Match Reports

Match Report: Exeter City 0 Tranmere Rovers 0

19th September

Exeter City were held to a 0-0 draw against Tranmere Rovers at St James Park on the club's 125th anniversary weekend.

Exeter City welcomed Tranmere Rovers to St James Park on the celebratory 125^th Anniversary Sky Bet League Two fixture at St James Park. The Grecians returned to home soil a week on from a disappointing result in Staffordshire at the hands of Port Vale, hoping to continue the unbeaten home run of games seen so far in the 2026/27 season.

Tranmere Rovers made the journey to EX4 having picked up nine points from their opening six fixtures, also hoping to bounce back following a difficult afternoon at the Priestfield Stadium in defeat to Gillingham a week prior.

First Half

Jake Doyle Hayes found himself in somewhat unchartered territory for as a central midfielder early on, as the Irishman glided down the right wind before cleverly passing to Lakyle Samuel. The Manchester City loanee crossed from a tight angle into the penalty area, yet Tranmere Rovers were able to clear.

It was Josh Gordon’s turn to try the same trick minutes later, as the striker smartly beat the offside trap and found a promising positition on the wing. Gordon crossed low towards Danny Rose inside the penalty area, however Nathan Smith was there for the visitors to clear once more.

A free-kick from a similar part of the pitch soon after gave the Grecians yet another opportunity to attack the box, this time from a set-piece. Reece Cole stepped up to take the free-kick and found the head of Gordon 4-yards out who headed powerfully goalwards, however Harrison Male stuck a foot out to make the crucial save and keep the score level.

Tranmere fought back near the half-hour mark with a clever trick to beat the City backline and send Tom Ince through on goal. Ince chose to shoot towards the near post from a close angle, however Jack Bycroft rose to the occasion and made a confident save to maintain the deadlock.

Vincent Harper and Charlie Cummins worked together smartly soon afterwards to form a response from the Tranmere pressure, however the final cross from Cummins was too hight for Gordon and Samuel waiting in the penalty area who struggled to make a clean connection. Two chances then went to the visitors, with Ince squandering both opportunities by producing efforts that found only the onlooking supporters in the Thatchers Big Bank.

The final chance of the half came as Harper broke free on the left wing in a last-ditch effort to go ahead before the break. The Kenyan international ran to the goal line before crossing to the back post where Reece Cole took a calm touch and lined up a powerful short, though an outstretched boot from a Tranmere man stopped the effort dead in its tracks.

Second Half

With the addition of Gwion Edwards and George Birch, City were still trying every trick in the book to try and break the deadlock. Cummins drifted through the Tranmere midfield before a foul on the edge of the box afforded the Grecians another free kick in a promising position. Cole's attempt on goal however was too tame for Male, who comfortably smothered the ball at his near post.

The Tranmere keeper found himself in the limelight again seconds later, this time in less positive news however. In light of the officiating rule changes in the off season, referee Isaac Searle deemed Male to hold onto the ball for too long following the free-kick and awarded a corner City's way.

A throw in high up the pitch offered Cummins the chance to employ his long throw and despite not directly finding a City head, the ball fell to Ed James 25-yards out. The academy graduate shot low and hard towards the bottom-right corner however his effort skimmed agonisingly wide of the far post.

Another shooting chance came City's way quickly afterwards by means of a corner, which again found James at the back post whose header forced Mane into a fine save to keep the game level.

Few chances would appear in the remaining minutes of the encounter, and Searle blew up for full-time to secure another point for the Grecians on home soil.