A GOAL in each half from Ryan Lowe helped Tranmere Rovers to a 2-1 victory over Colchester Utd, the club's second home win of the season.

After an injury-hit first half hour Tranmere took the lead when Lowe headed in from close range.

The striker netted his second from the penalty spot after half time to take his total for the season to 12, while Colchester pulled a goal back in the final seconds.

There could easily have been more goals in the game, with both teams missing good chances, while there was an impressive debut from Liverpool loanee Kristoffer Peterson.

Peterson was one of three changes made by Ronnie Moore to the side that lost at Wolves.

James Wallace made his first start in almost 12 months while Jon Otsemobor also made his first start as Max Power, Jason Koumas and Danny Holmes dropped to the bench.

Rovers were forced into a change early in the game. Otsemobor got a nudge from Ryan Dickson when trying to prevent a corner and fell over the wall behind the goal and into the front row of the Kop Stand.

Though he was briefly back on the pitch he was unable to continue and his debut for the Club lasted just five minutes.

The visitors threatened from two early corners, with Jabo Ibehre shaving the outside of the post from ten yards and then James Wallace needing to block a shot from the edge of the area.

A clash of heads between Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Tom Eastman forced both players down the tunnel for treatment on 18 minutes and Rovers on the verge of using all three substitutes in the first quarter of the match.

It should have been 1-0 to Colchester on 25 minutes when Owain Fon Williams parried a shot from Alex Gilbey as Ibehre got past McNulty to the rebound but the striker put his close range effort over the bar. The pressure paid off on 55 minutes.

A quickly taken corner was crossed in by Wallace and Akpa Akpro was held back by Brian Wilson as he attacked at the back post, forcing referee Dean Whitestone to point to the penalty spot.

Ryan Lowe converted the spot kick for his second of the game, sending Walker the wrong way from 12 yards.

Colchester responded with a double replacement and substitute Andy Bond fired over from 25 yards moments after joining the action.

Peterson tested Walker on 59 minutes and the winger ran at Wilson before hitting his shot into a defender five minutes later.

A 20-yard shot from Atkinson had to be saved by Walker down to his right on 69 minutes while Horwood and Wallace had to block shots from the edge of the area before Fon Williams tipped a dangerous cross out of the path of Ibehre at the back post.

Ronnie Moore was delighted with his side's 2-1 victory over Colchester United at Prenton Park.

In his post-match interview, Moore told Tranmere Player: "I thought it was deserved and we could have had more, it was just disappointing to concede a sloppy one at the death.

"Wallace was awesome when you consider how long he has been out, he won every header.

"Kristoffer had me on the waltzers, never mind their full back. I thought he was awesome, he was a credit to Liverpool the way he came in and adapted.

"You get greedy, at 2-0 you want four or five. We've had a lot of chances and I felt for Lowey because he had a chance for his hat-trick and didn't connect with it.

"We've got to be happy, we're moving in the right direction at the moment. We're 19th on 20 points and MK Dons are 12th on 22. That's how tight this league is."

Tranmere take a break from League action on Saturday to face Peterborough United in the second round of the FA Cup. Kick off will be at 3pm at London Road.