By Robert Davies

Just before the game against near-rivals Tranmere today, Tunnicliffe reported unfit to turn out for Wrexham. Hughes immediately moved to outside-left...but the trouble was who was going to fill the no.7 gap. Reserve outside-right Keith Matthews answered a call to make his debut in League football, and he did his job well - yes as good as Stanley Matthews.

Wrexham trounced Tranmere and if the score suggests otherwise, well it's just wrong because this is true - they did! The vigour of Bannan, the thrustfulness of Tilston, likewise of Matthews, Hewitt and Hughes, shone out in what must have been Wrexham's unlucky day for goals, but luck for everything else.

However, it takes at least one goal to get two points.... Watch out Oldham!

In the first minute Matthews put over a superb centre and Bannan raced through a crowd of Tranmere defenders and succeeded in hoofing the ball over the advancing Payne for a grand goal! Mind you, Rovers' goalkeeper watched that he wasn't beaten after that.

Five minutes after the interval, Reg Davies was going nicely through for Tranmere when Connor pushed him head over heels over. Yes, it was in the penalty area and it was a spot kick however you look at it. Connor made amends for what he had done, however, and just like a perfect gentleman walked up to the spot and put the ball down safe for Lamont's kick.

The crowd roared, with Wrexham supporters booing and Tranmere supporters gasped when the full-back's kick went sizzling round the post.

After that few minutes of dismal dismay, Tranmere only had themselves to blame for not getting at least four goals...

At one moment Matthews' flag kick went straight over to Tilston and he rocketed it into the left-hand corner of thegoals for Payne to bring off a wonder save.

Hughes, Tilston, Hewitt, Matthews and even George Jones all had near misses in front of goal but none of them like centre-forward Bannan. He hit a loose ball from the right on the run and it sizzled over the left angle of the net.