Chester FC boss Steve Burr blamed mistakes at one end and wasted opportunities at the other for the dejecting 2-0 derby defeat at Tranmere Rovers .

The 7,400 fans inside Prenton Park - including over 1,500 from Chester - anticipated a full-blooded encounter having waited almost a quarter of a century for the clubs to face each other in a league fixture.

However, the Blues failed to read the script and produced one of the worst performances since Burr took charge in January 2013, allowing Rovers to ease to a comfortable three points.

Liam Hogan headed Tranmere into the lead after five minutes when keeper Jon Worsnop decided to punch a hanging ball but failed to connect.

James Norwood wasted a golden chance to extend the lead and had an effort ruled out for offside but the ex-Forest Green Rovers forward got himself on the mark on 37 minutes, dancing through the defence and sliding the ball past Worsnop.

Chester were second best throughout, creating little and unable to put passes together with convection, instead resorting to knocking long balls forward.

The Blues fared better after the break, although Rovers had decided to ease off and protect the lead, and could have set up a grandstand finish had John Rooney converted a 75th minute penalty but keeper Scott Davies kept his tame strike out, capping a miserable afternoon.

"We give ourselves a mountain to climb with the two goals we conceded," said Burr afterwards.

"I'm really disappointed with the first one. I expect my keeper to come and punch everything there. He said he was trying but he just couldn't get over Ben Heneghan. I expect us to deal with that. It was a soft goal. We give the ball away just before that when Craig Mahon lost possession and the ball into the box we should have dealt with.

"From a Tranmere point of view the second one where Norwood has gone through it's a great goal but he started off just inside our half and we should have dealt with that. From their dugout it's a good goal, from our dugout it's a poor goal.

"We had a few chances and we've got to take them. The penalty could have changed things and instead of giving us a lift when we were on top at that point, it's give them a lift and those are defining moments in the game when you've got to take those chances."

On an afternoon best forgotten, Chester did at least welcome back forwards Ross Hannah and Craig Hobson after spells on the sidelines, and academy graduate Sam Hughes made a promising debut after coming on as a half-time substitute.

Burr was disappointed not to give the travelling supporters something to cheer.

He said: "It was a great atmosphere. The penalty had a bearing on it because if we'd have stuck that away with the fans behind us it might have been different but you've got to take those chances when they came.

"It was pleasing that Ross got through 75 minutes with no reaction. Hobby came on and again we've been missing him but individually we've got a bit stronger all around the park. I thought in parts we did okay but I want a lot more than that."