Match 39
19th March 1924
Swindon Town (h)

ECFC 3-1 Swindon Town
Scorers: Shelton, Kirk, Dockray Attendance: 4000


EXETER CITY 3 (Shelton Kirk Dockray)

SWINDON TOWN 1 (Daniels)

League Division III.
Played at St James's Park
on March 19th.

City:- Bailey; Pollard, Charlton; Coleburne, Crompton, Gilchrist; Matthews, Kirk, Shelton, Davis, and Dockray.

Swindon:- Randall; O'Neill, Weston; Greaves, Archer, Dawe; Denyer, Ruddlesdin, Rogers, Daniels, and Davies.

Referee:- Mr T.J.Duke, of London.

WELL-EARNED WIN BY EXETER

GOOD FORM IN GAME WITH SWINDON

FORWARDS EFFECTIVE
.

Exeter City excelled themselves yesterday in defeating Swindon by three goals to one. They won the match by playing football of the highest order.

A crowd of about 5,000 at St. James' Park, Eveter watched the game, it was exhilarating to the end, and in which the winning team thoroughly deserved their victory.

During the greater part of the game, and particularly in the first half, Swindon were completely overpowered. After the first five minutes or so play hardly ever left the Swindon territory until near the end of the half.

At the outset the exchanges on the part of both teams were scientific, and promised a close struggle. Gradually, however, Exeter's superiority made itself felt, and keen though the Swindon's forwards were to get on the move, the visiting defence were powerless to raise the siege of the City vanguard.

For some time Exeter's efforts went unrewarded as far as scoring was concerned, sometimes owing to careless shooting and sometimes it seemed through sheer ill-luck. Coleburne essayed a fine long shot, and from Coleburne centre by Kirk, creditable efforts to force the ball into the net were made by Dockray, Davis, and Gilchrist, and the City were unfortunate that these did not meet with success.


But it was evident from the excellence of the play which the Citizens were producing that goals had to come. The Exeter passing was all that could be desired, and the understanding was such that the team worked with the accuracy of a machine.

SCORING EFFORTS.

Swindon did at least break away on their right wing, but the movement ended in Denyer's failure to centre, and this was the preliminary to scoring two goals Coleburne secured not far beyond the penalty area, and transferred to Shelton, who, taking the ball in his stride, shot swiftly and surely along the ground into the net. Barely five minutes had elapsed when Kirk converted a beautiful contre from Dockray in most unmistakable fashion.

When Kirk tried a header a little later, Randall was on the alert, and made a creditable save. Towards the end of the half the Swindon attack exerted extra pressure, but they was never troubled much, such effective resistance did the halves and backs offer.

The City did not have matters so much their own way in the second half, The Swindon backs played a much more alert game in the second half and the effect of this was felt all through the team. Swindon indeed, came very near to scoming soon after the interval, but Bailey came to the City's rescue with a magnificent save from Daw. Nevertheless, the home team remained decidedly in the ascendancy, and when Daniels scored a goal for Swindon they capped it with another through Dockray, who incidentally showed a complete return to his best form.

The City team worked admirably all through were best served by Denyer, Weston, and Daw, who did their best with inadequate partners.

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