Saturday, March 24th 1956.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 (TENNANT)
EXETER CITY 0.

At the Goldstone ground, Brighton, attendance 13,274.
Referee, Mr R.H.Mann, of Worcester.

The combination of an Exeter City defence which gave nothing away, and some appalling finishing by Brighton made the score look respectable. But in fact Brighton were vastly superior to a City team which had to defend for more than three quarters of the game. Late in the match, the Exeter forwards became more prominent, but generally they were moderate and had little idea of combined play. In defence Hunter, Doyle, and John were the best, and the remainder in almost as good form.

Brighton:- Gill; Bisset, Langley; Tennant, Whitfield, Wilson; Gordon, Mundy, Harburn, Stephens, Foreman.

Exeter City:- Hunter; Doyle, Mitchell; John, Davey, Porteous; K.Thomas, Iggleden, Sword, Willis, Buckle.

Southern League 

EXETER CITY RESERVES 1 (BURKE)

WEYMOUTH 1 (GAILLARD).

At St James's Park, half-time 1-1.

BURKE HEADER: ONE POINT
(By J. R. DONALDSON - Express and Echo)

Weymouth made two last minute changes against Exeter City Reserves at St. James's Park this afternoon. McLean moved from left to right-half in place of Fagan, and Frost was brought in at left-half. Exeter made no changes.

Teams.
City Reserves: Lobbett; Walton, Foley; Dunne, Packer. Houghton; P. Thomas, Worthington, Burke, Grinney. Rees.

Weymouth Town: Hayhurst: Stevenson, Yeuell; McLean, McGuin- ness, Frost; McGowan, Durkin, Calland, Gaillard, McCarter.

Referee: Mr. W. Davey, of Torquay.

Houghton shot across the goal-face from a free kick just outside the penalty area. Then Burke found Thomas with a good ball, but the winger was offside. After only four minutes Weymouth had a lucky escape when Worthington shot yards wide of an open goal after Hayhurst had run out to punch away a centre from Rees. as Rees and Burke closed in. Packer cleared when Calland and McCarter combined nicely, but they were unsupported, and it was Exeter again who were forcin the attack, with Thomas screwing a shot wide after cutting into the middle. Grinney wasted a good forward pass from Houghton, but Stevenson failed to clear and Worthington put the ball to Thomas. Once again the winger was offside.

FREE-AND GOAL
In the 14th minute Weymouth were one up, and the goal didn't improve the popularity of the referee. He awarded a free kick against Dunne just outside the penalty area, and Durkin slipped the ball to Gaillard. but the inside-left completely missed the ball. As Exeter started the clearance the referee ordered the kick to be taken again. It was the same move, but this time GAILLARD shot hard into the net. A move by Durkin down the left almost brought a second to Weymouth. He easily beat Walton and dropped a good centre to Calland, whose header was just wide. The ball was often difficult to control on the greasy surface, but that didn't excuse Exe Exeter's fiddling play in the forward department. They were wasting the fairly strong backing of the half-backs.

BURKE REPLIES
Then suddenly the Exeter forwards moved smartly-and BURKE got the equaliser. Thomas pushed the ball over straight to Rees, who headed in. wards, and Hayhurst ran out to clear. Burke nodded the ball into the net in the 27th minute. Another Thomas centre found Rees running in too fast and too close. and the ball rolled out of play. A shot by Burke was deflected for a corner. As Exeter képt Weymouth pinned in their own penalty area, a couple of shots by Dunne came back off defenders, before Hayhurst snatched the ball away from Grinney as he ran on to a pass inside from Rees. A Dunne-Worthington move ended with Thomas shooting hard and fast from an angle and the ball went very narrowly past the far post. Calland burst through the middle and although the ball skidded in the mud just before he shot, he put in a fast drive which Lobbett held. Exeter were almost ahead when a weak shot by Thomas spun out of Hayhurst's hands but the goalkeeper recovered and cleared.

Half-time: City Res, 1, Weymouth T. 1.

Exeter continued to press, but they were wasting chances in front of goal. Rees and Thomas made good scoring shots, but Weymouth's nearest escape came when Stevenson almost put through his own net in attempting a clearance. As the Weymouth attack livened up McGowan was not far wide with a drive across the goal-face. Calland shot over the bar, and twice Packer had to concede corners.

Result :-
City Reserves 1-1 Weymouth