A goal from new signing Charlie Barnett earned Tranmere a win over Championship side Blackpool in their final home pre-season friendly of the summer.

It was a good work out for Ronnie Moore's side who looked comfortable in their new formation and created a number of chances.

Barnett was named among the starters for Rovers but Godwin Antwi missed out through injury. Antwi was one of a number of players absent, with Danny Coyne, Chris Greenacre, Ian Moore and Gareth Edds all suffering with knocks. That meant John Achterberg started in goal, while Ian Goodison was named right back and Edrissa Sonko and Craig Curran were alongside Bas Savage in attack.

Stephen McPhee had the first shot of the game for the visitors on ten minutes after a typical pre-season friendly subdued start. The former Port Vale striker dragged his effort wide of goal form 16 yards following a good through ball from Claus Jorgenson.

The midfield Rovers trio of Barnett, Steve Jennings and George O'Callaghan were producing a high work rate and covering a lot of ground, leading to one or two half chances which couldn't be converted.

On 21 minutes Curran saw an angled shot saved by Matty Gilkes, and Savage's follow up was also kept out by the former Norwich keeper.

Jennings looked to have beaten the offside trap on 25 minutes when running on to a well placed pass from Sonko, but the referee's assistant put his flag up as the midfielder shot narrowly wide.

On 28 minutes Achterberg pulled off a fine one handed save to keep out Ian Evatt's close range shot, with Ben Chorley managing to clear the rebound under pressure from Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

But seconds later Rovers took the lead with a fantastic high paced goal which hopefully is a sign of the future. Barnett broke free with the ball from inside his area and found Sonko racing up the right. Sonko picked out Curran who had sprinted to a position free on the left side of the area and he unselfishly laid the ball off to Barnett who coolly side footed past Gilks from the edge of the area.

Another Liverpool product, Adam Hammill, curled just wide of Achterberg's post for Blackpool on 35 minutes, the last real chance of the half.

McPhee brought another great save out of Achterberg on 53 minutes following a miss hit clearance from Goodison, while the visitors made a number of substitutions soon after.

Rovers followed on 71 minutes, with Terry Gornell and Adnan Ahmed replacing Sonko and Barnett.

With just a week until the beginning of the new season, the tempo had dropped considerably as players understandably didn't want to risk injury.

However, there was still an opportunity for Savage to power a header into the side netting from an Ahmed free kick, while Gornell looped a header over on 78 minutes.

Aaron Cresswell and Paul Henry joined the action on 78 and 82 minutes respectively, shortly before Gornell forced a good save out of Gilks with a close range header from Ahmed's cross.

Ahmed should have made it two late on but Gilks somehow scooped the ball away from his feet after he had looked set to be beaten from inside the six yard box.

Referee: Lee Mason

Yellow cards: Coid (46), Broomes (75), O'Callaghan (79)