Rovers kick-off pre-season friendlies with 3-0 victory over Cammell Laird (From Wirral Globe)

Rovers kick-off pre-season friendlies with 3-0 victory over Cammell Laird

9:58am Tuesday 24th July 2012 in News

ROVERS’ first pre-season friendly of the summer saw second half goals earning them a 3-0 win over Cammell Laird.

Manager Ronnie Moore fielded a different side in each half for the Monday night match at Laird's Kirklands ground, with the majority of first team squad featuring alongside several trialists.

Tranmere went closest in the first half through loan signing Liam Palmer who brought a fine save out of the home keeper, while Andy Robinson and Ben Burgess also had shots on target.

Trialists Abdulai Bell-Baggie and Francis Jeffers both tested the keeper in the second half before Max Power broke the deadlock with a finish into the bottom left corner.

Akpa Akpro saw a shot deflected from the bar on 77 minutes and came close again eight minutes later, seeing his low shot saved before Jeffers' follow up deflected on to the post.

From the resulting corner the lead was doubled when the ball struck Akpa Akpro and went in.

After Adam McGurk had brought a save out of the keeper the win was completed with a fine strike from Power.

Former England striker Jeffers is currently training with Rovers and is a free agent after being allowed to leave Australian A-League club Newcastle Jets earlier this year.

"I've had a couple of preliminary offers in Australia and one or two in England as well," the 31-year-old told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I'm going to work hard and prove my fitness. You never know in football.”

Jeffers won his solitary England cap under Sven-Goran Eriksson in February 2003, scoring in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Australia at Upton Park.