All Important Tussle at St. James's Park
BUT EXETER LOSE:

SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH:
CITY V SWINDON
Swindon Town 3, Exeter City 1.

This afternoon all roads led to St. James's Park, for the match of the season took place there. A combination of circum stances led to its being by far the most important game seen at Exeter this season, as the Championship of the Southern League depended upon the result. Swindon, if they could win, stood a big chance of the premier ship; if they could draw the struggle would still go on between the first four clubs, but if they lost to the Grecians then it meant the end of their hopes of the top place. And Exeter City also had something to fight for, since defeat would reduce their chance of earning talent money almost to vanishing point. On Thursday the famous Scottish International back, J. Walker, had been transferred from Swindon to Middlesbrough for a fee of £1,100. The "Railwaymens" backs today were Lockhead, also a Scot, and Giles, an ex-Army player. Hurst could not play for Exeter, owing to an injury, but Fort returned, and was partnered by Nevin.
Teams :
CITY Pym Fort Nevin Rigby Lagan Lockett Whittaker Crompton Rutter Golightly Garside
Referee:- Mr C.C.Fallowfield, of London.
Linesmen: - Messrs J.Locock and G.R.Sturdy.

SWINDON
Skiller Giles Lockhead Tout Silto Handley Lamb Bown Wheatcroft Fleming Jefferson

The afternoon was fine, and there were early prospects of a good crowd. The turf was in splendid condition. Swindon brought no supporters, but the directors and officials who came with the team were very optimistic, and in fact fully expected their side to win. Exeter were first out, and Fleming, when he followed at the head of his men, met with a fine reception.

The Game.
Exeter, who lost the toss, got going at once, and Crompton's centre was snapped up well inside Swindon's half by Giles. Exeter came forward again, but Fleming intercepted a ball from Crompton, and was fouled by Lagan, against whom a free kick was given. Lamb sent wide from Fleming's pass, and Swindon then attacked on the other flank through Bown sweeping the ball out wide to Jefferson. The winger romped around Nevin and pitched across a lovely centre. It went right past Pym, in his new white jersey, and Bown, jumping up, steered it safely into the net for the first goal. It was a beautiful goal, and characteristic of the quality of Swindon Town at their best.

Another Good Goal.
At the other end Crompton struck the side of the net, and Fort was accidentally lamed by Bown, but recovered. Lagan was playing very well at centre-half, but in these stages the "Railwaymen" were undoubtedly the more polished side. Nevin and Lagan cleared respectively from Wheatcroft and Fleming, and a miskick by Nevin nearly let Jefferson through. Good play by Golightly spelt danger, but Swindon's second goal was not long delayed. Wheatcroft fed Jefferson, on the touch-line, with Nevin holding up Fleming. The outside-right slipped through and centred, as before, in perfect fashion. The next one saw was the tall figure of Wheatcroft leap ing in the air right above Fort, and the ball passing from his head right out of Pym's reach. It was another good goal, and only ten minutes had elapsed since the scoring of the first one. Fleming was almost through again, but was crowded off the ball by Lagan and Fort between them, and Exeter then had one or two chances, but shot badly, Crompton being right off the mark. Then along came Swindon with their third goal, and it was a real beautty, too. Silto got away after Skiller had saved from Rutter, gave the ball to Fleming, who put Wheatcroft through with a long forward pass. The centre-forward took a couple of strides, and swept the leather into the net with a shot that never rose more than six inches above the ground. Thus Swindon, in the opening twelve minutes, had had three chances and scored three goals. was just too late for a pass by Jefferson that may well have brought further disaster. Handley was injured, but resumed after attention from the trainer, and in the next minute Crompton wormed his way past Silto and gave Whittaker a nice pass, which the winger lobbed into the centre for Rutter to meet on the volley, first-timing the ball past Skiller to make the score 3-1. Subsequently Crompton was badly fouled when going through, but the free-kick went behind. The City were plainly encouraged by Rutter's goal, but the Swindon defence was very keen, and Skiller made one or two good saves from Whittaker and Crompton.

An Exciting Game.
Jefferson was cleverly beaten by Lockett, who put Golightly through. The ball travelled out to Garside, from whose centre Whittaker fired over. At this stage the game was very exciting, and thrills occurred at each end in turn. Lockett once stopped Fleming in masterly style close in, Fort also saved well, then Rutter got a corner off Giles, and though the flag kick came to nothing Exeter came again, and from a melee in front of goal Garside headed only inches over the bar. In another rush on the Swindon goal Golightly and Skiller were both laid out. They fell heavily, and Skiller was carried off with a gashed shin, but Golightly recovered.
Half-time:
SWINDON 3-1 CITY
Second Half.

Skiller's shin was bandaged during the interval by Mr. Bell, the surgeon, and the goalkeeper insisted on turning out again. The game re-opened in Exeter's favour, but they were forced back, and Jefferson dribbled past three men before dropping a high centre across, which Bown headed over. Skiller tipped a long shot by Lockett over the bar, and although the City were now in the ascendancy as far as attacking went, they could not force home their advantage. At the other end Nevin headed away from a long dropping shot, when he would have done better to have left the ball to Pym. As it was, he failed to get it properly clear, and possession went to Fleming, who was brought down on the penalty line. Swindon loudly appealed for a penalty, whereupon Mr Fallowfield consulted one of his linesmen, and then decided that the offence had taken place outside the area. The visitors did not like the decision, but the referee would not give way, and Tout, taking the free kick, placed the ball wide. The penalty incident was the cause of some unnecessary ruffling of tempers, for up to this point the match had been played in a sportsmanlike manner. First Whittaker and Lamb came nearly to blows, then Lamb and Crompton, the City skipper being quite needlessly fouled by the Swindon outside-left. A lecture from Mr Fallowfield quietened matters down, however, and no sooner had play been resumed than another corner was forced by the City. It was cleared by Giles, who headed out Rutter's shot. In the last three minutes Exeter made desperate efforts to get back into the attack, and Skiller punched out from Whittaker. The ball was met on the rebound by Rutter, who put it over the bar.

Last season: Swindon 4 City 1.
In 1910-11: City 2 Swindon 1.

Notes on the Game.

Swindon's chances of winning the Southern League Championship were greatly enhanced by their victory at Exeter. They played in every way like a champion team, and the score fairly represents their superiority. For Exeter, on the other hand, the defeat pretty well flickers out the last hope of them sharing in any of the honours of the season. It is difficult, in fact, to see how they can qualify for talent money now, and that prize, previous to today's game, was the one thing left them to fight for. The clubs just above them will have to suffer unexpected reverses, while the City must certainly win their two remaining games if they are to be number ed among the leading quintette at the close of the campaign. After heading the table, of course, this is very disappointing to the players, but at the same time a team cannot expect to incur two successive home defeats without a substantial set-back in the table. If Millwall and Swindon had both been beaten at St. James's Park the leadership would still have been Exeter's. The loss of those four points has made all the difference.
Swindon's Three Goals.
The Millwall reverse was a tantalising one, and due, in small measure, no to official rulings which were open to question. No such excuse, however, can be advanced in regard to the Swindon match. The most that can be said in the City's favour in regard to this game is that they might have equalised had they accepted their chances near goal. Having conceded that much, however, it has to be candidly admitted that Swindon were much the better side; they were better balanced, and more alive to their opportunities in front of goal. In fact, they combined dash and speed and cleverness so effectively that they found an easy road to victory. They won because they went off at a cracking pace, knocked the home defence off their game, and picked up chances with a deadly accuracy which compelled admiration. Every supporter of Exeter was bound to admire the workmanship of the three goals; first of all Bown's header, deftly done without fuss or fluster; then the header by Wheatcroft, perfect in direction; and Wheatcroft's shot along the ground by which the centre-forward scored when Fleming had put him through with superb craft. These were the goals of master hands, following one another in rapid succession, and all got within twelve minutes. Rapidly as they came, however, they were each deserved, and there was no manner of fluke about any of them. It is said that Pym stood a chance of getting at the last, and ought to have saved. True, he made a clumsy attempt to get at the ball as it passed through, but he was unsighted when Wheatcroft shot, two of his defenders being in front of him, obstructing his view.
Pym's Failings.
In the other two cases Pym was beaten by Jefferson's centres simply because they came across too far from goal to give him a chance of getting at them. In both cases, however, he appeared to advance too far across his line when Jefferson volleyed, and consequently at the moment the ball was headed in he was not in a position to get near it. Therefore, he did not display the same judgment and anticipation in this game that he has so often done in other games. The pity of it is, too, that a club director from the First Division had come down specially from the North to have a look at Pym, and was reported as being not much impressed. As a matter of fact, even Exonians have never seen Pym at his very best. His finest exhibitions have invariably been given away from home. He has a liking for London grounds, particularly, and it is because of that that one finds so much written in praise of him by
London writers.

The League Table.

1. Swindon (46 points)
2. Argyle (44)
3. West Ham (44)
4. Crystal Palace (43),
5. Millwall (42)
6. Rangers (42)
7. Exeter City (42).

Wednesday, April 16th.
Friendly:
Exeter City 6 Exmouth nil.

Exeter City, fielding their Southern League side, were a big attraction at Cranford, over a thousand people being present. Crompton won the toss and the City were soon a goal up. At this stage Exeter were giving a fine demonstration of clever and entertaining football, and it was not long before Rutter worked himself into a clear position and scored the second goal with an unstoppable drive.
The score at half-time was
Exeter City 4 goals, Exmouth nil.

Exmouth, with the wind in their favour, did better in the second half, but could not prevent further goals being added by Rutter and Golightly.

City:- Pym; Fort, Hurst; Rigby, Lagan, Lockett; Whittaker, Crompton, Rutter, Golightly, and Garside.