A brilliantly-executed 86th minute free-kick from Carl Asaba snatched all three points as the reserves recorded their first win of the season.

Karl Henry had put City ahead early in the first-half from another set-piece before Gary Jones levelled the score for the visitors in the 63rd minute.

City fielded a mix of youth and experience and started the more brightly. Chris Greenacre shot over in second minute before Henry opened the scoring with six minutes gone.

A well worked free-kick 25-yards saw Carl Dickinson roll the ball to the midfielder and his hard drilled shot nestled in 'keeper Russell Howarth's net.

Seven minutes later City were awarded another free-kick in exactly the same position. This time Henry rolled the ball to Dickinson but his goalbound effort was blocked by a sprawling Tranmere defender.

The visitors looked for a way back into the game and Chris Dagnell's looping header shortly after had to be smartly dealt with by 'keeper Steve Simonsen.

A finger-tip save from 'keeper Howarth prevented Henry netting his second of the afternoon in the 37th minute.

Eighteen minutes after the interval, though, Tranmere drew level when Dagnell's shot from the edge of the box struck one of his team-mates, bounced back off the post and into the path of the waiting Gary Jones, who buried the rebound.

A lofted ball from Henry allowed Greenacre to race in behind the Tranmere defence but the studs of 'keeper Howarth prevented him from finding the net.

With four minutes left on the clock though all City's late pressure was rewarded when Asaba smashed a 25-yard free-kick past the wall and high into the top corner of the net.

Greenacre struck a post a minute later and Richard Keogh should have scored in the final minute when a Henry corner picked out the young defender but he couldn't apply the finish.

As it was City saw out the remainder of the game in relative comfort and were good value for the 2-1 victory.

City: Simonsen, Smith, Barker, Denny, Keogh, Hill, Asaba, Henry, Palmer (Tortoishell 71), Greenacre, Dickinson (Patterson 42). Subs: Duggan, Graves, Swift.