Two goals from Adam Stansfield earned Exeter their first home win of the season and heaped more pressure on Tranmere boss John Barnes.
Striker Stansfield capitalised on a defensive mix-up to turn in a Craig Noone cross for his first.
Stuart Fleetwood then sent Noone clear and his initial shot was saved, but Stansfield was on hand to tap in.
Michael Ricketts headed one back from a long throw but Rovers still went down to their sixth straight league defeat.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"We desperately needed the three points. Those watching could tell by the way we performed. We were good at times and edgy at others.
"At this stage of the season, with points already so important, I'm not going to be too proud to say we'll take anything.
"There are one or two players who over the last few weeks have become more and more important to us and I'm very happy that Craig Noone did so well."
Tranmere Rovers boss John Barnes told BBC Sport:
Barnes feels Tranmere need confidence
"I believe I can turn it around. We need the players to believe it, we need the fans to believe it, because the first three games of the season have shown me what this team is capable of doing.
"We are not defending well, individually or collectively.
"All I can do is concentrate on doing my job, and my job is to get out there on the training field and work hard on the organisation, style and system.
"They say you make your own luck, and that when you're doing well things fall for you, but at the moment we are struggling for a little bit of confidence."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 19 September 2009
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Exeter
2-1
Tranmere
FT
(HT 1-0)
Stansfield 25
Stansfield 54
Ricketts 63
Exeter
46 Jansson
03 Duffy
05 Seaborne yellow card
06 Taylor
29 Archibald-Henville
47 Noone (Edwards 78)
04 Russell
07 Harley
09 Stansfield (Cozic 87)
16 Stewart
45 Fleetwood (Corr 68)
Substitutes
01 Marriott,
02 Tully,
15 Edwards,
14 Cozic,
22 Sercombe,
12 Corr,
20 Logan
Tranmere
13 Collister
02 Logan
03 Cresswell
05 Goodison
08 Broomes yellow card
04 Edds (Shuker 56)
06 McLaren
11 Welsh
21 Carole (Mahon 57)
09 Moore
18 Ricketts yellow card (Bain 81)
Substitutes
22 Coughlin,
12 Taylor,
10 Mahon,
19 Barnett,
23 Shuker,
15 Bain,
25 Curran
Ref: PhillipsAtt: 4,901
EXETER
TRANMERE
Possession
Exeter60%
Tranmere40%
Attempts on target
Exeter6
Tranmere5
Attempts off target
Exeter4
Tranmere3
Corners
Exeter4
Tranmere3
Fouls
Exeter12
Tranmere8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:34 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
90:00+3:56 Marlon Broomes challenges Barry Corr unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Rob Edwards.
90:00+3:39 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Troy Archibald-Henville by Ian Goodison. Free kick taken by Oscar Jansson.
90:00+3:01 Corner taken by Chris Shuker.
90:00+0:56 Corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley, Barry Corr challenges Ian Goodison unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Joe Collister.
90:00+0:22 Handball by Shaleum Logan. Daniel Seaborne takes the direct free kick.
87:32 Marlon Broomes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Barry Corr. Alex Russell takes the indirect free kick.
87:32 Booking Marlon Broomes goes into the referee's book.
86:35 Substitution Bertrand Cozic joins the action as a substitute, replacing Adam Stansfield.
82:49 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on John Welsh by Alex Russell. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Alan Mahon from left channel, clearance made by Marcus Stewart.
81:38 Unfair challenge on Daniel Seaborne by Kithson Bain results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Oscar Jansson.
81:12 Corner taken by Chris Shuker from the right by-line played to the near post, Daniel Seaborne makes a clearance.
80:50 Free kick awarded for a foul by Troy Archibald-Henville on Kithson Bain. Kithson Bain takes the free kick.
80:12 Substitution Michael Ricketts leaves the field to be replaced by Kithson Bain.
79:23 Outswinging corner taken by Ryan Harley, Shot from just outside the box by Alex Russell goes over the crossbar.
78:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alan Mahon on Richard Duffy. Free kick taken by Oscar Jansson.
77:54 Substitution Rob Edwards comes on in place of Craig Noone.
74:13 Craig Noone takes a shot. Shaleum Logan gets a block in.
73:32 Ryan Harley takes a shot. Shaleum Logan makes a clearance.
71:34 Corner from left by-line taken by Paul McLaren.
71:10 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Aaron Cresswell by Barry Corr. Free kick taken by Joe Collister.
70:21 Ian Thomas-Moore produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
68:40 Foul by Adam Stansfield on Ian Goodison, free kick awarded. Joe Collister restarts play with the free kick.
67:15 Substitution (Exeter) makes a substitution, with Barry Corr coming on for Stuart Fleetwood.
66:13 Craig Noone takes a shot. Save made by Joe Collister.
65:06 John Welsh has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide left of the goal.
64:27 The assistant referee flags for offside against Craig Noone. Free kick taken by Ian Goodison.
62:32 Assist on the goal came from Ian Goodison.
62:32 GOAL - Michael Ricketts:Exeter 2 - 1 Tranmere Michael Ricketts finds the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Exeter 2-1 Tranmere.
60:46 Unfair challenge on John Welsh by Ryan Harley results in a free kick. Ian Goodison restarts play with the free kick.
60:08 Ian Thomas-Moore produces a right-footed shot from close in that clears the bar.
58:42 Alan Mahon challenges Marcus Stewart unfairly and gives away a free kick. Oscar Jansson takes the direct free kick.
58:17 Unfair challenge on Michael Ricketts by Troy Archibald-Henville results in a free kick. Shaleum Logan takes the free kick.
57:17 Booking Caution for Michael Ricketts.
56:53 Substitution Alan Mahon replaces Sebastien Carole.
55:50 Substitution Chris Shuker is brought on as a substitute for Gareth Edds.
53:09 Assist by Craig Noone.
53:09 GOAL - Adam Stansfield:Exeter 2 - 0 Tranmere Adam Stansfield scores a goal from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Exeter 2-0 Tranmere.
50:26 Adam Stansfield is ruled offside. Joe Collister takes the direct free kick.
50:00 Ian Thomas-Moore is ruled offside. Matthew Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
49:24 Shot from long distance by Ryan Harley goes wide of the left-hand post.
48:20 Sebastien Carole fouled by Stuart Fleetwood, the ref awards a free kick. Shaleum Logan restarts play with the free kick.
47:15 Craig Noone takes a shot. Gareth Edds gets a block in.
46:05 Marcus Stewart produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
45:01 The second half has started.
Half Time
45:00+2:09 The ref blows to end the first period.
44:51 Ryan Harley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaleum Logan. Free kick taken by Gareth Edds.
40:26 The ball is sent over by Ian Thomas-Moore, save by Oscar Jansson.
37:48 Aaron Cresswell produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick, Oscar Jansson makes a save.
37:48 Booking Caution for Daniel Seaborne.
37:39 Free kick awarded for a foul by Daniel Seaborne on Shaleum Logan.
33:12 Michael Ricketts is caught offside. Matthew Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
32:49 Adam Stansfield is ruled offside. Joe Collister takes the free kick.
30:54 Ryan Harley challenges Ian Thomas-Moore unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Shaleum Logan.
28:05 Adam Stansfield takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the crossbar.
24:09 GOAL - Adam Stansfield:Exeter 1 - 0 Tranmere Goal scored by Adam Stansfield from deep inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Exeter 1-0 Tranmere.
21:32 Sebastien Carole takes a shot. Richard Duffy gets a block in.
18:27 The assistant referee signals for offside against Ian Thomas-Moore. Matthew Taylor takes the direct free kick.
15:57 Corner from the left by-line taken by Ryan Harley, clearance made by Michael Ricketts.
13:24 The official flags Adam Stansfield offside. Free kick taken by Joe Collister.
12:53 A cross is delivered by Shaleum Logan.
11:13 Craig Noone delivers the ball, Marlon Broomes manages to make a clearance.
7:02 The offside flag is raised against Adam Stansfield. Joe Collister takes the free kick.
6:03 Ian Thomas-Moore takes a shot. Save by Oscar Jansson.
5:26 Free kick awarded for a foul by Troy Archibald-Henville on Michael Ricketts. Paul McLaren takes the free kick.
4:07 Corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley from the left by-line, save by Joe Collister.
3:39 Shaleum Logan challenges Ryan Harley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ryan Harley restarts play with the free kick.
3:21 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Richard Duffy by Sebastien Carole. Matthew Taylor takes the free kick.
2:52 Shaleum Logan takes a shot. Save made by Oscar Jansson.
0:00 The game gets underway.
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