Swindon Town 2 Tranmere Rovers 0

Last updated : 03 March 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Sam Parkin scored twice as Swindon maintained there promotion challenge with there sixth successive home win - 2-0 against Tranmere Rovers.

Parkin scored a goal in each half to take his tally for the league season to 18, and they met little resistance from a disappointing Tranmere.

FA Cup quarter-finalists Tranmere looked to have their clash at Millwall on Sunday on their minds - and it showed in a poor display.

Parkin’s first came in the 30th minute when he rose unchallenged in the six-yard box to head in a corner from Brian Howard.

Parkin’s second came eight minutes from the end of a one-sided clash.

Parkin got away from his marker, Paul Linwood before scoring with a shot from 15 yards which went in off a post.

Tranmere had a scare in the warm-up when they lost first choice keeper John Achterberg with a leg injury.

Achterberg swapped places with his deputy Russell Howarth and watched from the bench as Howarth made some important saves.

Howarth got down in the first half to keep shots from Stefani Miglioranzi and Tommy Mooney.

In the second half he was just as busy saving from Mooney and Sammy Igoe while Tranmere failed to muster a single shot on target.

Tranmere never looked like ending a sequence of only one away win, whilst Swindon narrowed the gap on the three clubs above them in the Second Division table.

The only blemish was a booking after 78 minutes for Igoe for a foul, and he was joined later by Iain Hume with a yellow card soon after coming on as a substitute.

There was no happy return to the County Ground for Tranmere striker Iffy Onuora who was substituted after a poor hour against his old club.

Parkin almost had a hat-trick to celebrate, but after 20 minutes, shot narrowly over the bar following a free kick by Gurney.