FA Cup - Tranmere 3 Cardiff 1: Sam Hammam's great scheme came unstuck in the mud yesterday when a double error by Des Hamilton, the Cardiff midfielder on loan to Tranmere last season, gifted Tranmere the lead. From 2-1 up, Rovers, with their renowned cup spirit, were never going to relinquish it.

Just after half-time Hamilton hesitated over a clearance and Sean Flynn charged it down. Hamilton recovered to pass back to Neil Alexander but underhit it and Flynn scored in front of Cardiff's notorious fans in the Cow Shed.

Until then, Cardiff, who had scored first midway through the first half but were pegged back at once, looked capable of earning a replay that, with Ninian Park under threat of closure after the third-round fiasco against Leeds, might well have been played at the Millennium stadium.

Cardiff began confidently, driven in midfield by Graham Kavanagh, who converted the penalty when John Achterberg fumbled a corner and Clint Hill caught a heel in the rush. But Rovers were instantly level, Jason Koumas picking out Paul Rideout for an easy header.

Koumas was again the provider for Jason Price, who volleyed wide, but by the time Hamilton blundered Nick Henry and Mickey Mellon had overwhelmed Kavanagh's influence and Koumas was rampant. Having failed to convert Henry's through-ball, he secured Tranmere's passage of right when Mellon's shot was blocked.

TRANMERE: Achterberg, Yates, Sharps, Hill, Roberts, Flynn, Mellon, Henry, Koumas, Price, Rideout. Subs Not Used: Parkinson, Barlow, Allison, Hinds, Murphy. Booked: Achterberg. Goals: Rideout 23, Flynn 53, Koumas 79.

CARDIFF: Alexander, Weston, Young, Gabbidon, Hamilton (Bowen 58), Boland (Low 69), Kavanagh, Bonner, Legg, Fortune-West, Brayson (Collins 61). Subs Not Used: Maxwell, Giles. Booked: Legg, Kavanagh. Goal: Kavanagh 21 pen.

Referee: A Kaye (Wakefield).