SOCCER CLASH HAD LITTLE MERIT.
GOALLESS DRAW A FAIR RESULT.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST 1954. SOUTHEND V EXETER


This game, ending in a goalless draw, was just about the worst sample there could be of mid-week football. Play was listless, and spectators had to wait for over 25 minutes be fore either side had a decent shot at goal. Passing the ball was pitifully inaccurate and "soccer " reached its lowest ebb.

Southend:- Threadgold; Pavitt and A.Anderson; Duthie, Howe, and Burns; Smith, W.Anderson, Hollis, Baron, and Bainbridge.

City: Morton; B.Doyle and Douglass; Owens, Davey, and Callan; Mitchell, Ellaway, John, Mackay, and Rees.

Referee: Mr. G. Sawyer of Weston-super-Mare.

During the interval there was some plain talking in both dressing rooms and in the second half the football did improve. Morton, in his third appearance in the City side, was playing on his old ground against his former colleagues. In the fourth minute he left the field having suffered a kick in the face. He returned after a quarter of an hour during which time the goalkeeping job had been handed over to Mitchell. Almost the only really dangerous effort from Southend in the first half was contributed by Bainbridge, who had a drive well taken by Morton. For Exeter City Mackay and John persevered but with little distinction and with no success. The second half was brighter from Southend's point of view, as they practically pinned Exeter into their own half and forced a couple of corners, but goals eluded them. Resolution on the part of the goalkeeper and backs was praiseworthy and on that account Exeter deserved to return with a point.

City Reserves v Chelmsford 
Southern League 

In the Southern League match at St James's Park Exeter City Reserves beat Chelmsford by four goals to two.