Thomas-Moore winner blanks out penalty nightmare

Ian Thomas-Moore buried from close range on 80 minutes to save his teams blushes after two penalties were missed in the second half.

Carlisle had a spot-kick of their own gifted to them after Tim Cathalina palmed the ball out of the box on 16 minutes, only for the right-back to gladly see Peter Murphy’s penalty soar over the bar.

Former White Craig Curran had numerous chances to net at the ground he played at last season, only to be proved wasteful in front of goal. Gary Madine also had chances before Ian Goodison then gave the home the lead at the tail end of the first-half with a 25-yard strike on 39 minutes, but the Whites were forced to hold on as Carlisle pushed for a way back into the game.

The first penalty came on 59 minutes after a well worked corner routine ended with Joss Labadie being tripped in the area. But Thomas-Moore, who scored from the spot on Saturday against Rochdale, could only find the glove of Adam Collin as the visitors stayed in the game. Lateef Elford Alliyu earned Rovers second spot kick just 10 minutes later, only for Aaron Cresswell’s strike to also be saved by Collin.

Wasted chances looked to have cost Rovers all three points when James Berrett equalized inside the area for the visitors on 78 minutes. But Enoch Showunmi raced his team mates back for the kick-off, and just two minutes later the target man put Thomas-Moore through to put Rovers ahead once again.

Carlisle had little to offer in the latter stages of the game, as Rovers held on for their first win of 2011.

Tranmere: Collister, Cathalina (Blanchard 85), Wootton, Goodison, Cresswell, Elford-Alliyu, Welsh, Labadie, Jennings, Showunmi, Thomas-Moore. Substitutes not used: Miotto, Bakayogo, Taylor, Fraughan, Akins, McGurk.



arlisle: Collin, Simek, Murphy, Robson (Bowman 89), Thirlwell, Taiwo (Grella 65), Marshall, Curran (Zoko 56), Madine, Berrett, Michalik. Substitutes not used: Hurst, Caig, Cruise, Eastham.

Referee: Dave Foster

Yellow cards: Michalik (12), Berrett (27), Thirlwell (57), Taiwo (63), Cathalina (71)