EXETER CITY 1 Darren Gale
TRANMERE ROVERS 0

Match Report by Trina Lake. 

"BEGGARS can't be choosers and points are points." That is how Exeter City manager Colin Appleton summed up his side's slightly fortunate win over Tranmere Rovers at St James's Park on Saturday. The game was a poor advertisement for football, lacking excitement and incident for seemingly interminable periods, but Appleton refused to see anything but the positive side after Darren Gale's late goal had earned City three points. "We worked hard and had the desire and commitment to win. I don't think the side we had a month ago would have won," he said. He admitted that it would have been nice to beat Tranmere with a little more style but said: "You can play well at this game and lose. What would people rather have - a good performance or three points? "I don't think it's doom and gloom at all and anybody who has looked at this club over the past few years should see it that way too. "The important thing is that we've got three points and the players will grow in confidence from seeing that they have climbed farther up the table. That's the priority. "When you look at the squad we've got, to be picking up points is encouraging and heartening. "Appleton's slight annoyance at criticism of his side's performance has its justifications. City have compiled a four-match unbeaten run in the Fourth Division, winning twice at home and drawing twice away. Success is success, however it is come by, and to achieve it with any flair is simply icing on the cake when you are battling to put some distance between you and the dead zone at the foot of the Canon League. That, however, is little comfort to the hard core of City fans who endured 90 minutes of tedium, interspersed with all too rare flashes of entertainment. The game never developed any pattern. Tranmere seemed content to settle for the point they started with and City, without the often inspirational skills of injured winger Martin Ling,struggled to find their rhythm. Ling's absence with a groin injury forced Appleton to re-shuffle his forward line and he went for a three- pronged attack with Ray. Pratt joining Gale and Tony Kellow for his first full game for a month. Pratt is still to find the free-scoring form that made him City's Player of the Year last season, despite being sidelined since March with an ankle injury. He failed to make the most of a couple of half chances on Saturday, but at least he was getting into scoring positions. The wily Kellow, improving the more he plays, sprayed some intelligent passes around and Gale ran tirelessly but there was no real cohesion in City's forward play. Tranmere suffered similar problems despite the superb touch play of their vastly experienced player-manager Frank Worthington. His first-time passing, flicking the ball off every surface of his cultured left foot, was a joy to watch. Unfortunately that is just what some of his teammates were doing-watch- ing instead of anticipating and Worthington could hardly hide his frustration at times. City should take credit for stopping him - the league's top scorer from getting a goal. It was the first time in the Fourth Division this season that Tranmere had failed to score. City defended stoutly, restricting Tranmere to just two clear-cut scoring chances in the first half. Worthington found himself in space from an Ian Muir cross in the 16th minute but Nick Marker raced across to produce a great saving tackle as the former England striker shaped up for a shot. Tranmere looked like taking a 35th minute lead when Worthington put Muir clear but he tried to place his shot a little too delicately. Goalkeeper John Shaw managed to take the pace off the ball and as it rolled gou ward, Keigh Viney came to the rescue to hack it off the goal-line. City put Tranmere under pressure with a 26th minute free-kick from Gary Jackson but goalkeeper Nigel Adkins punched clear with Gale threatening. They were in more trouble when City won their first corner in the 37th minute. The ball was pulled back for John Impey who volleyed inches over the bar with Adkins clutching at air. Marker connected well with another corner just before half time but this time Adkins had it covered. City played more through their midfield in the second half and looked more purposeful. Dave Burgess needed to be quick to prevent Pratt from shooting from a good posi- tion in the 53rd minute, Jim McNichol broke through but could get no power on his shot three minutes later, and Steve Mungall stuck out a boot to deny Pratt again soon after. Tranmere came back strongly and Shaw produced a brilliant flying fingertip save to keep out a Mungall shot in the 75th minute and stopped an on-target header from Billy Ashcroft a minute later. Muir let City off the hook when he got between Impey and Marker to reach a 79th minute Doug Anderson cross but couldn't finish and failed again just after. It seemed that the game was destined to be a 0-0 draw until a late burst of City pressure bore fruit. An Alan Crawford overhead kick rebounded to Gale in the 83rd minute and his rising first-time shot was deflected by Mungall past his own 'keeper and into the net. That is the second time in successive league games that Gale has produced last gasp heroics. Saturday's first goal for City in front ot their home crowd followed his late equaliser at Cambridge nine days before.

Exeter City:
Shaw, Kirkup, Viney, McNichol, Impey, Marker, Pratt, Jackson, Kellow, Gale, Crawford.
Sub: Harrower.

Tranmere Rovers:
Adkins, Mungall, Burgess, Hughes, Ashcroft, Edwards, Sinclair, Train, Worthington, Muir, Anderson.
Sub: Miller (Sinclair 83).

Attendance: 1,881.