EXETER CITY COLLECT THEIR FIRST AWAY POINTS. 

VICTORY MERITED AT COLCHESTER

Thursday evening September 2nd.

Exeter City won their first away points of the season at Layer Road, accepting their chances better than the home side, who wasted a few, and sealing the issue with a smart goal scored by Charlie McClelland ten minutes from the end.

Colchester:- Kirk; Harrison, Lewis; McCourt, Stewart, Hill; Birch, Dale, Plant, Leonard, and Grice.

Exeter City: Bell; B.Doyle, Douglass; Dunne, Davey, Mitchell; Houghton, Anderson, Ellaway, Mackay, and McClelland.

Colchester had a high percentage of the attacking play, particularly in the second half, but they lacked a good marksman, and their inside forwards, especially Dale, were erratic in their ball distribution. Another decisive factor was the way the Exeter wing halves moved the ball, in direct contrast to the slower and plodding reaction of their Colchester counterparts. Play was scrappy throughout a good deal of the opening period though the pace was fast. Colchester were the more persistent to begin with and made good use of their extreme wingers. Birch, signed this season from Newport County, made Bell leap high to pull down a well-judged shot just outside the angle of the far post and crossbar. Plant put plenty of dash into his play and was given some inviting through passes by Leonard.

COLCHESTER IN THE LEAD

It was Plant who gave Colchester the lead in the 16th minute, when he glided in a quick cross from Leonard, who had run in from the right wing and weaved his way along the goal line. Exeter improved and their forwards were less ragged in their approach work. Anderson moved the ball intelligently and McClelland was prominent in some neat bouts of passing, mostly with Mackay. In the 35th minute McClelland fastened on to a strong clearance upfield and slung over a perfect centre which Ellaway headed into the net past the diving Kirk. Kirk's capable handling saved Colchester a few minutes later when he smartly grabbed a hot shot from Ellaway. Colchester did most of the pressing during the second half with both wingers showing great speed and thrust, but it was the City who had the more bite when they did cut away.
Colchester were unlucky when Plant made Bell dive full length to tip the ball round the far post from a centre by Grice, and there were a few scrambles in Exeter's penalty area before McClelland scored the decisive goal.

COLCHESTER UNITED 1 (Plant)
EXETER CITY 2 (Ellaway, McClelland)

Referee:- Mr R.Tarratt of Horsham. Attendance 5,000.