Tranmere Rovers1-0Reading

Ian Muir's 50th-minute goal secured a deserved 1-0 victory over Reading as Tranmere Rovers produced an assured and increasingly dominant performance at Prenton Park.

Muir forced home his seventh league goal of the season from close range after Tony Thomas had flicked on John Morrissey's cross. The striker's decisive touch settled a match in which Rovers created enough opportunities to have won far more comfortably.

Tranmere's first opening arrived after ten minutes. Chris Malkin headed Eric Nixon's long clearance into the danger area, but Muir dragged his right-footed shot wide from 15 yards.

Malkin was then denied after 25 minutes when Reading goalkeeper Shaka Hislop blocked his close-range effort. It was the first of several important interventions from Hislop, whose performance kept the visitors in contention.

Rovers increased the pressure immediately after half-time. Ged Brannan tested Hislop with a well-struck effort from 20 yards in the 46th minute before the breakthrough arrived four minutes later.

Morrissey delivered from the right, Thomas supplied the flick-on and Muir reacted quickest inside the six-yard box. Despite the efforts of defender Kerr on the goal-line, the 31-year-old striker forced the ball home to give Tranmere the lead.

The goal knocked Reading out of their stride and John King's side took control. Thomas almost doubled the advantage on the hour when his free-kick took a wicked deflection outside the penalty area, but Hislop recovered brilliantly to tip the looping ball over the crossbar.

Brannan had another excellent chance after 70 minutes, finding space ten yards from goal only to be denied by another fine save. A minute later, John McGreal produced a surging run from defence, carrying the ball past two opponents and into the Reading penalty area. Hislop blocked McGreal's shot before reacting quickly enough to keep out Muir's effort from the rebound.

Reading offered little attacking threat after the interval. Their first notable second-half opportunity did not arrive until the 85th minute, when substitute Hartberger directed a downward header wide from ten yards.

Tranmere's superiority was built on a strong performance throughout the side. Full-backs Thomas and Gary Stevens consistently supported the attack, while Shaun Garnett and McGreal dealt confidently with Reading's attempts to break forward.

Pat Nevin and Morrissey were not always heavily involved, but both remained dangerous on the flanks. Malkin competed strongly in the air, while Muir's movement and persistence caused the visiting defence problems throughout.

In midfield, Brannan and Liam O'Brien used the ball intelligently and rarely surrendered possession. O'Brien produced one of his strongest displays of the season, closing opponents down, passing with purpose and making well-timed forward runs in support of the attack.

Only Hislop's goalkeeping prevented Rovers from recording a more emphatic victory. Muir's goal was enough, however, to secure two valuable points and complete a convincing response following the previous week's defeat at Barnsley.

A crowd of 8,744 watched Tranmere turn a potentially difficult fixture into a largely one-sided contest. Malkin was booked for dissent, while Reading's Wdowczyk received a caution for a foul. Referee Ken Lupton oversaw a match which Rovers controlled with confidence and fully deserved to win.