Saturday February 25th 1956
at Loftus-road, London.

QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS 1
(Cameron)
EXETER CITY 0.

Half-time 1-0.

Fifth from bottom of the Third Division, seven defeats in eight games, the latest cheerless chapter was added to City's black book on Q,P.R, s bare icy pitch, Notn uch more than three minutes after the kick off, Pounder passed to his partner Longbottom, he had the better of the arguement with Walton and crossed the ball hard, Hunter went forward and up for it, but a split second speedier than him was Cameron who headed the ball into the net.

The absolute total of City's scoring attempts were, three shots, one deflected and two wide, and one header by Sword. At the other end Longbottom missed an absolute sitter. Hunter made half a dozen y saves and Doyle cleared off the line twice, Rangers could not be called a good team. It was just that they were a team as a combined cohesive unit, City were non existent. City's biggest weakness was on the right where the Dunne, SimpsonIggledon trio did little to useful purepose in City's causeWalton improved on a poor first half. Neither John, Houghton or Rees did anything likely to set the Thames on fire, Hunter, Doyle and Harvey were without a serious flaw in their armour, Sword on his debut showed energy, fair ball control and fair distribution. 

Rangers:- Brown; Woods, Ingham; Petchey, Rutter, Angell; Pounder, Longbottom, Cameron, Smith, Hellawell. Exeter City:- Hunter; Doyle, Walton; Dunne, Harvey, John; Simpson, Iggleden, Sword, Houghton, Rees.

Attendance 6,859,

Mr G.Porter, the Taunton referee, travelled to the Rangers ground in Loftus-road, West London, early today, and although the surface was bone-hard, immediately pronounced that the ground was fit for play. The match was won and lost early on, Cameron heading the ball through Exeter's goal in the third minute. Two forwards made their 3rd Division debuts in this match, Alan Sword, the 21 year old centre-forward, for the City, and Michael Hellawell, who is only 17, for the Rangers. Among the spectators was the Football Association Secretary, Sir Stanley Rous, who was a "star" goalkeeper for St Luke's College when he was a student at Exeter.

Southern League

City Reserves 2-0 Tonbridge 

Try hard but concede a goal
(By J. P. Donaldson)

Ronnie Burke, normally Exeter's first team leader, appeared at centre-forward for the City Reserves against Tonbridge at St. James's Park. On his left was amateur Ray Farnell (Ray Farnell was an A team player,) and John Lobbett was in goal.

Teams:
Exeter City Res.-Lobbett; Foley, Parr; Marsh, Packer, Murphy: Thomas, Worthington, Burke, R. Farnell, Whiteside.

Tonbridge-Bickerstaff; Gibbons. Hailstones, Robshaw, McCoy, Bauld; Golding, Leonard, Miller. Kenny. Bennett.

Referee: Mr. F. R. Farrant.

THE OLD STORY FOR RESERVES

Missed chances in the first half, poor passing, and a weakened defence in the second half, and a brilliant display throughout the game by Ton- bridge goalkeeper Bickerstaff, were the causes of Exeter City Reserves' 2-0 defeat at St. James's Park on Saturday. Bickerstaff fisted and punched clear so many good shots that he deserved to have the luck when his boot blocked a shot from Burke as he ran back into goal after saving from Whiteside. Shortly before Golding scored the second Tonbridge goal in the 80th minute to add to his first of the 42nd minute.

Exeter's story was the familiar one. A good, energetic and enterprising first half when they should have settled the issue, and then a falling off in speed and combination in the second half. The Exeter forwards, well backed by Murphy and Marsh, held a strong territorial advantage for half of the game, and three goals would not have flattered them. Yet Tonbridge gave a promise of what was to come even in the first half with their fast raids. Worthington worked hard throughout the game.

Attendance 1,754; receipts £66 17s.