MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR EXETER CITY

SCUNTHORPE LOSE AFTER SCORING FIRST

Saturday December 20th 1969.

EXETER CITY 4
SCUNTHORPE UNITED 1.

Putting behind them their disappointment at being knocked out of the Cup competition Exeter City gave their supporters an early Christmas present at St James's Park this afternoon when they beat Scunthorpe United, who are on the fringe of the promotion hopefuls by 4 goals to one after being a goal down.

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

Scunthorpe: Barnard; Foxton, Barker; Lindsey, Atkin, Deere; Keegan, Cassidy, Kerr, Heath, Davieson.

Subs: Pleat (Exeter) Holt (Scunthorpe).
Referee: Mr J.H. Yates of Redditch.

Scunthorpe went ahead in the 17th minute against the run of the play when a poor clearance by Blain fell to Lindsey, from whose centre Cassidy beat Shearing with a shot that went into the net off the inside of the post.
Walker was brought down just outside the penalty area, but the free kick, which Walker took himself, cleared the crossbar by a couple of yards at least. Then Balson took a heavy knock after colliding with a Scunthorpe player, but he was soon on his feet again. With just under half an hour played the City equalised. A shot from Gadston came back off the goalkeeper's knees, and Balson, following up, put the rebound neatly into the net. Shots by Blain and Walker were saved by Barnard, as was a header by Sharples. Five minutes before half-time Exeter went into the lead. Blain began the move when he passed forward to Walker, who made ground down the left wing. His centre was not cleared properly, and when Scunthorpe made the slip Gadston was unmarked to make no mistake, driving the leather into the bottom corner of the goal. And two minutes later Wingate advanced the score to 3-1, and again Walker was the provider. It would be no exaggeration to state that the City in the second half ran Scunthorpe ragged, so one-sided did the encounter become. Exeter were faster, better organised, and first to the ball practically every time. And the hero of the team today was Bruce Walker, Exeter's most improved player since the early days of the season. Having provided the second and third goals he scored the last one himself just five minutes before the close of play.
Attendance 3,534.