Late Goals Earn City a Lucky Draw at Elm Park

Reading v Exeter City

Saturday 12th October 1912  

Crompton was, to the great disappointment of all concerned, unfit to turn out today, following the rough treatment received last week in the Southampton match. Lockett therefore moved up to the forward line, and Bassett came in at left-half.

Teams:

READING
Burnham
Smith Bartholomew
Comrie Hanney Slatter
Pinfield Bailey Seeburg Foster Greer

Referee:- Mr. Shallcross.

Ives Lockett Rutter Cooper Whittaker Bassett Pratt Rigby
Hurst Fort
Pym
CITY

Reading 2 Exeter City 2.

Pratt, who captained the City today, lost the toss, and Rutter kicked off up the slope. Reading scored their first goal after 13 minutes, and led at the interval by this score. They scored again midway through the second half, and appeared to have the game well in hand, but Exeter City staged a "grandstand finish", Rutter bursting through twice to score goals in the last few minutes.

Comments.
If the City were somewhat fortunate to draw with Reading at Elm Park today it must, all the same, be admitted that they made a remarkable recovery, as after looking all over a well beaten side, and with but a few minutes remaining, the whole eleven pulled themselves together in the most amazing manner, and with the Reading backs collapsing Rutter twice came dashing in to score goals that robbed the "Biscuitmen" of their expected victory. Reading scored their first goal after 13 minutes' play, and it was the outcome of a clever run on the part of Pinfield, who got the ball across for Greer to score, amid great applause. Pinfield had dribbled past at least City players before he centred. The second goal came midway through the second half, Hanney side-footing the ball into the bottom corner from Foster's pass. Reading were slightly the better team, taking the match as a whole, but they certainly should have made victory secure when holding a lead of two goals so near the end. However, an inexplicable lapse on the part of their backs was made the most of by Exeter, whose attack carried a more deadly sting with it in the last three or four minutes than in any other period of an exciting game.

Last season: City 2 Reading 1.
In 1910-11: No match, Reading were in Division II.

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT LEAGUE.

City Reserves v 4th Middlesex Regiment.

Exeter City Reserves, so far unbeaten in the Plymouth League this season, entertained the Middlesex Regiment at St. James's Park this afternoon. They were again strongly represented, the side including eight professionals.

Reserves:Chapman; Morris, Nevin; Clarke, Lagan, Mullineux; Arscott, Lewis, Brooksbank, Golightly, Garside.

Middlesex:- Morris; Murphy, Fuller; Clark, Firmston, Fitzgibbon; Scoppie, Palmer, Smith, Swoffer, Roberts.

The only goal of the first half was obtained by Golightly, after he had twice struck the crossbar. Within a few minutes of the restart Lewis put the Reserves two up, then Morris shot over the bar from a penalty, awarded for a foul on Garside. A centre from Garside was put through his own goal by Murphy, following which further goals for the Reserves were added by Lewis, Golightly, Brooksbank, and Lewis again. Final:
City Reserves 7-0 Middlesex Regiment