Ronnie Moore was unhappy with Tranmere’s lack of firepower at Leeds United

Apr 22 2009 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

MANAGER Ronnie Moore was left to rue Tranmere’s lack of killer instinct as a 3-1 defeat at Leeds United left their promotion ambitions hanging by a single thread.

“When the opportunities come you have to put the knife in – and we were not in a murderous mood,” Moore lamented.

He went on: “When you come to a place like Leeds you also have to defend well and unfortunately we did not.”

But Moore reckoned there was also much to admire in Rovers’ performance as they made a gallant attempt to check Leeds’ progress into a play-off spot.

Moore said: “I am not going to criticise the players because we felt we had to win the game and we had a real go. On another day we might well have got something out of the game with that performance.”

The result all but assured Leeds of a top-six finish. Rovers, currently holding sixth spot on 72 points, now have to hope Scunthorpe, two points behind in seventh, take little profit from two games in hand.

The Iron play host to relegation-threatened Northampton tomorrow and visit champions Leicester City on Friday night before Tranmere return to action with a home encounter with Yeovil on Saturday.

Moore said: “We still have it all to play for. Nothing has changed in terms of the race for sixth place, except that we have just two games remaining now.

“Scunthorpe probably expected us to lose to Leeds and we are happy they lost to MK Dons. So we keep going.

“If someone had said to me, at the start of the season, that we would still be involved in the chase for the play-offs with two games to go, I would have taken it. We’ve over-achieved this season. The lads have been magnificent and now they need a little break.”

Moore reckoned the game was lost in the 25-minute spell either side of half-time when Tranmere, 2-1 down, missed a succession of opportunities to equalise, then surrendered a soft and decisive third goal to Leeds’ Italian striker Luciano Becchio.

Moore said: “At 2-1 down we still had a chance. Antony Kay and Ed Sonko had chances late in the first and they had to go in.

“Then their goalkeeper made a save from Antony Kay which I don’t think he knew anything about and Ryan Shotton put the rebound straight back at him. Then we went to sleep at a set-play and got punished for it.”

The early damage to Tranmere’s hopes of repeating last season’s victory at Elland Road was done by strikes from 32-goal marksman Jermaine Beckford and midfielder Neil Kilkenny.

Moore said: “They were counter-attacking goals and the finishing was clinical. We were caught on the break for the first and caught playing the offside game for the second.

“It’s disappointing but in terms of attacking play and creating chances I felt we had the edge. If we play as well is that in our final game at Scunthorpe, we can win it.”

Striker Bas Savage could be a doubtful starter for the Yeovil game after he limped out of the action at Elland Road.