CITY TAKE SEVEN POINTS IN FOUR GAMES. 
ALDERSHOT THE LATEST VICTIMS AT THE PARK

Wednesday September 17th 1969.

EXETER CITY 2 ALDERSHOT 1.

Although it is too early in the season to make forecasts Exeter City appear to be really on the mend. They have now taken seven points out of a possible eight from their last four league games, and today their position in Division Four is certainly much improved compared to that of three weeks ago. There is a long way to go between now and April but if they continue to play like they have done recently and produce the hard work they showed at St James's Park on Wednesday evening they must have a fair measure of success.

Exeter City:-
Shearing; Blain, Morris; Parker, Sharples, Balson; Giles, Banks, Wingate, Mitten, Pleat.

Aldershot:
Dixon; Walden, Walker;
Dawes, Giles, Dean; Walton, Brown, Howarth, Melia, Gowans.

Subs: Walker (City) and Lloyd (Aldershot).

Referee:- Mr E.D. Wallace of Swindon. Linesmen: Messrs S.A.Voisey and G.A.Ashman.

Exeter had to work hard for their victory over a very good Aldershot side. But whatever the result the supporters would have been happy, for it was a good and lively game throughout, and the best seen so far at St James's Park this season. It was full of mobility, action, and excitement at each end of the field. Aldershot deserve full credit for the way in which they approached the match. They were a good side, and perhaps stunned Exeter at times in the way they came at them. If Aldershot had taken a point, in fact, there could have been few, if any complaints from Exeter. But it is goals that count, and the City scored two to the Soldiers' one.

MELIA HARDLY SEEN.

Exeter obviously feared the probing and creative play of Jimmy Melia, the veteran ex Liverpool forward. They delegated Parker to follow him everywhere, and what a good job Exeter's number four made of it, with the result that Melia was hardly seen. The City opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute. Blain passed to Mitten, who in turn found Pleat. The winger body-swerved inside, then from about twenty yards suddenly thumped in a tremendous shot that sped low into the corner of the net giving Dixon no chance. After 63 minutes the score was 2-nil. Sharples collected a throw - in from Morris and centred for Banks to score with a good header. Even when two goals down Aldershot remained a determined and clever side with plenty of enterprise and imagination. After the second goal they were far from demoralised and reduced the margin within a couple of minutes. It was however a bad goal from Exeter's standpoint, for Walton, who collected the ball from a corner, was allowed to run through without being seriously challenged. He shot, and the ball slipped out of the grasp of Shearing and roll into the net.

Attendance 6,119.