Potters' First Appearance at St. James's Park. And Pym too!

Saturday, March 23rd 1912.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE:
CITY v STOKE.

Although Stoke have played at Exeter before, the occasion was an English Cup-tie in the 1909-10 season, and the match took place on the County Ground at St. Thomas's. In today's match they were thus appearing for the first time at St.James's Park. The party from Stoke had to begin their long journey at ten o'clock yesterday morning to make sure of being in Exeter in time for the fulfilment of their Southern League fixture this after noon. They went through to Teignmouth last night, and completed the journey to the "Ever Faithful" this morning. Their early start was of course necessitated by the curtailment of the normal rail service, and will mean at least an extra £30 out of the club's coffers. Fortunately they can afford it, for their "gates" both in the Second Division last year and in the higher company this year have been far above the Southern League average. Stoke-on-Trent, of course, is one of the oldest football centres in England. The club was formed in 1863, and were among the founders of the English League, but in 1888-89, the first season of that competition, they finished bottom. The next season they were last again, and in 1897-98 figured in the now defunct test matches. At length, five years ago, they were relegated and never regained their status. The story of how their support faded away and they finally went under altogether only for a new and thriving Southern League organisation to be founded on the ruins of the old club is recent history.
For today's match they decided to again play Herron, a West Stanley custodian, who is the smallest goalkeeper in professional football, being only 5ft. 7ins in height. He was preferred to Cartledge, the latter having been below form lately. Smith, the right-back, was secured from Treharris this season. On the Exeter side Pym, the Topsham amateur, made his first appearance in goal, as Whittaker was on the sick list. Garside
is down with throat infection, and Parnell was at outside-left.

CITY: Pym Fort Evans Bassett Pratt Lockett Whittaker (E) Watson Rutter Cornan Parnell

Referee:- Mr F.Curtis, of Bristol.

STOKE : Herron Turner Smart Lesse Jones Baddeley Griffiths Lenaghan Revill Smith(W) Dyke

Stoke, who were accompanied by their Secretary, Mr. Barker, arrived on the ground an hour before the start. The turf was in fair condition as far as appearances went, but was nevertheless in a sodden state, and likely to cut up very badly. The Grecians turned out in their old green and white, Stoke's colours being the same as Exeter's, red and white. Pratt, who captained the City, lost the toss, and Exeter had to defend the far end.

THE GAME.
By only drawing against Stoke, the Grecians lost a valuable point, and one is almost at a loss to find an excuse for their failure. For quite three-quarters of the game Stoke were a beaten team, but poor shooting by Exeter's forwards allowed them to save the match.

The game opened with strong attacking by Exeter, and they took the lead after eight minutes from a penalty kick given for a handling offence by Jones. Parnell converted the penalty with an upwards drive that struck the top of the rigging. The handling of the ball looked to be purely accidental, but the referee was on the spot, and had no hesitation at all in awarding the penalty. The City continued to rule the roost, and on the only occasion that Stoke got away Revill was offside. But they were in arrears for only seven minutes, as they were allowed to slip through, and the City's backs, instead of leaving the ball to Pym, got in each other's way and tried to clear, with the result that Stoke easily retained the ball and scrambled it through with Revill applying the final touch. From a free kick against Stoke just outside the penalty area Cornan pushed the leather through to Parnell, whose shot cleared the crossbar by about eighteen inches. Watson had been injured in a tackle, and was limping rather badly, and Rutter was winded in one of Exeter's heavy rushes on the Stoke goal, but both players remained on the field. When Stoke got away Pratt tackled Griffiths with good effect, and Rutter cleared. Exeter were, however, having nearly all the play, and Herron saved from Parnell by the post, and free-kicks for fouls on Cornan and Whittaker were somehow scrambled away by the Potters' backs, who were under almost continual pressure.Pym was applauded for a smart save at the other end, and half time arrived with the score:
CITY 1-1 STOKE.

Second Half.

Stoke were prominent in the early stages, and Dyke was robbed by Lockett, close in. Pym brought off a glorious save from Smith, and in a further attack Griffiths put a closure on things through getting offside. Watson and Rutter both failed with simple looking chances, and Parnell followed up a move by Rutter but was warded off by Turner. The remainder of the match was scrappy, and dominated by Exeter, who made many efforts without being able to score. The injury to Watson did, of course, put their attack under a big handicap.