Tranmere sunk PNE at Prenton Park last night, ending North End’s successful run in pre-season friendlies. To be fairly honest to Tranmere, they had the most competitive edge in the teams PNE have played away in the friendlies. It showed, North End stringing a big quantity of chances, but Tranmere’s defending kept them at bay.
The home side had Eugene Dadi on trial, and he had a great chance in the first few minutes of the game. He beat left back Rob Edwards to the ball, but the defender regained his composure to block it out for a corner.
PNE should have been ahead on the 27th minute when an impressive run by Etuhu, running past three players, put a pass back into the box. Irish international David Healy collected it on the edge of the box, but botched it up and the ball ended over the bar.
Five minutes later Tranmere went into the lead. A Nicholson corner met the head of Allen at the far post, and he just nodded it into the back of the net unmarked. PNE must have been fuming at this time because it was a sloppy goal to concede.
But it was great defending from PNE minutes later that prevented the home team going another goal in front. Nicolson ran free on the left and delivered in a dangerous cross, but Jackson cleared.
It could have been The Whites that equalised just before half time when the Tranmere ‘keeper made a stunning save from Healy header. Graham Alexander put it a perfect cross for Healy, who put in a powerful header from 15 yards out.
The away side must have gone in at half time feeling that they’d get back into the game, but they got a shock surprise when they came back out for the second half. It only took three minutes for Tranmere to score their second when they got a free kick on the edge of the box, conceded by Jackson. Hume hit the free kick and it swerved beautifully into the top left corner, giving Gould no chance.
On 66 minutes North End got a goal back. McKenna took a corner and a goal mouth scramble enabled Jackson to get a flick on to Healy, stabbed the ball into the back of the net.
PNE desperately tried their best to salvage their unbeaten run, but unfortunately couldn’t unlock the Tranmere defence.