The Football League Cup

LEICESTER CITY AT EXETER IF GRECIANS WIN REPLAY

Wednesday August 13th 1969.

EXETER CITY 1 BRISTOL CITY 1.

If Exeter City beat Bristol City in their Football League Cup replay at Ashton Gate next Tuesday they will be at home to Leicester City in the second round on Wednesday September 3rd. Leicester were last season's cup finalists, when they lost by a goal to nil against Manchester City at Wembley, and they are managed by Mr Frank O'Farrell, the former Torquay United manager.

EXETER CITY:- Shearing; Crawford, Blain; Balson, Sharples, Newman; Corr, Giles, Banks, Mitten, Walker. BRISTOL

BRISTOL CITY:- Gibson; Jacobs, Drysdale; Clarke, Rooks, Parr; Skirton, Garland, Bush, Kellard, Sharpe.

SUBS: Morrin (Exeter) Derrick (Bristol).
REFEREE: Mr T.Ryenolds of Swansea. LINESMEN:- Messrs D.G.Mead and A.G.Hitchman.

The accuracy of Alan Banks's left foot means that Exeter are still in the competition. It was Banks who calmly scored Exeter's equaliser in front of just over 8,000 fans at St James's Park to give the City a 1-1 draw in the first round match against Bristol City. Banks went through on his own in the 78th minute, three minutes after Bristol had secured the lead, with the Robins' defenders appealing for offside. There was no whistle, however, and Banks carried on to beat Gibson all-ends-up with one of his special pile-drivers. And in the very next minute Newman hooked the ball out from under his own crossbar with incredible coolness with Shearing on the ground. The closing minutes saw Exeter almost snatch victory, but now they face a second game with Bristol, who on their own ground, must be fancied to win this tie. That is no yardstick, however. Exeter were the under-dogs against Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday last year and still won. Bristol's scorer was Kellard, from Skirton's pass. It was a tough 90 minutes for the Grecians with Bristol City a hard and strong side. Exeter supporters are not likely to see many harder teams at St James's Park this season.

EXPENSIVE PLAYERS.

The Bristol club, which has spent more than £100,000 on players in the last two years, did not mince their tackles, and it looked as if they were booked for the next round when they went ahead with only fifteen minutes remaining for play. But that goal by Banks and the goal - line clearance by Newman kept Exeter's hopes alive. There was much more effort from Exeter in this game than there was in the match at Wrexham on Saturday, but the feeling still exists that, apart from Banks, they are lacking a real marksman. Bristol apart from their goal twice had the ball in the net, and each time it was Sharpe who put it there. On the first occasion he was off side and on the second the whistle had been blown for a foul. On the other side of the coin Giles hit the bar when he helped on a fierce drive by Walker, and Banks was near to getting another two goals.