STOCKPORT boss Jim Gannon admitted he had a sleepless night before County's 1-0 pre-season home defeat by Tranmere.
Gannon was up at 4.30am on Saturday as his partner Hazel gave birth to their first child, a baby girl.
But it was football which took priority over family matters for Gannon as County lost at Edgeley Park in their last match before the League Two campaign kicks off this weekend.
"I've had a few sleepless nights because of my baby girl, but both mother and baby are doing well and now I've got two beautiful girls in my life," Gannon said.
Victory over Tranmere would have completed the perfect day for the Stockport boss, but Chris McCready's 12th-minute winner - coupled with a Tony Dinning penalty miss - ensured that it wasn't to be.
Of more concern than the defeat was the sight of Dinning limping off in the 53rd minute, casting doubts over his availability for County's League Two opener at home to Hereford on Saturday.
Felled
McCready got on the end of a free-kick from former County winger Kevin Ellison to head in the game's only goal from close range. But when Tes Bramble was felled in the box by Rovers keeper Gavin Ward in the 21st minute, County had a chance to draw level.
However, despite sending Ward the wrong way, Dinning hit the foot of the left-hand post and the ball ricocheted away to safety.
Tranmere's former City youngster Chris Shuker nearly doubled their advantage when he just cleared the crossbar with a clever chip.
County had other good chances in the match and Bramble forced Ward to make a couple of decent saves.
Centre-back Michael Raynes had directed two good headers wide in the space of a couple of minutes and midfielder Damien Allen forced Ward to save smartly late on as County searched for an equaliser.
"Tranmere are a good side but I'm a perfectionist and one of our targets is not giving away free kicks in the defensive third," admitted Gannon.
"Unfortunately we've been beaten by that again, but overall I've been quite pleased with the progress from our pre-season games."
Gannon persevered with trialist goalkeeper Tim Deasy, who kept his place ahead of James Spencer.
Fellow trialist Jamie McGuire - who spent last season playing in the North West Counties League for Cammell Laird - was given a run out as a second-half substitute for the injured Dinning.
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