BILLY Paynter struck twice as Town got back to winning ways with a 4-1 victory away at Tranmere Rovers.

Paynter, recalled after a spell out of the starting line-up, struck from close range in the 34th and 39th minutes to end Town's barren spell in front of goal.

The big front man had chances to seal his hat-trick but it was Anthony McNamee who grabbed the visitors' third midway through the second half with a sweet strike.

Tranmere substitute Chris Shuker pulled one back for the hosts with a close-range header, but Town had already done enough to secure all three points.

And Simon Ferry's injury-time strike to regain their three-goal advantage put the gloss on an impressive team performance from Danny Wilson's side.

Here are the key moments from today's game:

Two mins: Anthony McNamee gets down the left flank and whips a cross into the danger area.

Billy Paynter gets just ahead of his marker, Marlon Broomes, but the defender does enough to stop Paynter having a clear strike at goal and the ball bobbles harmlessly to Tranmere keeper David Martin.

Five mins: Michael Ricketts eases past Gordon Greer wide on the right and delivers a deep cross which midfielder Gareth Edds, making a late run, is inches away from connecting with at the far post.

11 mins: Paul McLaren's corner is met by a powerful downward header by Ian Goodison, but the Tranmere centre-back see his effort clawed away by David Lucas for another flag kick.

20 mins: McLaren curls a 25-yard free-kick over the wall but is unable to beat Lucas, with Town's keeper producing a smart stop to turn the ball around the post.

26 mins: Ricketts' neat lay-off to the edge of the area is met by a half-volley from Edds, but the strike is comfortable for Lucas to deal with.

33 mins: Town work a short corner and McNamee's ball in is deflected to Michael Timlin around 25 yards out. The midfielder tries his luck first time but sends the shot high and wide.

34 mins (GOAL 0-1 Paynter): A superb low cross from Jon-Paul McGovern bounces across the six yard line, and with Tranmere's defence and keeper failing to deal with it, Paynter pounces from close range to tuck it home.

39 mins (GOAL 0-2 Paynter): McNamee's searching ball to the right touchline is challenged for by Zoumana Bakayogo and Kevin Amankwaah.

The Town man wins possession and streaks down the line before sending a low cross in which Paynter sweeps home from six yards out.

43 mins: The Tranmere defence stop expecting an offside flag against Tope Obadeyi as Amankwaah sends a long ball over the top.

But Paynter races onto the ball from deep and heads for the penalty area. A heavy touch, however, allows Goodison to recover and get goalside of the front man, taking any power out of his shot.

49 mins: Ian Thomas-Moore creates something out of nothing with a speculative strike from wide on the left which bounces across goal and just misses the far post.

50 mins: Paynter picks the ball up around 30 yards out, and takes an early shot from distance with his left foot.

The shot has beaten Tranmere keeper David Martin, but smacks against the upright and cannons away to safety.

55 mins: Town break at pace and some neat passing between Paynter and Amankwaah ends with a Simon Ferry shot from 12 yards which flies wide of the post.

55 mins: From the resulting McNamee corner, Gordon Greer volleys the ball goalwards with a flick and it's heading for the top corner until the intervention of a Tranmere defender to head it clear off the line.

58 mins: Obadeyi beats the offside trap and races clear but drags his left-footed shot well wide with just Martin to beat.

59 mins: McNamee tests Martin with a low strike across the face of goal, and the keeper does well to keep hold of his effort.

65 mins (GOAL 0-3 McNamee): Obadeyi races onto a long ball over the top down the left side and strides away from Goodison. His centre is stepped over by McGovern and reaches McNamee on the edge of the box.

The wide man takes a touch before firing a drive into the bottom corner right in front of the 200-odd Town fans behind the goal.

71 mins: After a driving run, cutting inside from the left, Obadeyi has a go from 30 yards but, despite his effort dipping late, it still flies well over.

78 mins (GOAL 1-3 Shuker): A long throw from Bakayogo is flicked on into the danger zone and Tranmere substitute Chris Shuker gets ahead of McNamee to stoop and nod home.

90 mins: A high hanging cross from Shuker isn't dealt with by Lucas under pressure, and when the loose ball drops to Welsh, the midfielder can only drive just over.

90 mins (GOAL 1-4 Ferry): McGovern works a short corner to Ferry, who skips inside and drives a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net.

TRANMERE (4-3-3): David Martin; Shaleum Logan, Ian Goodison, Marlon Broomes, Zoumana Bakayogo; Gareth Edds, Paul McLaren (Chris Shuker 58), John Welsh; Ian Thomas-Moore (c), Michael Ricketts (Terry Gornell 68), Craig Curran

Subs not used: Luke Daniels, Aaron Cresswell, Ash Taylor, Ryan Fraughan, Alan Mahon

TOWN (4-4-2): David Lucas; Kevin Amankwaah, Scott Cuthbert, Gordon Greer (c), Lecsinel Jean-Francois; Jon-Paul McGovern, Simon Ferry, Michael Timlin (Craig Easton 77), Anthony McNamee; Temitope Obadeyi (Charlie Austin 85), Billy Paynter (Lee Peacock 88)

Subs not used: Phil Smith, Sean Morrison, Ben Hutchinson, Alex Revell