Tranmere battle through

Tranmere Rovers 2 Swindon Town 1

Tranmere stepped up their hunt for a First Division play-off place with a hard-earned victory at snowy Prenton Park achieved only after Swindon threatened an equaliser in a tense last half-hour.

The Merseysiders could have won by a greater margin, missing several chances including a 90th-minute penalty from Pat Nevin which Fraser Digby saved. Nevin had put Tranmere ahead in the 21st minute with an overhead kick after Digby failed to hold a Paul Cook corner.

Swindon's Wayne Allison was unlucky to see a 29th-minute shot rebound off a post, butTranmere increased their lead five minutes into the second half when Dave Higgins headed in from a cross by Nevin after a corner.

Swindon pulled a goal back with a 20-yard strike by Kevin Horlock in the 63rd minute following a corner, and the same player had a shot turned over in the 84th minute.

Tranmere Rovers: Nixon, Stevens, Thomas, McGreal, Higgins, O'Brien (Irons 72), Brannan, Aldridge (Moore 80), Cook, Morrissey (Branch 81), Nevin.

Swindon Town: Digby, Kerslake, Drysdale, Leitch, Seagraves, Robinson (O'Sullivan 81), Culverhouse, Watson (Mildenhall 86), Cowe, Allison, Horlock. Subs Not Used: McMahon.

Referee: D B Allison (Lancaster).