EXETER CITY 0 

TRANMERE ROVERS 1
Muir.

Played at St James's Park, Exeter.

Saturday January 30th 1988.

Attendance 2,261.

Exeter City- Gwinnett; Harrower, Viney;
Carter, Taylor, Olsson; Batty, Cooper, Edwards, O'Connell, Rowbotham.

Tranmere Rovers:- Chamberlain; Higgins, McCarrick; Martindale, Moore, Vickers; Morrissey, Harvey, Steele, Muir, Mungall.

Dean Edwards became the latest victim of Exeter's penalty blues when he missed a chance to earn the City a point in the 50th minute.

Kellow and O'Connell have already been guilty of failure to score from the penalty spot this season, and Edwards fared no better when entrusted with a penalty. O'Connell was brought down, On the muddy pitch Edwards had his weak shot easily saved by Chamberlain. Then when Muir lobbed the ball into the goal after just three minutes, increasing the gap on the bottom club, Newport County, Exeter  slowly sank without trace in the St James's Park mud. A misunderstanding in the Tranmere defence in the early stages nearly gave the City an equalising goal, but O'Connell's shot from 15 yards went sailing over the bar. At the other end Muir's shot was blocked by Harrower and the rebound saved by Gwinnett.

Exeter's midfield play lacked quality, and Tranmere, although on the defensive for long periods, looked the more likely to increase their lead when they broke away. In the 28th minute Gwinnett had to move quickly to parry a fierce drive from Martindale on the edge of the penalty area, and two minutes later Muir sent a typical piledriver inches over the crossbar with Gwinnett the City goalkeeper powerless to save. In the closing minutes Taylor and Edwards had shots saved by Chamberlain. The Rovers, who have won ten of their last 13 matches, are the most improved side in the Football League.