Reserves Defeated by Carlisle United at Home

Tranmere's Reserves fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Carlisle United Reserves on a freezing cold Wednesday night at Prenton Park as a team of mostly youth players but a few with first team experience squad took on a Carlisle side that had a couple of first team players of it's own.

Tranmere Res 0 - 1 Carlisle Utd Res

After the excitement of Tuesday night's away win at Colchester United for Tranmere's first team, tonight's Reserve match between Rovers and Carlisle was a little less dramatic and far less exciting as a fairly young Rovers side lost to a second half goal from the visitors.

Shaun Garnett's starting eleven consisted of four players who travelled to Colchester for the first team game and only arrived back in the early hours of Wednesday morning.  The team line-up was as follows....

Kennedy

Holmes Waterfall Denson Cresswell

Mackreth O'Callaghan Henry Wilson

Corrigan Mcaughley

Subs: Achterberg, G.Jones, Richardson, Ashcroft, Rule 

The Carlisle team included first-teamers in the shape of Kevin Gall and Grant Smith to counter the first-team experience (although not a great amount between them) of Waterfall, Henry, Holmes, Cresswell and O'Callaghan. 

An early error at the back from Denson saw Carlisle have an early chance in the very first minute but soon it was Rovers having the chances as Mackreth, Wilson and Corrigan dominated in the final third whilst the two Luke's (Denson and Waterfall) helped keep the visitors at bay with the help of first team fringe players Holmes and Cresswell.

George O'Callaghan was the first Rovers player to really test Mitchell in the Carlisle goal but his shot was straight at him in what probably the most clear cut chance for either side in a dull first half. 

Rovers started the second period brightly and quickly got on top of the game but after failing to make their chances count it was the visitors who netted the first and what turned out to be the winning goal in the 70th minute after some defensive hesitation left space for the shot.

A long range shot for Rovers hit the post as they looked to get back into the game but the breakthrough couldn't be made despite the efforts of Mcaughley and Man of the Match Corrigan.