TRANMERE ROVERS MET THEIR MATCH AT THE PARK.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 8th  
EXETER CITY 2 TRANMERE 1.

Tranmere Rovers, who had won their last three away games, met their match at St James's Park, and were beaten deservedly by Exeter City. On a murky afternoon with a drizzle of rain coming down steadily the crowd at the start was less than three thousand. The pitch which was a mixture of mud and water was not conducive to good football.

Exeter City:- Tinsley; Smyth and MacDonald; Hughes, Anderson, and Sanders; Welsh, Mitchell, Pierce, Carter, and Rees.

Tranmere Rovers:- Leyland; Wilson and Conroy; King, Jackson, and Neill; Campbell, Manning, Hickson, Jones, and Finney.

Referee:- Mr L. Callaghan of Merthyr. Linesmen:- Messrs S.J.Turnell and W.Summerhayes.

Today's victory was the result of a solid performance by Exeter City, who at times played the ball far too close on the greasy surface but stuck to their job and by good football rather than by kick-and-run methods obtained the goals by which Tranmere were defeated.

Graham Rees with a great shot gave Exeter the lead after 60 minutes and shortly afterwards Leyland was beaten for the second time when Carter's header found the net. Tranmere kept fighting back as well as they could and were rewarded with a goal by Jones ten minutes from the end. But there was still time for more Exeter pressure, and Pierce rattled the crossbar with a good shot, and Carter had two very near misses. Dave Hickson, the old Aston Villa and Everton star, was generally mastered by Anderson, and apart from one or two attempts to bustle his way through in the second half was seldom in the game at all.

• Exeter City Reserves at Victoria Park, Salisbury, were beaten 2-0 by Salisbury City, for whom McGill scored both goals.