By Deadly Submarine
July 12 2006

Tranmere’s new first team squad all got some sort of run out as they beat Cammell Laird 2-1 at Kirklands on Tuesday night thanks to first half goals from new boys John Mullin and Kevin Ellison from the penalty spot.

 

 

 

Tranmere recorded their first win of the pre-season campaign as they ultimately proved too strong for a determined Cammell Laird side at Kirklands on Tuesday night.

 

Manager Ronnie Moore gave outings to all of his new signings along with other first team players with Jason McAteer and John Achterberg the only squad members not to feature.

 

In the first half, Rovers began with Gavin Ward in goal and a back four from left to right of Carl Tremarco, Shane Sheriff, trialist Christophe Gautier and Robbie Stockdale.  The midfield saw Kevin Ellison on the left and youngster Mike Jones on the right with John Mullin and Danny Harrison in the centre.

 

Calvin Zola and Steve Davies lined up in attack for Rovers in front of a healthily numbered crowd.

 

The home side started well but it was Rovers who took the lead after 11 minutes when Calvin Zola was fouled on the right touchline to give Rovers a free-kick.  From the resulting ball into the box by Kevin Ellison, fellow new boy John Mullin rose highest to plant an excellent header into the Lairds goal.

 

Just before the half-hour mark, Rovers doubled their lead when Kevin Ellison was deemed to have been fouled in the penalty area and the winger stepped up himself to despatch the spot-kick and give Rovers a 2-0 lead at half-time.

 

At half-time Ronnie Moore made six changes with Stockdale, Mullin, Harrison, Jones, Zola and Davies being replaced by Ollie James, Steven Jennings, Paul McLaren, Chris Shuker, Chris Greenacre and Gareth Taylor.

 

The chance to see all of Rovers exciting new attacking players all playing together though failed to live up to the anticipation as Rovers put on something of a laboured second half show.

 

Just as Rovers had scored just before the half-hour mark in the game, the home side pulled a goal back just before the hour mark when the Rovers defence were caught out by a free-kick and Gavin Ward was beaten to make it 2-1.

 

Rovers had a couple of chances with Greenacre heading just wide and in the end they did enough to win the game.

 

As this was the first time that most of the players in the squad will have played a competitive game together, we as fans should probably not read too much into what was a subdued performance from Rovers.

 

Hopefully a decent performance at Vauxhall on Friday evening (kick-off 7.00pm) will set Rovers us nicely for their home friendly against Championship side Wolves next Tuesday (18^th July – Kick-Off 7.00pm).

 

Tranmere Rovers: Ward, Tremarco, Gautier, Sherriff, Stockdale (James 45), Ellison, Harrison (Jennings 45), Mullin (McLaren 45), Jones (Shuker 45), Zola (Greenacre 45), Davies (Taylor 45).