BRISTOL ROVERS
EXETER CITY

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 1966 

Exeter City were struggling to avoid relegation from the Third Division when they visited Eastville to play Bristol Rovers on 23rd April 1966, whilst Rovers were in a comfortable mid-table position. City had found the going tough all season, and did eventually make a return to Division Four after a 2 season stay in the higher league. Bristol Rivers issued their usual 'pocket' sized programme, consisting of 12 pages and costing sixpence. There was a glowing piece about City's Liverpudlian striker, Alan Banks, described as being every inch a footballer despite his small build. Ominously though, it was pointed out that City had not won at Rovers for thirty four years! And that miserable record was to continue as Rovers won 2-0 before an attendance of 6,803, the game being played in appalling conditions.

Heavy rain during the interval flooded vast parts of the pitch, leaving the surface to resemble a swamp. Much of the football became farcical as players waded through the pools or slithered yards along the ground. Mistakes were inevitable as the conditions continued to deteriorate. The hosts opened the scoring in the 55th minute when Brown brushed off a challenge from Ray Harford to fire home. Three minutes from time Ronaldson added a second for Rovers, both the goals being the result of breakaways, for City had most of the play in the second half, without being able to find the all important final touch.

The programme itself, apart from the notes penned by Maurice Golesworthy, was pretty basic, so typical of so many programmes of that era. There were results and brief reports from the various fund raising competitions held, and to remind everyone that Eastville was also a greyhound track a mention of that as well, with racing being staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

The League tables revealed that Hull City were at the top of the Third Division, with Millwall in hot pursuit, before a ten point gap separated third placed side Queens Park Rangers. At the other end of the table, York City were holding everyone else up. Rovers had actually felt the 'might' of table topping Hull earlier in the season when they lost 6-1 at Boothferry Park.

The Grecians were unable to repeat their earlier success over Bristol Rover,s having won 1-0 at St James' Park, although they were far from happy that a match of such importance, as far as they were concerned, should be reduced to a lottery after the interval storm.

The two teams lined up as follows:-

Bristol Rovers: Hall, Hillard, Parsons, Petts, Davis, Mabbutt, Jarman, Ronaldson, Biggs, Brown, Jones.

Exeter City: Shearing, Smyth, Fulton, Harford (Evans), Harvey, Anderson, Carter, Banks, McLean, Kennedy, Rees.

CITY STARLETS THROUGH TO YOUTH CUP FINAL.
WESSEX YOUTH LEAGUE CUP
SEMI-FINAL 2nd Leg.

EXETER CITY 1 TORQUAY UNITED 2:

Scorers:
Exeter House
Torquay Knapman 2,

Despite losing, City's youth team reached the final of the Wessex Youth League Cup defeating Torquy United 4-2 on aggregate. City looked the more professional side, they made good progress on the wings through Baglow and Ellis and received solid service from wing halves Rice and Balson, But Torquay's vigour and industry won the dayHouse put Exeter into a 18th minute lead but goals from Knapman in the 75th and 88th minutes gave Torquay victory, City's centre half, Taylor, was carried off on a stretcher near the end of the game with a serious looking ankle injury.

MONDAY 25th APRIL 1966.

WESTERN COUNTIES FLOODLIT LEAGUE.

BATH CITY 2-3 EXETER CITY

Barnett; McDonald, Ley; Peapell, Mitchell, Buckingham; Elliott, Blain Tolchard, Curtis, Keeley,

Scorers:
Bath:
Exeter: Elliott, Ley, Peapell.

TAYLOR BREAKS ANKLE.

Exeter City apprentice Chris Taylor suffered the misfortune to break an ankle in the Wessex Youth League Cup Semi-Final against Torquay United on Saturday. Chris, 16, who  lives at Stoke Cannon, is one of the stars of the City side that have done so well this season, He was carried from the field 10 minutes from the end of the game