Tranmere boss Mickey Adams was delighted with a fourth away win of the season as they beat Exeter 2-1.
Micky Adams: Good second-half performance
The result moved Rovers up to 17th, with a gap of three points to second-bottom Mansfield.
The visitors went in front when Jennison Myrie-Williams squeezed the ball in from an acute angle on 28 minutes, but Exeter were soon level when Alex Nicholls was fouled and picked himself up to curl home the resulting free-kick from 20 yards.
But Rory Donnelly won it for the visitors with a neat finish on 50 minutes, although Max Power missed the chance to wrap the game up when his attempted chip from the penalty spot was saved by Christy Pym.
"I thought we had a good second half performance," Adams said. "I was a bit disappointed with our ball retention in the first half. We got to grips with their shape in the second half and could have won the game more comfortably.
"We didn't play to our strengths in the first half and (were) disappointed to concede the goal as we did but we were more on the front feet in the second half.
"I didn't want to come here and let the players think a draw would be a good result for us. I wanted to come here and be positive.
"My philosophy is to try and win games of football. I am delighted overall with the performance and the win."
On Power's penalty, Adams added: "Max is a lucky boy. He thinks he is going to score every time, but I don't think that is the right time to be doing that."
For Exeter, it was a third straight home defeat, although manager Paul Tisdale was pleased with his side's showing.
He said: "It was a really good performance, but the wrong result.
"I'd be foolish if I didn't look at scoring goals and keeping them out because that is the essence of the game, but having seen us play today, last week and the week before, I am pretty happy that we are back on track with our performances.
"The result went against us today, but on the whole I thought today was a really good performance, but I am disappointed that we have lost.
"I am not worried about the way we are playing, but I am worried about us not getting results and the gap between us and the play-offs widening because we want to be in those play-offs.
"There are things we could have done better and things we can improve on, but as a whole - and with four players out today that would probably have started - I thought the team played quite well.
"Unfortunately, that's life. I am not cross with the players and we will analyse it and try and make improvements, but I am very disappointed with the result, not the performance. As I said to the players, though, we are at that stage of the season where it is about results, rather than performances."