Strong Reserve Side Defeated by Macclesfield
By Deadly Submarine
March 24 2010
Deadly Submarine reports as a strong looking Rovers Reserve side on paper were comfortably beaten 4-2 at home to Macclesfield Town Reserves in the Cheshire Premier Cup on Wednesday evening, which left the visitors facing a final against Crewe Alexandra....
Tranmere 2 - 4 Macclesfield
On paper this was perhaps a game that Rovers Reserves should have won with no fewer than six first teamers in the starting eleven but in reality it was a poor performance from Shaun Garnett's experienced side as they fell to a 4-2 defeat despite having led in the game at 2-1 for a short period.
The starting eleven boasted a mixture of experience and youth with the midfield in particular packed with first team experience as follows...
Coughlin
Baker Broomes Ashcroft Pursehouse
Shuker Power Mahon Barnett
Sordell Bain
Tranmere began well enough and chances for both Max Power and Kithson Bain early on kept Macclesfield keeper Jose Veiga on his toes but it was the home side that took the lead seven minutes in with a relatively easy move beginning down their right hand side.
As the attacking player broke free down that side, his cross was headed in with ease at the far post giving Coughlin no chance of saving it - some poor defending from Rovers to say the least.
Despite that setback, Garnett's men had to wait just a further three minutes to draw level when Kithson Bain, recently back from injury netted a low shot from close range. There was still danger for Rovers though at the other end as Coughln had to make sure he came for a cross and was able to punch it away before Ashcroft cleared the lines.
With just over half an hour of the game gone, Rovers took the lead and again it was Kithson Bain who scored with a similar low drive to his first goal after Jay Ashcroft had done really well to head a cross back across goal into the path of the Grenadan International.
Sadly though Rovers couldn't hold on until half-time with the visitors equalising just three minutes before the break with a low shot into the bottom corner.
Half-Time: Tranmere Rovers Res 2 - 2 Macclesfield Town Res
There were no changes for Rovers at half-time and Max Power went close with a decent header from some distance which was forced around his post by Veiga in the Town goal. The resulting corner from Barnett though was poor and came to nothing.
The final turning point of the game came in the 65th minute when Macclesfield earned a penalty which Andrew Coughlin saved well from John Rooney but the player was able to follow up, almost in slow motion to net the rebound and make it 3-2 to the visitors.
That goal sparked a double substitution for Rovers with Marlon Broomes and MarvinSordell being replaced by Ross Rule and Dale Jennings but despite the changes made by Garnett, just seven minutes after their third goal, any hopes of Rovers getting back into the game were extinguished for good as the visitors scored again to make it 4-2.
Both Kithson Bain and Max Power fired high over the goal and another chance went just wide of Town's right hand post whilst a threatening run from substitute Dale Jennings ended up with a shot going wide of the goal as Rovers couldn't find a way back into the game and it's Macclesfield who progress the to the final to face Crewe Alexandra who beat Stockport in their semi-final.
Rovers Team: Coughlin, Baker, Broomes (Rule 65), Ashcroft, Pursehouse, Shuker, Mahon, Barnett, Power, Bain, Sordell (Jennings 65).
Subs not Used: Collister, Roberts, Gibbs
Full-Time: Tranmere Rovers Res 2 - 4 Macclesfield Town Res
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Power had a good 15 minutes from the end, having a few long shots which were close and brought a couple of saves. He's got a good engine and defo looks good enough for the future.
Alex Pursehouse had a reasonably solid game with some good defending and overlapping runs. but Shukes never helped him defensively!!
Defensively we were caught out too easily and couldn't win important headers and tackles, with their tall striker we were under pressure to win the second ball, but we seldom did!!
Tom Baker did o.k. at right back, but when switched to CB when Broomes(who also was nothing special) was substituted looked completely out of his depth! (He is a midfielder isn't he?)
Jay Ashcroft had a poor game for me, their forwards always gave him a very hard game.
The keeper had a tough game, he had too much to do and maybe too young at this level, he is a first year YT, maybe needing another year to fulfill his potential, did he save the penno or did it come off the post? Rightly angry at his defence for not following up from the penalty!
All in all a good open game with six goals. A game we could of won with a better defensive showing.
Kithson deserves a place on the bench at least on saturday, after his showing tonight, he looked sharp for the first hour. Took his brace really well and could of easily had a hat-trick!
still good to get a couple away from home
Thought Ashcroft did OK to be honest, after the first goal which admittedly was his fault, he did OK!
Barnett, Shuker and Mahon were awful though, can see why they never get anywhere near the first team and Broomes also looked out of his depth.
Thought Sordell did OK though, few decent runs on the ball etc, maybe brought off for Saturday?
Having said that I would put him on the bench for Saturday without doubt probably instead of Gornell because I agree with Mikey that Sordell did alright too last night.
Ashcroft was competent enough I thought and he has really grown into a great player since switching to defence from attack - given more time I think he will progress and improve greatly.
Finally have to agree with Mikey that our so called senior players really failed to show (Mahon, Shuker and Barnett) which is a bit of a concern.
Ash Taylor is fine at CB if McCready isn't available.