Banks is Back

BUT CITY FAIL AT BUT HOME

Saturday March 7th 1970.

EXETER CITY 0 OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2.

With their top scorer Alan Banks back in the side after injury the City fielded the team who beat Southend 3 - 0 a week ago for this afternoon's match against Oldham at St James's Park. Oldham, struggling near the foot of the League table, had Ray Wilson at left back. Wilson was capped sixty-three times by England and was given a free transfer by Everton last summer. Also in Oldham's line up was Jim Fryatt, the robust centre-forward who was the leader of Torquay United's forward line three years ago.

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

Oldham Athletic:- Gordine; Wood, Wilson; Whittle, Lawson, Bowie; Bebbington, Shaw, Fryatt, McNeill, Colquhoun.

Subs: Wingate (Exeter) Bingham (Oldham).
Referee:- Mr I.P.Jones of Trelewis.

Walker set up Exeter's first real attack with a good crossfield pass to Crawford, the City's "over-lapping expert," but the move ended in an offside decision against Gadston. Then Parker intercepted a move by the visitors but muffed his clearance. Oldham's advantage however was lost through Fryatt shooting wide. A dangerous looking cross-shot by Shaw was headed behind by Blain, and the resulting flag-kick was headed clear by Sharples. A low ball into the centre from Walker was cleared as heavy snow swirled around the pitch with the game fifteen minutes old. Then Walker was next seen deep in his own half to turn the ball back to Wilson (Bob) as Fryatt moved goalwards. Balson needed treatment for a leg injury but resumed, limping. When Banks made a typical dash through the centre he was crowded out by the Oldham backs. From a free kick for a foul on Pleat the City had a free kick, five yards outside the penalty line. From it Gadston's shot was headed off the line by Whittle. Pleat gained possession but put the ball over the bar. Fryatt worked his way through to the six yards line but then placed his shot wide of the posts.

Half-time: No score.
SECOND HALF.

Snow was still falling when the teams appeared for the second half, and the first incident of note was a shot by Walker from 20 yards which was wide. Banks was being closely shadowed and was out-jumped by the Oldham defence when the ball came in from Pleat. From a centre by Mitten there wa was confusion in the Oldham rear guard but they survived, and immediately raced upfield to take the lead in the seventh minute after the interval. Fryatt, leading the rush, timed his pass perfectly to Shaw, and the City failed to block the move. Shaw, left with only Wilson to beat, slid the ball past the advancing goalkeeper. Exeter were now up against it, and in the 58th minute the limping Balson went off and on came substitute Wingate. With 23 minutes left Fryatt struck. Shaw crossed the ball from the by-line, and the old Torquay man, in the middle, made no mistake. Exeter had now gone all to pieces, and they were paying the penalty for one or two earlier misses. Fryatt nearly got another goal, and a drive by Shaw was held by Bob Wilson on the goal-line. When the City did get a chance off a rebound from Gordine they were too slow. The opportunity was wasted, as indeed were many of Exeter's passes.