Port Vale V City

Saturday January 17th.

Port Vale 2 Exeter City 0.

Exeter City were unchanged from their previous match in which they drew with Notts at St James's Park last week. Port Vale, unbeaten on their own ground this season, had the veteran centre-half Roy Sproson making his eight hundredth appearance for the club. Joining the Vale from neighbouring Stoke City in July 1949, he secured his place in the side the following season at left half, and since then has rarely been absent. He was a member of the so-called cast-iron defence of Port Vale in the 1953-54 season when the club reached the semi final round of the F.A.Cup competition, in which they were beaten by West Bromwich Albion, the eventual cup winners. And this grand old player, who is within nine months of his fortieth birthday, as yet shows no signs of fading! But there was a surprise omission from the Potters' team, and that was Ian Buxton, who was dropped for the first time since his transfer from Notts County in July. The centre-forward position was given to Ken Wookey. A crowd of about five thousand was present when the City kicked off and went straight into the attack. Offside was given however. The first real danger from Port Vale came after 10 minutes when a corner was conceded by Blain but cleared by the same player. After an evenly contested first half neither side had scored. At the start of the second period a thin trickle of snow was drifting over the ground, and after about ten minutes the floodlights came on. After a good first half the City were now gradually being pushed back on the defensive. Their resistance cracked in the 71st minute when Jimmy Blain got his name on the score-sheet but not in the way he would have wished. The slippery ball from a lofted free kick by Wilson glanced off his head and into the net beyond the reach of Shearing. James scored a second goal for the "Potters" a minute from time, and it appeared that Shearing had been hurt in trying to save.

Official attendance: 4,633.

Port Vale:
Ball; Logan, Wilson; Green, Sproson, Boulton; McLaren, Morris, Wookey, Gough, James.

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


Subs: Shaw (Port Vale) Morris (Exeter City).

Referee:- Mr L.R.Sinkins of Cheshunt.

AN EMERGENCY: NEW GOALKEEPER FOR EXETER CITY.

Exeter City's injury jinx has struck again. Peter Shearing is likely to be out of football for the rest of the season with a broken left arm, an injury he sustained in trying to save Port Vale's second goal. This creates something of an emergency for the City, who have no experienced reserve goalkeeper. To remedy the situation in time for next Saturday's Fourth Division match with Hartlepool at St James's Park they signed Bob Wilson from Cardiff City on Tuesday. Wilson, who has been with Bristol City on a temporary transfer, is well known in football circles, having assisted Cardiff in well over a hundred Cup and League games. Aged 26, and born in Birmingham, he spent three years with Aston Villa before joining Cardiff.