FULL TIME: Town 3 Tranmere 1 (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

FULL TIME: Town 3 Tranmere 1

3:45pm Saturday 9th August 2008

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TOWN'S League One campaign got off to a dream start this afternoon, as an early goal in each half helped Town to a 3-1 win against Tranmere at the County Ground.

Billy Paynter headed the hosts ahead on four minutes before striker partner Simon Cox hammered in a second on 35 minutes.

Jon-Paul McGovern's 51st minute strike sealed the points for the Robins and Bas Savage's 85th minute consolation was not about to spoil the party.

Yinka Casal was handed his competitive Swindon Town debut, playing instead of the injured Jamie Vincent while Jack Smith slotted in at right back instead of Kevin Amankwaah(hamstring).

Centre back Pat Kanyuka also failed a fitness test, struggling with a tight hamstring, so Hasney Aljofree and Jerel Ifil partner each other in the heart of the defence.

New signings Michael Timlin and Lilian Nalis were given the nod in the centre of midfield, with Craig Easton on the bench, with Billy Paynter and Simon Cox in attack.

Former Bristol City and Brighton striker Bas Savage had Tranmere's first chance of the game, heading George O'Callaghan's left wing cross well wide on two minutes.

Town responded well though, with Simon Cox dragging a shot across the face of goal a minute later and then heading Anthony McNamee's resulting cross over the bar.

All the pre-season optimism at the County Ground was rewarded on four minutes though as Billy Paynter opened his account. The scouser rose well to head JP McGovern's cross back across goal and into the net, after some hesitant defending from the visitors.

A bright start soon became scrappy from both sides as the strong wind and persistent rain made passing football difficult.

Tranmere should have levelled though on 25 minutes, with Ian Moore being sent clear on goal by Antony Kay's long ball.

Moore lobbed the ball over the advancing Peter Brezovan, Casal could only head the ball upwards as he raced back to clear, but Steve Jennings struck the loose ball wide with an empty net to shoot at.

Charlie Bennett then spurned another good Tranmere chance on 35 minutes, skewing his shot wide from 10 yards, and 30 seconds later Town had doubled their lead.

Brezovan's long clearance was met by Paynter's head, with Cox racing clear of a ponderous visiting defence and hammering the ball low into the back of the net.

The game was effectively finished as a contest on 51 minutes when McGovern finished McNamee's cross at the far post, despite Andrew Taylor's best efforts of hacking off the line.

A surprisingly disappointing Tranmere had their first shot on target four minutes later, but O'Callaghan's bent shot was easy for Brezovan.

The visitors should have pulled one back on 64 minutes. Taylor's left wing cross found the unmarked Savage just yards from goal but his weak header was esily cleared off the line by Aljofree.

With the hard work already done, Maurice Malpas's men started to take their foot off the gas to allow the visitors more of the play, but without creating any real chances.

Savage did give them brief hope with five minutes left but his close-range tap in was never going to be more than a consolation.

TOWN: Brezovan, J Smith, Ifil, Aljofree, Casal, McGovern (Easton 88), Timlin, Nalis, McNamee, Paynter (Peacock 78), Cox SUBS: P Smith, Joyce, Kennedy

TRANMERE: Achterberg, Antwi, Taylor, Chorley, Kay, Savage, O'Callaghan (Sonko 63), Moore, Jennings, Barnett, Curran SUBS: Palethorpe, Greenacre, Ahmed, Waterfall

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