Birkenhead is never top of anyone's list of places to visit. At this time of year it is always a pleasure (not!) to be able to view the decoration of various houses and gardens on the walk from Rock Ferry station to the ground. This year they did not disappoint although unfortunately the rain did not fuse any of them!!
I suppose that I better mention a bit about the football although I'd rather not. Basically it was more of the same...we are just not good enough. We concede too many goals due to errors. The first goal came despite Tranmere not really troubling us up to that point (and we had even ventured into their box!) and this time it was Telfer (not for the first time) who was the culprit. He did well to get to a through ball first but then tried to be too cute but was never going to be able to withstand the physical pressence and pace of Zola and should have just wellied it away. Anyway he lost the ball and Zola advanced on goal to easily beat Stewart. The goal livened up Tranmere and a few minutes later they were two up. Myrie-Williams went round the outside of Cummings who brought him down with hardly a firm challenge but you would have been disappointed if it had not been given to us. Greenacre crisply put the penalty away down the middle of the goal. The half ended with Tranmere on top and it looked like it could be a long second half. It had not been all one way traffic but we posed little threat on our forays forward.
The second half started in a brighter fashion for us but the crosses were rather aimless with very few bodies in the box. Sam Vokes was bustling around trying to make things happens but that often meant that he was out of position when a cross came in and whilst Pitman was putting in a fair bit of effort he just does not have what it takes at this level. Telfer was subbed by Gradel (with cheers for both parts of the equation!) and immediately we went three down. Cooper moved to right back and a mix up between him and Shimmin (no doubt as there sorted themselves out) allowed Zola to run clear to slip the ball across to Jennings who had an easy task to sidefoot home. Stewart had not helped matters by flying out to Zola like a headless chicken (not sure that they can fly) when staying closer to his line would have been more prudent. Tranmere now sat back and we came into it more and there was actually a sense of urgency. Henry got down the right a bit more but his crossing was poor whilst Gradel tried hard down the left. Eventually an error by Coyne the Tranmere 'keeper enabled Pitman to pass across to Sam who shot home from outside the box. Despite more pressure there never seemed a chance that we could get a second. It was good to see Bartley given a reasonably long run out. Once he got used to the pace he made some good challenges and in particular a powerful run. More of the same would be very welcome.
There is so much wrong on the pitch that I don't have room to go into it here. The injury crisis (yet another one!!!) can be pointed to as a major part of our problems. Well if you sign injury prone players and they form a sizeable part of your squad there should be no surprise when there is a crisis. We have had eleven players play at centre back for at least ten minutes of a match (can you name them?). As the manager is the one who decides who he wants to sign then he has to take the blame here. It is not the only area that fingers can be pointed at the manager but again there is not enough room here. Bond has a lot on things to answer for and the questions keep on coming. Certainly with tactics and motivation he appears to be lacking at the moment.
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AFCB: Stewart, Telfer, Shimmin, A Pearce, Cummings, Cooper, Hollands, Karacan, Henry, Vokes, Pitman
Subs: Pryce, Bradbury, Bartley (on for Karacan, 53 mins), Gradel (on for Telfer, 63 mins), J Pearce (on for Shimmin, 79 mins)
Phil Nesbitt, Acocks Green