They fell back on the methods that have worked so effectively for them over the past two months and duly posted a ninth clean sheet in 12 games.

Peterborough’s improvement wasn’t sufficient to force goalkeeper Danny Coyne into a seriously testing save all afternoon.

The alarms were, for the most part, caused by shots that failed to find the target or by a poorly judged final ball.

The much vaunted front pairing of Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith could not make an impact because they were rationed to precious few opportunities.

Tranmere took such a grip on the early phase of the game that they could have been two goals up inside the first quarter of an hour.

Ed Sonko’s knockdown gave Moore a clear opening in the six-yard box. The midfielder made a clean contact with his shot, which slammed into the face of Lewis as he lunged from his line.

Edds had a little more time when a cross from Savage set him up at close range but struck his shot close enough to Lewis for the tall goalkeeper to make a blocking save. When Steve Jennings pounced on the rebound, he was flagged offside.

Coyne had to fall to his right to stop McLean’s low 25-yarder on 25 minutes and had only to collect a tame miss-hit effort from Mackail-Smith 12 minutes later.

Peterborough’s threat gained some potency after Shaun Batt was introduced after the break.

The tall young midfielder has a background in athletics – and it showed. His pace and unorthodox style caused Tranmere a couple of anxious moments.

Batt’s well-timed burst through the inside right channel took him inside the visitors’ box on 50 minutes but a rising shot was swept wide of the left-hand post.

McLean and midfielders Paul Coutts and Dan Keates also missed the target.

Tranmere failed to make the most of some promising situations on the counter-attack during the second half.

But on 86 minutes they carved out another clear-cut chance when Ryan Shotton and Savage sent Jennings surging into the box. The midfielder cut inside a retreating defender and played a square ball that teed up substitute Gornell 10 yards from goal. Rather than hit a first-timer, the teenager wanted a second touch and that gave Lewis just enough time to close the angle and make a blocking save.

There was still time for Adam Boyd to snatch at a half chance on 89 minutes. His shot, like so many from the home side, was high and wide.

PETERBOROUGH: Lewis, Martin, Morgan, Zakuani, Williams, Lee (Batt 46), Boyd, Coutts, Keates, McLean, Mackail-Smith. Subs: Westwood, McKeown, Whelpdale, Torres, Green, Blanchett. BOOKINGS: Coutts, Williams,

TRANMERE ROVERS: Coyne, Shotton, Chorley, Goodison, Taylor, Moore, Jennings, Kay, Edds (Gornell 71), Sonko, Savage. Subs: Achterberg, Antwi, Waterfall, Cresswell, Barnett, Henry. BOOKINGS: Taylor, Chorley.

REFEREE: Mr Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester)

ATT: 5,980.

NEXT GAME: Tranmere v Leeds United, Coca-Cola League One, Saturday, 3pm.