Dadi so cruel to Bury

Andy Preece's team certainly hadn't been the poor relations in this intriguing first round tie until the mystery Frenchman left the visitors holding the baby.

Dadi, a 75th minute substitute for Shane Nicholson, rose unchallenged inside the six yard box to become an instant Prenton Park hero.

It was another cruel break in a season just two games old for Bury following their late collapse at Swansea last Saturday.

Preece was quick to point out the positives from his young side's performance, including some excellent defensive displays from the likes of Danny Swailes and Greg Strong.

Among the negatives, however, is the loss of badly needed revenue, generated last season by the games against Stoke, Bolton and Fulham in the same competition.

Not that Bury short changed their fans on Tuesday night. Indeed, had it not been for John Achterberg then the visitors may have been looking forward with extra relish to tomorrow's second round draw.

The Rovers keeper conjured up four saves of the highest quality, including a superb reflex effort from Lee Duxbury.

"It's a bad habit conceding late goals and we are doing it," said Preece, hoping for a change of fortune against Scunthorpe United at Gigg Lane tomorrow.

"It's so disappointing when you have put in so much hard work.

"Unfortunately, Lee Unsworth, who had been marking Dadi, went out to close down the crosser and no one picked up 'Unsy's man.

"Maybe we were getting a bit tired and some of our concentration had gone.

"We've got to make sure when we get to 70 minutes we say 'right, let's give it bit more for the last 20 minutes.

"But I was pleased with the reaction after what happened at Swansea. I told them to go out and express themselves and it showed there is great character in the team.

"However, getting that first result is important. Just getting a point is important to stop the run," he added.

After the pre match conjecture Preece opted for just one change to the team that started at Swansea-Lee Connell coming in for the player-boss himself.

Joe O'Neill was elevated to the substitutes bench with Simon Whaley the one to miss out from the squad at the Vetch.

Bury certainly began promisingly enough against a team buoyed by a 4-1 opening day victory over Brentford.

And it took a flying save by Achterberg to claw away a superb top corner bound effort from Unsworth.

Stung into action, Rovers responded with two excellent efforts of their own.

On each occasion Glynn Garner was equal to the task, palming away a shot by dangerman Howarth and then after Gary Jones headed wide, the Welshman denied Ryan Taylor.

Taylor's chance was created by Gareth Roberts whose foraging runs down the Bury right were causing consternation to Connell and Unsworth.

Gradually though the Shakers fought back against a team who were League Cup semi-finalists in 1999 and runners-up to Leicester City 12 months later.

Only Achterberg denied Chris Porter his first senior goal while Connell blazed the follow-up high and wide.

Preece had been disappointed by Bury's failure to take the game to Swansea in the second half and they weren't to make the same mistake again.

Tranmere had plenty of possession and peppered the Bury penalty box with plenty of crosses.

Roberts and dangerman Simon Haworth were off target with several chances while Strong produced an excellent clearance after Iain Hume had eluded Swailes.

Once more though Bury hit back as Duxbury and Preece, by now introduced to the fray, set-up David Nugent only for Achterburg to come to Tranmere's rescue.

With 12 minutes left Bury created another opening and Achterburg swooped to his right to deny Duxbury at the expense of a corner.

Unfortunately they couldn't maintain the pressure and Tranmere roused themselves into life for a final push.

Haworth was guilty of another poor finish while Garner emulated his Tranmere counterpart with a fine save from Dadi.

Unfortunately, Dadi, signed in the summer from Scottish side Livingston, made it third time lucky as he rose to convert a Hume cross from the Bury right.

Joe O'Neill replaced Connell for the final three minutes most of which was punctured by referee Clattenburg's whistle as Preece and Strong followed George Clegg and Colin Woodthorpe into the official's notebook.

Match stats:

Tranmere (4-4-2)

Achterberg, Connelly, Roberts, Allen, Sharps, Hume, Mellon, Haworth, Jones, Nicholson (Dadi 75), Taylor;

Subs (not used): Gray, R.Howarth, Navarro, Hay.

Bury (4-4-2): Garner, Unsworth, Swailes, Strong, Woodthorpe, Connell (O'Neill 90), Duxbury, Clegg, Singh, Porter, (Preece 65), Nugent (Seddon 75).

Subs (not used): Barrass, Kennedy.

Goals:

Tranmere: Dadi (89)

Bookings:

Tranmere: None

Bury: Clegg (62), Woodthorpe (86), Preece (90), Strong (90)

5 Shots on 5

12 Shots off 5

8 Corners 7

5 Offsides 1

12 Free kicks conceded 12

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Durham)

Attendance: 4,272

HT: 0-0