WHEN you come up against names like Rooney and Fowler on Merseyside, you half expect to find yourselves in trouble.
For Town Reserves yesterday it was Tranmere substitutes Thomas Rooney and Joe Fowler - cousins of their more famous namesakes - who added spice to the contest, although they had little to do with Town's 3-0 defeat.
The Pontin's League Premier Division damage was done by Ryan Taylor's spanking 25-yard drive on 18 minutes and a Dwayne Mattis own goal nine minutes later as Town's young line-up worked hard but missed their opportunities at Prenton Park.
Tranmere, already in control, put the game beyond doubt 19 minutes from time when Rooney skipped into the box and drove in a shot which Jacob Giles could only parry into the path of Chris Dagnall, who netted from three yards.
Town - with no physio on duty and only two pros in the XI - stuck to their guns throughout.
Picked out by a lovely pass from James Hand, Joe Shaw had the best opening on 15 minutes as he chested down in the box, but he fired his shot straight at goalkeeper Russell Howarth and Matty Young fired over from the rebound.
Mattis was also unlucky not to score with a clever header from a corner.
Town: Giles, Simms (Walls, 70), Hand, Hardy, McCombe, T Clarke, Young, Mattis, Shaw, Huxall (Caulfield, 70), Thompson.
