BARCLAYS LEAGUE DIVISION THREE
20th October 1990

EXETER CITY 0-0 TRANMERE ROVERS 

Whilst the results haven't been going our way over the last few games at the Park, the excitement generated at those matches certainly can not be doubted Whilst it was disappointing to only take a point from a Tranmere side reduced to ten men for over half the game, most of the 5.000 plus crowd went home entertained and wondering just how City didn't manage to record a win.

The early stages saw Cky stamp their authority on the game with Tranmere continually giving the ball away or being dispossessed by the hard working Mark Cooper and Danny Bailey in midheld However, for all of Exeter's neat approach play-with Scave Neville looking Ively and £25,000 signing Gary Marshall impressing his new fans neither side created any real chances unil midway through the first half, when a comer from Cooper was knocked down for Shaan Taylor to hit the ball sharply on the turn, only to see his effort defected to safety. The resultant comer again fell to Taylor, whose powerful header at the near post brought a magnificent diving seve from keeper Eric Noeon, who turned the ball behind for another City flag kick

With City applying the pressure Tranmere were restricted to attacking on the break, and after 27 minutes a long through ball put lan Mair in the clear, but after Rovers leading markuran had rounded Kevin Miller he momentarily hesitated allowing the City keeper to push Muir's goalbound shot on to the post

That burst of activity brought the game to life, with Tranmere sweeper Mark Hughes booked for a clumsy challenge on Gordon Hobson, and after the two clashed again on the Cowshed touchline nine minutes before the break, Hobson was booked and Hughes was sent of City then set about the task of tying to make their one man advantage count, but with Richard Dryden heading yet another corner just wide and Gary Marshall bringing a fine save from Noxon aher bearing defender and getting in a well struck shot, the two sides went in at half-time with the game still goalless.

The second half started as if City were incent on scoring a hatful winning two corners in the first couple of minutes and forcing good stops from Noxon after first Marshall and then Neville found themselves in space A marginal offside decision went against Cry five minutes into the hall when Gordon Hobson found himsel well clear of his marker, but an unchallenged run on goal was denied him by the Inesman's flag

Kevin Miller saw a rare moment of action when he did well to turn a thirty yard free-kick over the bar, but City continued to press forward with Marshall again going close. After 57 minutes, City thought they had a penalty, when Shaus Taylor was impeded whilst amampoing to reach a Scott Hiley cross, and what the referee pointed towards the spot, he had in fact awarded an indirect free-kick twelve yards out. Cky's disappointment was further heightened when Gordon Hobson struck the ball against the underside of the crossber

Halfway through the second halt the Exeter attack's frustration began to show, as Richard Dryden missed the target with only Nixon to beat, and after the otherwise faultless Rovers keeper had dropped a teasing cross debutante Gary Marshall also otherwise faultless sent the ball into the Big Bank from three yards out with the goal gaping

With a quarter of an hour remaining left-back Tom Kelly was replaced by the attacking Paul Eshelby, and whis the youngster again looked impressive and City seemed permanently encamped in the visitors hail, the winning goal just wouldn't come in sruth, City became a little desperate towards the end, not really creating chances with the same intelligent style as we have become accustomed to seeing

So the result of it all was a second home draw and City's first 0-0 for thirteen months, but with entertainment such as this, it is easy to see why attendances at St James Park consued to rise despite the temporary downturns in the club's fortunes.