer.

Parry said: “We deserved to go in ahead. Everyone knows when you concede right at the end of the first half it lifts the other team. Lines did not hit the shot for the equaliser cleanly. I think the ball hit his hip, his knee, his ankle and the end of his toe but it went where he was trying to put it. He always goes for the corner.

“For the first 15 minutes of the second half we were under the cosh but Owain Fon Williams did not have a difficult save to make.

“I want to look at the second goal on DVD because there were a lot of bodies in there. But that’s what Ryan Lowe does. He scores goals.”

Parry was delighted with the contribution of Baxter, back in a creative attacking position following a three match suspension, and with Andy Robinson, who moved to a wide midfield role.

He said: “Jose and Andy did ever so well. Andy was out on his feet at the end because he covered a lot of ground. Jose really put himself about. He wasn’t just being a Premier League player, getting his head up and passing the ball around. He was closing people down and putting his foot in as well.”