📝 Match Preview: Tranmere Rovers (A)

All you need to know as City hit the Wirral

16 April 2022

The Grecians head for their penultimate away game of the season when they travel to Tranmere Rovers on Monday looking to extend their unbeaten run to ten matches.

Following Friday's 2-0 win over Colchester United thanks to goals from Oz Zanzala and Jack Sparkes, in front of 7,549 fans at St James Park, City head to the Wirral with the momentum as look to push themselves over the line in Sky Bet League Two.

Tranmere have drawn four of their last five league matches, most recently 1-1 at Bradford on Friday, but are still within touching distance of the play-off places with four matches left to play, but are unbeaten in their last seven home league games.

The Kit

We're in our away kit for this fixture.

Away Kit.jpg

Tickets

We pre-sold 593 tickets for the match, all remaining collections to be sent to Tranmere for collection at this ticket booth.

Match day sales are available at Tranmere on the day.

Tickets are priced as follows:

Adults (23-64) £22
Senior (65+) £17
Young Person (18-22) £15
U18 £9
U12 £5
Disabled plus PA £15

Grecian Travel

Grecian Travel, completely run by the Supporters' Club, and not for profit, is available for City's trip to Tranmere Rovers on Monday 18th April.

The coach will depart from Unit 1 nightclub at 7.30am for a fare of £39 for adults and £34 for under-16s

Other pick-up points include: Honiton Road park and ride (by Miller and Carter Steakhouse), junction 28 (Cullompton services), junction 27 (Tiverton), junction 25 (Taunton). All other pick-ups by prior arrangement.

How to buy

Currently Grecian Travel can only be booked directly.

For more information or to book please contact John Bishop on 07904 036334 or by email at: john.bishop760@btinternet.com (after 6pm) or Christopher Woolcott on 07803246593 or email: christopherwoolcott14@gmail.com.

How to Follow

Can't make it to Prenton Park as City take on Tranmere Rovers on Bank Holiday Monday? Why not get the next best thing with a LIVE stream on iFollow?

By purchasing a match pass at the cost of just £10 in the UK you'll get access to the stream which includes BBC Radio Devon commentary, score overlay and replays.

To purchase a match pass please click here.

You can watch the match on your laptop by purchasing a match pass and logging on to the website homepage where the will be a 'Watch Now' button near the top of the page.

This season the EFL have created a new 'iFollow' app where you can watch on your phone or tablet! The old Exeter City app is being phased out, so if you have that please uninstall and download the app:

To purchase a match pass please click here.

For further details on iFollow, please click here
For a first time guide to iFollow, please click here

Exeter City on social media

Tranmere's Last Match

Bradford City 1 Tranmere Rovers | 15/04/22 | Sky Bet League Two

Match Reports

📝 Match Report: Tranmere Rovers 2 Exeter City 0

Sponsored by Tracks Suzuki

18 April 2022

City slipped to the first defeat in ten games away to a stubborn Tranmere Rovers side.

The hosts took the lead in the first half through Josh Hawkes' composed finish.

Despite City’s control of possession, Rovers found a second goal late in the game through Elliot Nevitt on an off day for the Grecians, who couldn't find a way through the solid Tranmere defence.

After losing Alex Hartridge to injury last week, Matt Taylor opted for Cheick Diabate to start in the back line. Callum Rowe also returned to the side ahead of Matt Jay, with Pierce Sweeney leading the boys out.

Ahead of kick-off Prenton Park rose for a moment of silence to remember the 97 lives lost in the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.

Tranmere came quickest out the blocks. Sweeney was on hand to head a dangerous Elliot Nevitt cross away. The resulting corner was headed over the top by Tom Davies.

A couple minutes later Offfrande Zanzala crashed the crossbar. Oz wriggled into the box and his left footed effort left keeper Joe Murphy stranded, but leaving the crossbar still wobbling.

The game became frantic and Tranmere went straight up the other end and Nevitt forced Cam Dawson into a top stop down low at his near post.

City almost took the lead on 12 minutes. A whipped Archie Collins corner was flicked on by Cheick Diabate in the six-yard box. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a black and pink shirt to prod home the loose ball.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Dawson was called into action again. Josh Hawkes’ free kick beat the wall but the City ‘Number 1’ was equal to it.

The Grecians dominated possession but found themselves behind five minutes before the break. City lost the ball in a dangerous area. The Tranmere winger found space for a cross, and Hawkes stole in at the far post to put his side ahead.

City needed a response in the second half and Jevani Brown almost pulled another trademark curler. On this occasion his shot was high.

The Grecians had a reprieve moments later. Diabate lost the ball in the middle and Rovers worked it wide. A teasing ball across the box evaded everyone and a sigh of relief was necessary.

Jev went close again on 55 minutes. A deft loft into the box from Collins was nodded back by Tim Dieng. Brown’s scissor-volley was off target.

The home side almost doubled their lead a minute later. A desperate Collins block ensuring Kane Hemmings’ shot went over.

On 65 minutes, the away side worked the ball down the left. Sparkes’ early cross was headed to the edge of the box and Tim Dieng flashed wide.

Against the run of play Tranmere found a soft second. A ball in was met by the free head of Nevitt who found the corner.

Jack Sparkes tried to find a reply a minute later. His drive from range was deflected for an ultimately wasted corner.

Rovers almost added to the scoring in additional time. Sub Josh McPake pulled wide

The travelling Grecian faithful were still in voice at full time, and will now look back to the Park on Saturday as Exeter host Rochdale.

Tranmere Rovers: Murphy, Dacres-Cogley, Davies, Merries, Hemmings, McManaman (McPake 87’), Hawkes (Foley 80’), Warrington, Nevitt, O’Connor, Clarke ©

Subs: Doohan, Spearing, Jolley, Foley, Maynard, McPake, Hayde

Exeter City: Dawson, Key, Sweeney ©, Stubbs, Diabate (Coley 61’), Sparkes, Collins, Dieng, Rowe (Jay 61’), Brown, Zanzala

Subs: S.Brown, Caprice, Grounds, Jay, Coley, Phillips, Amond

Referee: Darren Drysdale