SATURDAY 28th APRIL 1956.

CITY GAVE FANS JUST WHAT THEY WANTED.

EXETER CITY 2
(WILLIS, MITCHELL PENALTY) GILLINGHAM 1
(PARRY)

Half-time Exeter City 0 Gillingham 1.

EXETER CITY 2. Hunter; Doyle, Mitchell; John, Harvey, Porteous; Simpson, Iggledon, Ellaway, Willis, Buckle,


GILLINGHAM 1, Kingshott; Parry, West; Boswell, Nekrews, Rggs; Crosson, Morgan, Marks, Hughes, Baxter.

Attendance 6,887,

Receipts £643,6s, 6d.

City gve a fighting performance, the match contained surprisingly for an end of season affair several thrills, the lead changing each tme after a penalty and at the end it contained two very much deserved points for Exeter City to lift them to a respectable 16th place in the League table. All three goals were hotly disputed although winning 2-1 the margin did not reflect City's massive supremacy. For the first 25 minutes of the game City's slick passing style had Gillingham petrified,

Gillingham then had a rare breakaway, as Morgan moved into the penalty area, Mtchell stepped in and the refereegave a very harsh penalty decision, Hunter dived to his left to beat out Parry's first shot but the fullback followed up to drive in from a narrow angle, City equalised just after half time when Willis scored from close range which looked an offside position.

City stayed on terms despite ceaseless attacks until ten minutes from time, Simpson's centre was headed against the crossbar by Iggleden and as the Gillingham defence tried to scramble the ball away, the referee gave another harsh penalty this time in Exeter's favour saying that Willis was fouled, Mitchell's spot kick sent Kingshott the wrong way and so City won, just.

Southern League 
Kettering v Exeter City Reserves 

KETTERING 4
(TOSELAND 2, ROBINSON, LOBBETT OWN GOAL)
CITY RESERVES 4
(BEER, MURPHY, WORTHINGTON, THOMAS).

Bad Luck Cost City Res. Point

Kettering won the toss for their home match with Exeter City Reserves, and choose to kick into the sun. They were without their player-manager, Tommy Lawton, who had a damaged foot. Kettering had won 11 of the last 12 league games.
The teams were:
Kettering:
Standen: McDonald. Jackson: Carning, Shearer, Taft: Goodwin, Prosser, Toseland, Thomas, Robinson

Exeter City Reserves:
Lobbett: Davey. Foler: Packer, Parr. Houghton: Thomas, P., Worthington. Beer, Murphy, Rees.

Kettering started off at a brisk pace, but Goodwin shot over after promising work by Prosser and Thomas. Rees was active on the Exeter flank and netted after ten minutes, but the referee ruled him offside after he had taken the pass from Worthington. Robinson gave Poseland a chance. but he headed into Lobbeti's hands. Play swung from end to end with neither side getting on top. Good work by Thomas resulted in Exeter taking the lead after 20 minutes when BEER scored from close range. The Exeter wing-halves were well on top of the Kettering inside men, and it was the Kettering full-backe who were initiating the home side's attacks, Murphy was dangerous and trick- Ing Shearer he put Rees away, but McDonald managed to gain posses- sion and clear. The Exeter forward line was mov- ing briskly. and after 28 minutes confused the Kettering defence and MURPHY scored. Kettering came back three minutes later after a free kick by Taft. The left-half took the kick 40 yards out. and beat Lobbett before Parr could clear with an overhead kick. The home centre-forward, TOSELAND breasted the ball over the line. Kettering were using the ball with renewed vigour, but it was Exeter who added ed further goals during thie half. WORTHINGTON, always a menace, scored after 41 minutes with a left footed shot just inside the near post. Two minutes later the Exeter outside-right, THOMAS, slipped through the home defence and pushed the ball past Standen.

Half-time Kettering 1 City 4.

In the 63rd minute ROBINSON netted from a penalty, and three minutes later TOSELAND scored. In the 85th minute LOBBETT was charged into own goal.
Result:-
KETTERING 4 -4 EXETER CITY RES