City Down Again Two Goals by Chester Forward in Half an Hour

Saturday November 1st 1969.

CHESTER 2 EXETER CITY 0

Exeter City's dismal "away" record continues. They were beaten again this afternoon, this time by Chester at Sealand-road before a crowd of 4,387, and both the goals by which the home side won were scored by Alan Tarbuck, their inside right, within the space of half an hour.

Chester: Carling; Cheetham, Birks; Sutton, Ashworth, Bradbury; Dearden, Tarbuck, Webber, Draper, Provan.

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

Subs: Turner (Chester) Pleat (City).
Referee: Mr P. Byford of Witham.

Exeter commenced with a swift attack on the left but Cheetham cleared into touch. A quickly taken throw-in by Mitten was collected in full stride by Walker but again Cheetham intercepted and the ball ran over the goal-line off Walker's legs. At the other end Sharples had to clear hastily at the expense of corner. This was followed by a second which did not trouble Exeter. Then Shearing had to dash out of his goal to cut off a dangerous move as Tarbuck followed up. Shearing was immediately in action again when he caught a full-blooded drive from Webber. A long raking pass down the right split the City defence and cost Exeter a free kick when Morris brought down Dearden, but Chester failed to turn this to their advantage. Shearing advanced fully ten yards to catch a high centre from Provan, and for some few minutes Exeter's defence extended. was fully

CHESTER GET A GOAL.

Little had been seen of Exeter's forwards after that opening burst of attacking play, and when the game had been in progress for about 20 minutes Chester opened their account. An intended move at high speed between Mitten and Walker broke down, well inside the Chester half of the field. Cheetham found Webber with a long pass through the middle, from which the centre-forward evaded two tackles before transferring to Tarbuck, whose first time shot from twelve yards curled into the bottom corner of the net. Five minutes later Exeter wer let off lightly when Draper's header from Cheetham's free kick rebounded from the upright. After 25 minutes Exeter went further into arrears, and again it was Tarbuck who scored. Draper, receiving from Birks, held on to the ball inside the Exeter penalty area, resisting two or three attempts to dispossess him, and switched the ball across to Tarbuck, who from the easiest of chances made no mistake. The game was therefore won and lost in the first half hour, in which Chester scored both their goals. During this period the City were hardly ever in the game. They fought harder and showed a definite improvement after the interval, but still lacked penetration in front of goal.

Tuesday November 4th

NEW CENTRE FORWARD FOR EXETER CITY. 

Joe Gadston, centre-forward, of Bristol Rovers, was transferred to Exeter City on this date. Aged 24 years of age and well-built, Gadston was born in West Ham, London, and has played for Brentford and Cheltenham Town in addition to the Rovers.