 DEFEAT to non-league Cammell Laird rounded off a day to forget for Tranmere manager Brian Little. Just hours after key defender Ryan Taylor agreed terms with Premiership new boys Wigan Athletic, Rovers failed to impress in their pre-season friendly at Kirklands last night. A superb goal by Laird's prolific striker Ronnie Morgan and a string of missed chances by the visitors handed the North West Counties Division One outfit a surprise 1-0 victory. Little said afterwards: "Nothing pleased me about the game. Most of the players missed the boat tonight. They worked hard, but did not play well. "We were very poor first half and unlucky not to score in the second. Chrissie Dagnall had a good chance to settle everyone down, missed that and then it just got worse. "From a work out point of view it was fine, but we played them at their game rather than our own. We didn't pass the ball around. It was just scrappy. "It has been one of those days. I've been on the phone all day with all sorts of little problems and I've ended up with a bigger problem tonight."
 Rovers fielded two different sides in each half and failed to match Laird's high tempo in the opening 45 minutes. Dagnall was denied early on by keeper John Gann after he had raced clear of the defence, while Ian Goodison was unlucky to see another shot saved after weaving past three opponents. The only goal came two minutes before the break when Morgan turned Mike Jackson and blasted into the far corner of the net. Rovers improved in the second half with youngsters Paul Martin and Steve Davies the pick of the bunch. Mark Rankine and Joe Fowler forced fine saves from replacement keeper Colin Flood, while Ian Sharps twice headed just over. Fowler was left ruing a missed opportunity in front of goal, side footing a Calvin Zola cross over the bar. TRANMERE (1st half): Achterberg, Vaughan, Jackson, Linwood, Goodison, Jennings, Harrison, Aiston, Tremarco, Dadi, Dagnall. TRANMERE (2nd half): Wilson, James, Martin, Sharps, Roberts, Fowler, McAteer, Rankine, Brown, Zola, Davies. | 
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