Rovers locked in a battle royal

Liverpool Echo, Saturday 11 May 1985

EXETER: Smelt: Kirkup, King: O'Shea, Marker, Viney: Ling. Harrower, Smith, Howarth, McNichol.
Sub: Burgher.

TRANMERE: Adkins: Edwards Burgess: Mungall, Ferguson, Williams: Palios, Aspinall, Clarke, Clayton, Anderson. Sub:Rodaway 
Referee: Mr. Colin Downey (Hounslow).

Tranmere Rovers forced their first corner after just four minutes but Mark Ferguson's kick was easily cleared by the home side, who were put under pressure again two minutes later when Rovers forced two corners in quick succession. John Williams went close with a header from the second by Doug Anderson. Exeter were trying to play possession football but Tranmere patiently held their ground and kept them from shooting until the 13th minute when Jim McNichol's goal-bound piledriver was deflected out for a corner. Rovers defenders Steve Edwards and Williams had to chase back to protect goalkeeper Nigel Adkins when Exeter twice threatened to catch them on the break, but the home side's attack was too short of pace to pose any real danger. Tranmere's usually deadly striking duo of John Clayton and Colin Clarke hardly had a kick early on as their side's approach work lacked penetration. Clayton almost got in on a poor back pass by McNicholl in the 25th minute, but goalkeeper Lee Smelt was out quickly to deny him. A lofted free kick on the left in the 27th minute from Anderson caused another brief moment of panic in Exeter's defence, Exeter thought they had finally breached Tranmere's troublesome defensive line in the 30th minutes, when Kevin Smith burst through, but he was ruled offside. Tranmere almost went ahead in the 36th minute. Anderson's cor- ner was headed on target by Williams, but Smelt produced a superb fingertip save His opposite number Adkins was in trouble in the 38th minute when he misjudged a bounce from the ball and lost it to Martin Ling, but the Exeter winger fouled him in his over-eagerness to get in a shot.

Half time: Exeter 0, Tranmere Rovers 0.

John Williams scored for Tranmere after 58 minutes.

Liverpool Echo,  Monday, May 13, 1985

Williams goal gives Rovers top six spot.

TRANMERE ROVERS ended their Fourth Division campaign with a 1-0 win at Exeter that clinched sixth place in the table. Defender John Wil- liams scored the only goal of a scrappy game, in the 58th minute and Tranmere just about deserved the three points for their more positive approach. Williams outshone his more illustrious goal-grabbing team mates, John Clayton and Colin Clarke causing problems every time he went forward. He headed just wide from a Doug Anderson corner in the sixth min- ute and bang on target wh another header in the 35th minute which goalkeeper Lee Smelt finger tipped over to deny him. Tranmere keeper Nigel Adkins did not have one serious save to make in the entire 90 minutes. Williams, booked for a second half foul, was equally commanding in a well-organised defence as he was in attack.