Buckley Too Strong for Rovers Youngsters
By Deadly Submarine
July 30 2009
Tranmere’s Youth Team took on Cymru Alliance side Buckley Town at Globe Way on Wednesday night in the latest of their friendly matches and despite a second half goal from Ross Rule, the Flintshire based side proved too strong for Shaun Garnett’s team, eventually running out 5-1 winners.
Buckley Town 5 - 1 Tranmere Rovers
Billy Webb x 3 Ross Rule (64 mins)
Neil Wynne
Dan Hardruff
Referee - Mr John Spender (Flintshire)
Following on from the first team's 3-3 draw away at League Two side Morecambe on Tuesday night, it was the turn of Shaun Garnett's youth side on Wednesday night as they made the relatively short trip to Flintshire based side Buckley Town for their latest pre-season friendly game.
The Cymru Alliance side, who have recently had two new Stands constructed at their Globe Way ground to make it suitable for the Welsh Premier League should they get promoted, had only the night before (Tuesday) hosted fellow Welsh side Colwyn Bay and lost 4-0 whilst Tranmere's young players had beaten Ellesmere Port FC 2-1 last Wednesday.
Midfielder Tom Baker was a last minute withdrawal from the starting eleven for Rovers due to illness which meant that Connor Roberts took his place in the centre in the following line-up.....
Collister
Benson Rimmer Oliver Pursehouse
Mackreth (C) Power Roberts Murphy
Ashcroft Rule
Subs: Coughlin, Jennings, Gibbs
The game began in dry weather which sadly wouldn't last the full 90 minutes and within two minutes of the start, Joe Collister was picking the ball out of the net after the home side scored.
A ball forward wasn't dealt with by the defence and the striker slotted the ball past Rovers' number two Keeper for the opening goal before Rovers began to get into the game a little bit more.
Jay Ashcroft flicked a header just wide although at first it looked like it may dip into the goal after good work by Jack Mackreth and then Liam Benson to create the chance down the right flank.
The central midfield pairing of Connor Roberts and in particular Max Power looked decent for Rovers and the pace of captain Jack Mackreth looked like it may cause Buckley some problems as the game progressed.
Ross Rule was flagged offside, once very harshly as Rovers looked for a way back into the game but at the other end Joe Collister was forced into a couple of saves including an excellent tip over the bar from a long range Buckley effort.
By half-time there had been no further score and the hosts went in 1-0 up - probably a fair scoreline on the balance of play, but only just.
HALF-TIME: BUCKLEY TOWN 1 - 0 TRANMERE ROVERS
As the second half got underway the black clouds began to gather and rain looked imminent but before that occurred there was time for much further damage to be done to Rovers' chances of winning as two goals in quick succession in the 47th and 48th minutes made the scoreline 3-0 to the hosts.
Joe Collister was powerless to prevent the second goal from going in and the same can be said of the the third which defensively was poor from Garnett's side.
On the hour mark it was 4-0 to the home side after another relatively easy opportunity was converted but just two minutes after that goal the excellent Max Power had a long range shot superbly saved by Buckley keeper Ben Jones at the expense of a Rovers corner.
Rovers' Youngsters in Action at Buckley Town
A further two minutes was all it took before Rovers got on the scoresheet after more good work from Power in the penalty area. The midfielder took control of a long ball forward and eventually, via a deflection, found Ross Rule who finished well to give the scoreline a slightly more positive look.
Immediately after the goal, Garnett took off centre-back Ben Oliver and brought on striker Dale Jennings which meant that Ross Rule moved from attack to right back and Liam Benson went from right back to centre back.
In the 75th minute it was 5-1 when a Buckley player appeared to score directly from a corner although there may have been a touch of a defender or even an attacking player somewhere along the way as the rain now lashed down sending almost all spectators undercover.
Rovers came good in the final fifteen minutes of the game with some decent spells of possession but sadly they couldn't add any further goals, mainly thanks to the superb goalkeeping of Ben Jones for the home side.
So the final score was 5-1 to Buckley and a major blow to a youth side that up to this game had done really well in pre-season. They do however have the chance to make amends next Tuesday night as they face Colwyn Bay away, a team whose Assistant Manager is former Rovers midfielder Gary Jones.
FULL-TIME: BUCKLEY TOWN 5 - 1 TRANMERE ROVERS
Max Power - After a number of friendly appearances so far this season, Max already looks a very good player and alongside the excellent Connor Roberts today in central midfield, kept the side ticking over despite the result and even earning praise after the game from Buckley players who admired Rovers' central midfield partnership on the night.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Did you go Trevor?
The midfield just did nt perform, the new tactic of the two wide men tucking in made it to tight in the centre and as a result no width to the team, it was one of those nights were nothing was going to go right, we missed an open goal at one stage, and I must have missed the shot from Power because the only one I saw ended up in row Z
I understand the team is supposed to play as the first team do but in Rule and Mackreth you have players with pace, as such the team should play to its strengths
Quote:Matthew the rover
I think a two or three of the remaining five (excluding Collister) second year scholars will make it.
who out of the 2nd years?
not heard much of any of them other than McK