FOUR GOAL BROADSIDE SINKS EXETER CITY

Notts County on Target After Only Two Minutes

Saturday September 20th 1969.

NOTTS COUNTY 4 EXETER CITY O.

Exeter City's unbeaten run of four games came abrutly to an end this afternoon at Meadow Lane, Nottingham, when they were beaten 4-0 by Notts County. The match was seen by a crowd of 6,358 people. Exeter were a goal down after only two minutes and never recovered. The defence often looked jittery, for in addition to the four goals Notts hit the crossbar twice and failed to score from a penalty. Banks had not recovered from a groin injury he suffered in the mid week match against Aldershot, and Walker came in at inside-right. 

Notts:
Rose; Ball, Smith; Stubbs, Needham, Oakes; Ryan, Barker, Butlin, Masson, Hobson.

City:
Shearing; Blain, Morris; Parker, Sharples, Balson; Giles, Walker, Wingate, Mitten, Pleat.

Subs: Buxton (Notts) and Crawford (City).

Referee: Mr F.E.Bassett of Swindon.

The match began with Exeter being awarded a free kick on the right of the Notts penalty area, and Pleat put over a good centre which went to Walker, but the inside-man failed to connect with his head. After only two minutes of play, however, Notts were in front. Ryan advanced down the right wing, beating Morris twice, and centred for Masson to score with a close range shot which Shearing touched but was unable to hold. Masson was to score with a close range shot which Shearing touched but was unable to hold. Balson tried to put Wingate through but the centre forward was covered by Needham. Then Pleat, now on the right, bustled past two players and Rose had to move smartly to field his centre.

PENALTY APPEAL REFUSED.

Ryan was giving Exeter plenty of trouble with his speed on the right wing and on two occasions Shearing had to come out to punch the ball clear. Then Notts appealed for a penalty when Masson was bundled over, but Mr Bassett was right up with the play to say "No." The City had a let-off in the sixteenth minute when Barker went past Balson like an express train and hit a tremendous shot which smacked against the crossbar. After 27 minutes Exeter were in further trouble. After a throw in by Balson near the corner flag the ball was not properly cleared and it went back to Parker, who made a mistake in trying to pass it back to Shearing when he could have kicked clear. Butlin nipped in to give Exeter's goalkeeper no chance whatever with a hard low shot. And there was almost a third goal for the County following a corner, when the ball was bobbing about in the goalmouth, but Mr Bassett gave Exeter a free kick. A minute later Balson almost headed an own goal, the ball going narrowly wide of the far post. Five minutes before the interval Exeter produced their best move so far, Rose having to save from Parker and Mitten in succession.

HALF TIME
NOTTS COUNTY 2 EXETER CITY O.

The second half immediately followed the pattern of the first, with the County forwards swarming around the Exeter penalty area. After a corner which was only half cleared by Shearing the ball, almost entering the net, was kicked out by Blain. A lone attack by the City ended with Walker firing the ball over the bar. In the 53rd minute, however, the score in favour of Notts went to 3-nil. Masson, who had plenty of room on the left wing, centred to the far post, and both Shearing and Barker went for the ball. And it was Barker who got there first to stab it into the net. Still the County were moving forward regularly, and Butlin deserved a better reward when he came bustling through the middle, but ended up with rather a weak shot which travelled wide of the goal. Balson was brought down badly when moving powerfully into the Notts half of the field, but Blain's free kick was easily cleared.

ANOTHER GOAL AND A PENALTY SAVED.

Wingate was caught offside as Walker attempted to put him through, but after 65 minutes Notts struck yet again. After Masson had sent an ideal pass, low and hard, into the City area the ball ran loose and Hobson cracked it into the far corner well out of the reach of Shearing. Shearing had now been beaten four times, but when Notts were given a penalty against Parker for hand-ball the City goalkee per flung him self sideways to effect a brilliant save from Masson's kick. Both sides brought on their substitute players, Buxton coming on for Butlin in the home team, and Crawford replacing Pleat in the Exeter ranks. Exeter were pretty well outclassed and badly beaten, but it is not the worst that has happened to them at Meadow Lane. About 20 years ago Notts County, led by Tommy Lawton, the English International, rattled up no fewer than nine goals against the City without reply.