Grecians' Further Rise in the League Table A Second Away Victory

SATURDAY, MARCH 22ND.

BRENTFORD v CITY.

Exeter City 1 Brentford 0.

With Brentford struggling hard to avoid relegation to the Second Division, there was more than ordinary interest attached to the City's visit to Brentford this afternoon. The weather was ideal, and there were six thousand spectators.
Teams :
BRENTFORD: Price Rhodes Spratt
Barclay Bentley Kennedy Brawn Chapple Smith McTavish Hendren

Referee:- Mr J.W.Bailey, of Lewisham.

EXETER CITY: Pym Fort Hurst Rigby Bassett Lockett Whittaker Cooper Rutter Crompton Ives.

Exeter won the toss, but there was no material advantage to be gained. The "Bees" were the first to become dangerous, forcing a corner. This was relieved by Bassett, who set his own forwards on the move with a nice pass. Ives and Crompton took the ball down, but a dash across by Spratt averted the danger. Pym was then called upon to field a hard, straight drive from Smith. Brawn got through for Brentford, and centred well, but the move was spoiled by Smith handling the ball. At this stage the City's defence was being very hard pressed, and Pyn was in action several times, gathering centres from Brawn in the coolest way imaginable. When Exeter attacked Ives was too late in getting to Bassett's long pass. The game up to this point had been conducted at a very fair pace, with Brentford slightly the more aggressive. Exeter began to settle into their stride, and Cooper tested Price with a hard shot. Two more corners were forced by Brentford, Pym getting both away with well-judged punches.

Kennedy Injured.
At the other end Rhodes had to kick to touch to relieve from Rutter, then Price had to come to his knees to save from the City leader. Brentford were unfortunate in losing the services of their left-half, Kennedy, who appeared to be badly injured in a general skirmish in the home goalmouth, and was carried off the field. Despite their handicap the Londoners continued to have at least an equal share of the game, and they all but scored when Brawn put across a perfect centre, and a misunderstanding between several Exeter defenders left Smith, much to his own surprise, with the ball at his feet. He shot hard from close quarters, but Pym, who had been equal to all demands, caught the ball brilliantly. From the goalkeeper's long clearance Whittaker took the ball down the right wing and centred, Crompton heading wide. From Crompton's pass, Ives put the ball hard across the face of the goal, and Spratt ought to have cleared. But he missed the leather altogether, and Whittaker was on hand to run in and score an easy goal, putting his shot well out of Price's reach. At the interval the score was:
CITY 1-0 BRENTFORD 
Scarcely had play been resumed after the interval than a severe
thunderstorm broke over the ground. The brilliant flashes of lightning were accompanied by torrential rain which drenched the players, and quickly turned the already holding turf into a quagmire. Naturally, with the elements in their favour, the home forwards almost monopolised the attack, but Pym, Fort and Hurst stuck manfully to their task, and the City defence remained unbeaten. Hurst once took the ball right off Chapple's toes as the old Bristol City man was about to shoot, and a superhuman effort by Fort saved Exeter when Hurst slid yards in the mud attempting, but failing, to stop Smith breaking through. Brawn scored for Brentford in the last few minutes of the game, but Mr Bailey, in an excellent position to see what had transpired, promptly refused to allow the goal, and gave Exeter a free-kick. Brentford's defeat, however, was scarcely deserved, for while the City were credited with the only legitimate goal scored, on the run of the game the West Londoners were slightly the better team.

FURTHER NOTES ON THE BRENTFORD MATCH.
London Press Reports.

"Daily News, March 22nd.

Brentford's Failing:-Forwards Finish Badly Against Exeter.

Although Exeter City beat the West London team by a single goal, on the run of the play the result ought to have been a draw, for there was little to choose between either side. Brentford vastly improved on the display they gave on the pre ceding day. They played a fast game from the outset, and kept on the ball with creditable spirit and determination, and in the second half held the upper hand. For this they were indebted to the hard work that Barclay, Bentley, and Rhodes did, and to the pace shown by Smith and Chapple. The former was always a source of danger to Exeter, and with their halves performing only in mediocre style, he frequently got clean away. Ives and Crompton were a troublesome pair to Brentford, and from the start they kept the defence busy, but they had Bentley and Rhodes to pass, and though they beat them several times they could not finish properly. Spratt was a weak spot in the home team's defence, and Whittaker, who was not given the ball half enough, seemed to do exactly what he liked with him. At least four times Spratt was made helpless by the right winger, whose final shots were inaccurate, except the one he scored with. Crompton, hard pressed, turned the ball over to him; he ran round Spratt, was never afterwards challenged, and was able to take deliberate aim ere he netted the ball. Brentford were unfortunate in losing Kennedy for a large part of the first half in consequence of an injured shoulder, and had to play four forwards, but after half-time they were at full strength, and gave Pym and the backs a lot of work. Brawn failed at a couple of easy openings, Smith, when through the defence, slipped in the mud, and afterwards came to a misunderstanding with Chapple, which resulted in a weak shot where a hard drive was requisite. Allowance must be made for the state of the ground after a thunderstorm, but the old lack of finish and hesitancy on the part of Brentford was manifested, and probably cost them the game. Brawn, five minutes from the close, scored with a splendid close range cross-shot, but was ruled offside by the referee, whose decision brought him into bad odour with the crowd, and he had to have police protection on leaving the field".

Morning Leader. Going, Going, -
Brentford Confronted with the Relegation Bogey.

"If chances counted Brentford would easily have beaten Exeter City at Griffin Park, but the West Londoners badly neglected their opportunities, and the Devonians gained the points by a goal which Whittaker scored eight minutes before the interval. Following as it did the defeat by Southampton on Good Friday, the result is a serious blow to Brentford, who had hoped to have reached safety during the holidays, and looking to their financial difficulties their position is indeed acute. A poor game in every respect served to bring the excellence of Pym into bold relief, and the Exeter goalkeeper must have saved half a dozen shots that looked good enough for anyone. Pym has left a strong impression on London spectators this season, but it is doubtful if he has ever done better than in the second half, when, facing a heavy rain storm, he defied the whole Brentford attack, even allowing that the locals contributed to their own undoing. Exeter, who showed the better combination until the interval, faded away during the period indicated, and with the half - backs overplayed Hurst and Fort had a very difficult task. This pair, with the valuable aid of Bassett, put up a determined fight, and altogether they were more reliable than Rhodes and Spratt. The latter was very slow at times, and it was from his miskick that Whittaker was able to score the all important goal. Alec Barclay was the outstanding figure in the Brentford intermediate line, which was not as effective as the Exeter trio."


PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT LEAGUE.
City Reserves v Tavistock.
At St. James's Park this afternoon, Exeter City Reserves met Tavistock. There were alterations in the visitors' forward line, and they were below full strength. The pitch was in a sodden and greasy state, with pools of water in places. Teams :

Reserves: Chapman; Morris, Nevin; Lewis, Hunt, Mullineux; Arscott, Addicott, Brooksbank, Golightly, and Garside.
Tavistock: Mitch; Payne, Downing; Hinge, Kerrick, Goss; Gaskill, Thompson, Squibb, Eva, and Penny. Referee: Mr. Thompson, of Plymouth.

The Reserves had much the better of the opening exchanges, and Golightly narrowly missed. At the end of six minutes Brooksbank beat Downing for pace, and shot the first goal with a beautiful rising volley into the roof of the net. A nice combined move between Brooksbank, Golightly, and Lewis put Garside through, and from the winger's centre Brooksbank was left with an easy task to score Exeter's second goal. Mitch gave away a corner in saving from Arscott, and from the flag kick the ball went to Golightly, who shot through a crowd of players for goal number three. In the next minute Golightly scored again, heading through from Garside's high centre. Hunt scored Exeter's fifth goal from 35 yards, and in the second half, with the rain falling steadily Brooksbank completed the scoring.