Leyland DAF Trophy R1 (Group)
Exeter City 2-0 Torquay United

CITY STILL TOP DOGS!

Match Report by David Thomas 

ON NEW YEAR'S DAY it had been 3-0, and this time the margin of defeat was cut by one goal. But that was just about Torquay United's only consolation from yet another local derby defeat at the hands of Exeter City at St. James Park last night. It will take a miracle result at Twerton Park tomorrow night City must beat Third Division Bristol Rovers at least 3-0 for United to have any further interest in the competition which saw them battle all the way to Wembley last year. The fighting spirit which sustained United through so many daunting away ties last season, and the credit from the 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers in November which seemed to give them a real chance of qualifying this time, were just a memory last night. City's fans nearly 52,000 have watched their last nine games at St. James Park enjoyed watching their side rattle up its fourth successive win over United. But there was precious little for United's own sizeable support to cheer. They have had to suffer through 12 goals without reply in those last four defeats against their old rivals, and last night City 'keeper Kevin Miller did not have a single save of any consequence to make. United played well enough in defence, holding City's free-scoring attack for 70 min- utes, but they lacked any punch or penetration up. front. Paul Smith and Paul Hirons never got going on the wings, and strikers Dave Caldwell and Carl Airey were dominated by City centre-backs Shaun Taylor and Lee Rogers. City forced 12 corners in the match, United not one. The pitch didn't help. It had taken some stick in City's home game against Hartlepool last Saturday, had little time to recover and inevitably cut up last night. There was little real derby fervour to make up for it plenty of niggle, but hardly any passion. Although City were always the better side - tactically, technically and territorially the best chance of a subdued first half fell to United in the 27th minute. Smith beat Goddard on the right, crossed low and Hirons eventually curled a shot over the bar after tryng to take a touch too many to set up the effort. Right-back Paul Holmes started and finished the first half with two classy bits of defending, foiling Neville and Whitehead with pace and later chesting down a McDermott cross and clearing when United were badly stretched. One of the main features of the first half, indeed of the whole match, was referee Roger Gifford's preference for ticking off players for fouls rather than booking them. Mr. Gifford eventually wrote down the names of City's Clive Whitehead and United's Phil Lloyd, Holmes and Airey, all for fouls. But he also spoke to so many players that you couldn't help wondering if his workmates have lately sent him to Coventry. City fans tried to brighten up the proceedings by bombarding Kenny Veysey's goal with loo-rolls, which delayed the start of the second half. That gave Mr. Gifford the chance to have a chat with the local constabulary as well.

But City were soon building up the pressure, Goddard testing Veysey with a low 22- yard free-kick and then Darran Rowbotham heading over from point-blank range after Taylor headed back a Whitehead free-kick to the far-post. In the 68th minute United put together a move which in many ways summed up their performance. Caldwell found Smith with a long pass to the right wing, Smith beat Goddard for pace but then failed to get in his cross with at least three teammates waiting eagerly in the goalmouth. Two minutes later City finally broke through. Whitehead punished a foul by Holmes by taking a long free- kick from wide on the left and Ian Benjamin punished non-existent marking by rising to head home from just inside the six-yard box. City clinched their place in the first round proper in the 81st minute when Steve Neville beat United's offside trap - though few in the Torquay camp agreed with the decision to take on a Bailey pass, round Veysey and score easily.

After the match United manager Dave Smith said: "I thought we defended against them exceptionally well, but we never really got going up front. "Exeter are a good side, and we showed a big im- provement from New Year's Day. Let's hope we keep improving. Up to about five to nine, it was dog eat dog. But in the end the better side won."

City boss Terry Cooper said: "Dave Smith had his first team out tonight, so we knew it was going to be a bit harder than the last time. I thought it was a good local derby, especially for a Ley- land Daf game. "I told our lads to be patient at half-time, and we got the break when they didn't pick up Benjamin for the first goal. I'm delighted that we're through."

It was City's 20th home game without defeat.

Exeter City (4-4-2):
Miller; Hiley. Rogers, Taylor. Goddard, McDermott. Bailey, Benjamin, Whitehead: Rowbotham. Neville;
subs not used - Frankland, Eshelby.

Torquay United (4-4-2):
Veysey: Holmes, Elliott, Lloyd, Uzzell; P. Smith. Bastow, Joyce, Hirons; Airey, Caldwell;
subs not used. Taylor, Matthews.

Referee: Mr. R. Gifford (Mid-Glamorgan).

Attendance:
4,737.