Tranmere’s pre-season preparations continued with a hard fought 2-1 win over League One Blackpool in a behind closed doors friendly at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday afternoon.
Connor Jennings and Reece McAlear were the scorers for Rovers while there were more minutes in the bank for 17 of Ian Dawes’ first team squad.
The home side started the brighter, Joe Murphy made a comfortable save down to his right to keep out Sonny Carey’s long-range effort in the second minute before the midfielder fired over from the middle of the area soon after.
Andy Lyons headed wide at the back post for the hosts on 13 minutes and Owen Dale shot over Murphy’s bar from 20 yards seven minutes later.
Though Blackpool enjoyed the early chances, Tranmere had plenty of possession and spent a long spell in command of the ball as they looked for an opening. However, it was the Tangerines who took the lead, with Dale heading in from close range on 26 minutes.
Regan Hendry’s low ball into the Blackpool area was turned behind for a corner on 29 minutes and the midfielder was in the action again on the half hour mark, being brought down just inside the area to earn a penalty, from which Connor Jennings sent the keeper the wrong way to level the score.
Two minutes later, Rovers took the lead. Harvey Saunders broke down the right and after Jennings stepped over his low ball into the box, Reece McAlear coolly side footed into the bottom right corner beyond Daniel Grimshaw’s outstretched arm from 15 yards.
Murphy did well to keep out Carey’s attempt on 61 minutes, while Charlie Jolley had a close-range effort cleared off the line at the other end soon after, following good build up play from Sam Taylor.
The Rovers keeper pushed a long range shot from Carey behind for a corner on 79 minutes and restricted the angle for Callum Connolly soon after, with the defender shooting high and wide.
Blackpool searched for an equaliser as the game drew on but Rovers held out for the win.
Tranmere Rovers: Murphy, O’Connor (Trialist 2), Bentley (Lewis), Yarney (Hughes), Leake (M. Davies), Walker (Merrie), McAlear, Hendry (Morris), Saunders (Hawkes), Jolley, Jennings (Taylor).