Rovers ensure survival in style

Apr 26 2011 Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE saw off the last lingering threat of relegation in emphatic style, to the delight of a bank holiday crowd at Prenton Park who left the ground singing “We are staying up.”

Michael Kay and Lucas Akins scored their first league goals, Akins at the double, and Enoch Showunmi weighed in with his 13th strike of the season to produce a scoreline that only just began to reflect Rovers’ dominance of the contest.

Exeter, coming into the match on the back of five wins and with a play-off place within their sights, where outfought and outplayed from first to last and in every area of the pitch.

The only disappointment was that Tranmere could not set a performance as rich as this before the 12,000 crowd who watched their previous home game, a 1-0 defeat to Notts County last Tuesday.

Results elsewhere yesterday made it mathematically certain Rovers can’t be caught by any of the teams in the bottom four.

With 53 points on board they are already two points better off than last season’s final total, and they have two games still to play.

The fact that they stand safe and clear of a clutch of clubs with significantly higher budgets and greater resources is a tribute to the dedicated work of manager Les Parry and his backroom staff.

Parry made his intentions clear by recalling flair players Dale Jennings and Andy Robinson to the starting line-up and the pair made the most of the little bit of extra freedom they were afforded by an Exeter team committed to playing attractive football.

Ash Taylor was also impressive at centre back, where he replaced the injured Mark McChrystal.

But there wasn’t a player in the side who could be dissatisfied with his contribution.

Tranmere made a positive start with Jennings getting around the back of the visiting defence in the first minute to fire in a low cross towards Showunmi that was intercepted at full stretch by Richard Duffy.

Two minutes later Exeter goalkeeper Artur Krysiak mishit a clearance into the path of midfielder Robbie Weir, who was unable to control the ball.

Krysiak was comprehensively beaten by Robinson’s well struck 25 yard effort that crashed against the crossbar and bounced to safety in the 12th minute.

Soon afterwards Weir, encouraged by Robinson’s near miss, tried his luck from 30 yards and cleared the bar by less than a foot.

Tranmere were given a rare glimpse of Exeter’s threat on the break on 18 minutes when Jamie Cureton, breaking through the inside right channel, found space inside the box to drag a right foot shot beyond the far post.

But the home team quickly asserted their authority. Showunmi’s outstretched leg could not make clean contact with an Aaron Cresswell free kick that was drilled low into the box from the left on 34 minutes, allowing Krysiak to make an easy save.

Tranmere’s willingness to shoot from distance was rewarded with a goal on the stroke of half-time.

Right back Kay, collecting a square pass from Jennings, fired in a curling 25 yarder that Krysiak got a despairing finger to but could not keep out the far corner of the net.

It was the least Rovers deserved for their first half dominance.

Good work by Robinson set up a chance for Showunmi 12 minutes after the break. Robinson charged down a clearance from Steve Tully and ran wide to play in across the the tall striker whose shot on the turn from a dozen yards was scrambled to safety at the far post by Krysiak.

Exeter, struggling without success to punch their weight as an attacking force, introduced substitutes Daniel Nardiello and Richard Logan midway through the second half -- but to no effect.

The second goal Tranmere so richly deserved was delivered by a delighted Akins on 67 minutes.

The young forward seized on an error by Scott Goborne on the right flank and spotting Krysiak off his line, left the keeper stranded with a high lob that finished in the roof of the net on the first bounce.

Tranmere made it three on 70 minutes with another top-class finish. Jennings won possession on the left by knocking Tully off the ball and a pass inside sent Showunmi cutting into the box.

The target man spotted Krysiak had left a gap at his near post and drilled a low shot into it for a high-class finish.

Exeter, unable to get their passing game going, made a rare threat on 82 minutes when Cureton’s deflected shot narrowly over the crossbar.

But there was still time for Tranmere to add a fourth goal as substitute Adam McGurk found space wide on the left to sweeping an inch perfect cross for Akins to head into the the corner of the net.

Kay 44, Akins 67, 89, Showumni 71

TRANMERE ROVERS (4-3-3): Warner, Kay, Taylor, Cresswell, Robinson (Blanchard 90), Welsh, Weir, Akins, Showunmi (Bakayogo 88), Jennings (McGurk 86). Not used: Coughlin, Mahon, Wood, Fraughan.

EXETER CITY (3-5-2): Krysiak, Tully (Thomson 81), Duffy (Nardiello 66), Archibald-Henville, Taylor, Goborne, Sercombe, Dunne, Harley, Cureton, O'Flynn (Logan 66). Not used: Cozic, Edwards, Jones, Wood.

BOOKINGS: Tully, Dunne.

REFEREE: Mr Graham Scott.

ATT: 5017

NEXT MATCH: Saturday, April 30, League One, Leyton Orient v Tranmere at Brisbane Road, kick-off 3pm.