Tough start for Rovers

11:30am Wednesday 13th August 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

TRANMERE Rovers’ push for promotion got off to a disappointing start at the weekend when defensive lapses cost them their first win of the season.

It took all of five minutes for Rovers’ pre-season optimism to be blown away on Saturday as hosts Swindon Town cantered to a comprehensive 3-1 win at the County Ground in front of 7,975 spectators on the opening day of Coca Cola League One.

Manager Ronnie Moore expected a massive improvement from his squad when they faced Grimsby in the Carling Cup last night and when they take on Hartlepool United at Prenton Park this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

He said: “We knew on Saturday that it was a bad start and I certainly didn’t see that coming. In pre-season, when we’ve been asked to defend we did it.

“Unfortunately, as individuals and a unit we didn’t defend well on Saturday.

“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we will not win games defending like that.”

The County Ground has never been a particularly happy hunting ground for Rovers and so it proved once more as a series of shocking defensive lapses gifted Swindon victory.

Moore handed a debut to Godwin Antwi at right-back, who was given a difficult time by Anthony McNamee, alongside centre-backs Ben Chorley and Antony Kay, with Andy Taylor at left-back.

Fellow debutants George O’Callaghan and Charlie Barnett lined up alongside Steve Jennings in midfield, with new boy Bas Savage joining Craig Curran and Ian Moore in attack. John Achterberg made his 300th appearance for Rovers in goal.

Savage headed wide early on, Andy Taylor cracked a 25-yarder over the bar, and Ian Moore’s delicate lob over the advancing keeper was cleared off the line by Jerel Ifil, with Curran slicing the rebound wide under pressure.

Any hopes of a way back into the game were dashed just five minutes after the interval.

Swindon’s Simon Cox fired the ball across the six-yard box from the left and John-Paul McGovern’s effort was ruled by the assistant referee to have crossed the line, despite Taylor’s best efforts to keep it out.

With five minutes to go, Rovers grabbed a consolation when Savage tapped in from close range, but it was too little, too late.

Moore said: “We’ve gone through a bit of training to show Antwi what he should have done on Saturday. But he’s only a young kid who is still learning and I would like to think he was just having an off day. I hope it’s a wake-up call for him. But it was his first game in the league and you don’t get much time on the ball.

“He’ll learn from that.

“Charlie and Antwi haven’t played many league games between them. Hopefully in two and three weeks time I’ll be able to say they are progressing.”

Jamaican International Ian Goodison missed Saturday’s game because of a two-match ban following his red card at the end of last season.

Moore confessed that the side often struggles when Goodison is not there, but added: “I’m fed up having to rely on him.

“Whoever plays at the back, you don’t win the game.

“He misses the first match of the season and we lost the game. The club can’t be held to Ian Goodison, so I’m going to have to do something about that.”

Tranmere Rovers Girls FC is looking for players for their U8's (September year 2 & 3) and are also looking for U10's players and goalkeeper (September year 4 & 5).

Training takes place on Wednesday's close to Tranmere Rovers.

If you are interested, please contact the community office on 0151 608 2354.