COBBLERS BEATEN IN EXCITING GAME

Thomas Stars in New-look Exeter Attack
Saturday January 1st 1955.
EXETER CITY 3 (Mackay, McClelland, John)
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1 (Mitchell)

Half time 3 - 1.

Player-manager Norman Dodgin made a brief announcement on the loud speaker system before the start of today's match at St James's Park. He told supporters that Frank Houghton, an influenza victim, was not fit enough to play and that Ellaway was the fittest available player to substitute him. Ellaway himself is suffering from a heavy cold.

EXETER CITY
Kelly Walton Douglass Setters Harvey Mitchell Thomas Mackay John Ellaway McClelland

Referee:- Mr. L. Callaghan of Merthyr.

Fowler Jones Adams Hazeldine English Hughes Croy Yeoman Patterson Collins
Webber
NORTHAMPTON TOWN

Mackay, who captained the City in Davey's absence, won the toss, and the Cobblers kicked off towards the St James's Road end. Offside held up Northampton in the first minute, and then Walton was applauded for a timely clearance from Jones. Hitting back, the City forced a corner, but this was soon followed by one for the Cobblers, a big side who favoured first-time methods. The early exchanges were even, with defences prevailing. Northampton were lucky, however, when McClelland got away, beating two men in a speedy dribble before passing inside where Croy made an interception only to be dispossessed by the hustling of John. The last-named was in turn bundled over by the hefty Collins, Northampton's captain, who cleared upfield.

AN ESCAPE THEN A GOAL.

Once more the visiting defence was hard-pressed and John's precision pass to Thomas was the prelude to a near miss and then a goal to the City. Working his way to within shooting range Thomas drove hard from the narrowest of angles. The ball glanced off Patterson's shoulder and flashed inches over the bar. From McClelland accurate corner kick Thomas was in possession again. He held the ball, manoeuvring for position, and shot low and hard into the goalmouth for Mackay to apply the final touch. This goal, in the eighth minute, brought a fighting reply from the Cobblers, and Kelly made a smart save from Adams's header taken at close range. Thomas, Mackay, and John were lively City forwards in what had been an entertaining game so far. Exeter increased their lead in the 24th minute when McClelland scored and increased it further when John banged in number three just four minutes later. To be three goals to the good with less than half an hour played was an accustomed luxury for the City, but the margin was reduced in the next few minutes when Mitchell unluckily turned the ball past Kelly and into the net in attempting a clearance from a scramble in the goalmouth.Exeter remained the better side in the second period but due to the determined defence of their visitors were unable to score again. But the City well deserved their vistory in what was the best game seen at St James's Park this season.
Thomas, who is proving to be a very good capture, was the outstanding forward in the Exeter line, with Mackay running him close.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
DARTFORD v CITY RESERVES.
1st January 1955

The City Reserves were soon defending at Dartford today, and Davey conceded a corner in the first minute in checking Reed. Priestley gave Exeter the lead shortly before half-time, hitting his shot first-time into the net after Anderson had struck the crossbar.
Result:-
Dartford 0 City Reserves 1.

CITY RESERVES v MERTHYR 
Saturday, January 8th 1955.

STRONG CITY RESERVES TEAM FACE MERTHYR
And Win by Three Goals

EXETER CITY RESERVES 3 (Donaldson, Murphy, Dunne)
MERTHYR TYDFIL O

Half-time 1-0.

Exeter City had another blank Saturday today on account of the Cup ties, their scheduled opponents, Brighton & Hove Albion, being still in the competition and having an attractive home tie against Aston Villa. The City Reserves, playing at St James's Park against Southern League champions Merthyr Tydfil, were thus able to put a very strong team in the field, every member of it having represented the first eleven this season in League football.

EXETER CITY
Morton B.Doyle Douglass Dunne Davey Owens Priestley Ellaway Donaldson Murphy Rees

Referee:- Mr R.C.Bryant, of Bristol.

Williams Jarman Howarth Squires S.Davies C.Davies Lowe Lloyd G. Thomas Doherty R.Hopkins
MERTHYR

Merthyr were the first to attack, and Morton had to dive full length to repel a centre from S.Davies. Twice more Morton was called into action before an attack on the City right wing got going. Then Donaldson forced a corner and from the flag-kick Rees shot into Hopkins's hands. Only a last-minute tackle stopped Ellaway after he had received the ball from Dunne. The Reserves were moving the ball about well on the heavy pitch, but Merthyr had the best chance of the match in the fifteenth minute. Jarman, unmarked, and five yards from goal, shot straight at Morton and Doyle blocked the return shot by Williams. An all-out City attack brought the first goal in the 21st minute, Donaldson heading a corner kick by Rees high into the net. Only a brilliant save by Hopkins on the goal-line saved Murphy's high drive after Donaldson had split the visiting defence. Donaldson again beat the Merthyr backs with a pass to Priestley, but the winger put his shot over the bar. Exeter were well on top after the interval and shot followed shot as they swarmed to the attack. From a corner Donaldson headed the ball down to Murphy for the inside left to put the City two goals up in the 58th minute. Ten minutes later Donaldson and Dunne combined brilliantly, between them taking the ball half the length of the field, and Dunne almost walked the ball into the net for the City's third goal.

• Saturday, January 15th 1955.
  Matches postponed due to frost:
  Watford v Exeter City, at Watford, 3rd Division South. Exeter City Reserves v Hastings, at Exeter, Southern League.

Wednesday, January 19th 1955.
POOLE TOWN V EXETER CITY, FRIENDLY MATCH.
Played by flood-lighting at Poole, attendance 3,000.

PENALTY MISS BY MCCLELLAND:
CITY BEATEN 3-2.

Failure of the forwards to take their opportunities cost Exeter City the game when they visited Poole Town for a friendly match, played under the floodlights, on Wednesday evening. The Western League side won by 3 goals to 2 but the result might have been quite easily the other way round had it not been for the poor shooting and over elaboration of the Exeter forwards. Poole took the lead after ten minutes through McDonald from Seymour's pass. After this initial reverse Exeter settle down and began to make an impact, but it was some time before Houghton got the equaliser. Poole then had several more narrow escapes, but the defence covered well and Exeter made the mistake of trying to walk the ball into the net. Shortly after half-time Seymour gave Poole the lead again, and Exeter immediately afterwards were awarded a penalty for hands. McClelland's spot kick however was not a good one and was saved by Fountain. Exeter were not to be denied, however, and within a few minutes they were level, Anderson scoring a great goal. Poole's winning goal came ten minutes from time, and was the result of a well planned move by their three inside forwards, being finished off by Merritt with a shot which had Kelly beaten all the way. Before the end of the game the City had several opportunities to get the equaliser, but unsteadiness in front of goal and the home defence prevented them doing so. On the hard and slippery pitch both sides played attractive football and Poole deserved full marks for their win over the more experienced opponents.

Poole: Fountain; Foster, Lawrence; Delew, Wellman, Salter; McDonald, Merritt, Seymour, Bryant, Cumner.

City: Kelly; Walton, Douglass; Owens, Harvey, Mitchell; Priestley, Anderson, Donaldson, Houghton, McClelland.