Football: Allison spoils Tranmere's night

Tranmere Rovers. . .2

Bristol City . . . .2

TRANMERE ROVERS last night squandered the chance to sneak three points ahead of their southern challengers in the First Division, headed by Charlton, when Wayne Allison scored eight minutes from time to snatch a crucial point for a Bristol City side who were by that stage reduced to 10 men.

Prenton Park has been struggling to attract supporters despite Tranmere standing at the top of the First Division and those who stayed away again missed an eventful first half which should have seen Tranmere well on the way to another victory.

Goalkeeper Keith Welch had an eventful first 45 minutes he will not easily forget. One early clearance went straight to Ian Muir, but the forward gave the grateful Welch a chance to dive at his feet.

Muir miscued again before Pat Nevin finally potted a goal on seven minutes. A huge clearance by Dave Higgins soared over the City defence for Nevin to volley a spectacular goal from 15 yards.

Chris Malkin handed Welch another reprieve before City, oblivious to the flow of the game, valiantly hit back. A corner by Brian Tinnion dipped perfectly for Mark Shail to power a 15th-minute header past Eric Nixon and make up for an earlier near miss.

It was the kind of open, flowing game that John Aldridge, the Tranmere striker, would have enjoyed. But besides missing the Republic of Ireland's recent World Cup catastrophe against Spain in Dublin, Aldridge has been missing from the Rovers ranks for five games with a thigh injury.

A handling offence a yard outside the penalty area saw Stuart Munro sent off for a second bookable offence seven minutes into the second half and five minutes later Ged Brannan punished City's slack marking at a corner to stab a shot past Welch to give Tranmere the lead.

But casualness in attack thereafter by Tranmere was matched by slackness in defence when Allison was allowed to meet a corner by Tinnion with a free header.

Tranmere Rovers (4-4-2): Nixon; Higgins, Nolan, Brannan, Garnett; Irons, Kenworthy (Branch, 88), Malkin, Thomas; Muir, Nevin.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Welch; Llewellyn, Munro, Shail, Bryant; Tinnion, Martin (Robinson, 65), Bent (Edwards, 65), Scott; Baird, Allison.

Referee: K Leach (Wolverhampton).