TRANMERE had little luck and few friends at Gigg Lane last night as they went out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Rovers contrived to lose a second round tie they dominated for the best part of the first hour.
Better finishing would have put the visitors comfortably in control before Bury were able to mount a serious threat going forward in the second half.
But all the visitors had to show for some composed passing football and enterprising attacking play was a fourth-minute strike from live wire striker Craig Curran.
Once Bury found some confidence goals by David Worrall (55) and Michael Jones (81) were enough to tip the balance of the contest.
Tranmere took more than 400 followers to Greater Manchester but many of them spent the evening chanting for manger John Barnes and assistant Jason McAteer to be dismissed.
There were some encouraging features to the evening for Barnes, however. He saw his side produce a performance that was a significant improvement on the 5-0 thrashing at Millwall last Saturday. The sodden conditions played a part in giving Tranmere the ideal start with a goal on four minutes.
Bury’s defenders were punished for allowing Curran to run into the box from the right. When the striker drove in a waist high shot from a narrow angle veteran goalkeeper Wayne Brown allowed the ball to slither through his grasp like a bar of wet soap and into the net.
Curran’s inclusion was one of five changes from the Rovers’ line-up that was mauled so badly at Millwall. Full-back Gareth Edds, centre-back Ash Taylor, midfielder Charlie Barnett and striker Kithson Bain also earned starting places.
Tranmere were solid enough at the back but they allowed Bury only a couple of long-range efforts from David Buchanan and Stephen Dawson in the opening half.
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