SIMON Grayson will be glad to see the back of this pre-season, the Seasiders have recorded just one win since returning from their summer break and more worryingly for the Pool boss will be the lack of goals, the Tangerines have netted on just three occasions, however, as Tony Parkes rightly points out no points are awarded in pre-season games and should Pool record three points on Saturday against Bristol City the last few results will be all forgotten.

Simon Grayson once again shuffled his pack for the trip to Prenton Park, Matt Gilks was given the nod in goal behind a back four of Halls, Pressley Coid and Ian Evatt who was skipper for the afternoon. The midfield four consisted of Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Claus Jorgensen, David Fox and Adam Hammill, whilst Ben Burgess and Stephen McPhee were partnered in attack.

The hosts got things underway but it was the Seasiders who forced an early corner, through the persistence of Stephen McPhee. The lively McPhee also squandered Pool's first clear cut chance of the afternoon, Adam Hammill threaded a great ball to Gary Taylor-Fletcher who sliced open the Tranmere defence to find McPhee who screwed his first time finish well wide.

Adam Hammill fired wide on 19 as Pool enjoyed the better of the opening twenty minutes.

Matt Gilks produced a fine double block to deny the hosts on 23 minutes, the former Norwich man blocked a rasping shot from Chris Curran before diving to block at the feet of Bas Savage.

The deadlock was broken on the half hour when CHARLIE BARNETT fired home Adam Hammill was caught in possession just inside Tranmere half, the hosts broke at pace down Pool left, Ednissa Sonko pulled back to the unmarked CHARLIE BARNETT who sent Gilks the wrong way with a great finish..

Hammill almost redeemed himself on 33 minutes when he cut in from the left at pace before firing wide with the keeper rooted to the spot.

Half Time Tranmere Rovers 1 Blackpool 0

Pool began the second half using a 4-3-3 formation and the Seasiders were a lot brighter with excellent passing moves, Stephen McPhee forced Achterberg to tip over from the edge of the area whilst Ben Burgess went close on 53 minutes.

Pool made three changes on 55 minutes with Keith Southern, Jermaine Wright and Zesh Rehman replacing Stephen Pressley, David Fox and Adam Hammill.

Former Liverpool trainee Charlie Barnett almost doubled Tranmere's lead when his long distance striker whistled just over.

At the other end a giant clearance from Matthew Gilks was flicked on by Ben Burgess into the path of Keith Southern who saw a sweetly struck volley fly just wide.

Pool made another four changes on 65 minutes when Marlon Broomes, Danny Nardiello, Alex Baptiste and Stuart Green replaced John Halls, Ian Evatt, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Claus Jorgensen.

Nardiello's debut lasted just seven minutes, the striker signed from QPR on Thursday limped out of the action with what looked like a hamstring injury, with Pool using all their outfield substitutes the Seasiders had to play the last 18 minutes with ten men.

Marlon Broomes joined Danny Coid in the referees notebook on 75 minutes after a foul on Bas Savage. Savage dusted himself down and almost scored from the resulting free kick when he rose above the Pool defence to power a header into the side netting.

With full time approaching, Matt Gilks produced a fine save to deny Adnan Ahmed who had got up well to meet a teasing right wing corner.

POOL: Gilks, Halls (Broomes 65), Evatt (Nardiello 65), Pressley (Wright 55), Coid, Taylor-Fletcher (Baptiste 65), Fox (Southern 55), Jorgensen (Green 65), Hammill (Rehman 55), Burgess, McPhee Sub Not Used: Rachubka

Referee: Lee Mason