GATESHEAD 1 (MURRAY) EXETER CITY 0

SATURDAY APRIL 9th
GATESHEAD COULD HAVE HAD MORE GOALS.

Gateshead, fourth from the bottom place in the League, played well above their usual form and deservedly took both points from their home match with Exeter City. They were the better team for most of the 90 minutes and ought to have had more goals.

Gateshead:- Williamson; Dawson, Lackenby; Redhead, G. Trewick, Ait ken; Stephenson, Lumley, A. Trewick, Murray, Steele.

Exeter City: Lobbett; Foley, MacDonald; Mitchell, Harvey, Thompson; Stiffle, Hill, Wilkinson, Rees, Dale.

The City played with the wind behind them in the first half but were fortunate not to be a goal or two down at the interval. Gateshead scored in the 64th minute, and although on the play they ought to have had more goals that one was enough. In football ability the Tynesiders, despite their lowly position in the League, were well ahead of Exeter. Hill, the scorer of 19 goals for the Reserves, came in at inside-right, but little was seen of him.

Southern League 
City Reserves v Sittingbourne 

TITLE-BOOSTING WIN FOR CITY RES., BUT- Tame game with Sittingbourne

DOUBLE BY CITY RES.

SITTINGBOURNE LACK PUNCH

By Tony Court WITH Dilwyn Hill promoted to the first team, Ted Calland was at inside-left in the Reserve team which lined up against Sittingbourne at St. James's Park this afternoon. Andy Micklewright was at inside-right. When the sides met in Kent on November 21, City Reserves won 1-0.

City Reserves:
Jones; Butterworth, Whitnall; Cragg, Rapley, Clever.ey; Welsh, Micklewright. Bennett, Calland, Rackley.

Sittingbourne:
Round; Greenwood, D. Lusted; Whyte, Oxford, Brocking- ton: Amura, Pounder, Whitear. Andrews. Williamson.

Referee: K. G. Gollop (Chard).

The Reserves, who started facing the St. James's Road end and a strong sun, got a first-minute corner through Rackley, but it was quickly cleared. The blustery wind wasn't helping either side much, and it wasn't helping the football in general, but Rackley had the Sittingbourne defence worried with two quick runs. Young Eric Welsh made a good right-wing run, but his cross was headed out; then the little winger fell right back to break up a Sittingbourne move. But the Reserves' defence hadn't been really worried in the first 15 minutes-Sittingbourne had made a few raids, but couldn't get in one dangerous shot. But waiting for the referee's whistle almost cost the Reserves a goal as Rapley and Jones hesitated when Whitear ran in, and only just managed to clear. It was half an hour before the first real spark of life came into the game. Butterworth sent a long ball up the right to Bennett, the centre-for- ward cut in. beat Lusted and Oxford. and hammered in a shot which Round dived at and turned for a corner. The corner was soon cleared, and things looked bad for the Reserves when Williamson pounced on a Rapley mistake. But though Amura had a good chance he wasted it by shooting too quickly. But in the 38th minute MICKLEWRIGHT gave the Reserves the lead as he hit Bennett's cross as he was falling, and the ball just rolled over the line. Bennett had been trying hard but getting nowhere, and this goal. made by him as he drew Round. was a reward for his persistence. The Reserves might have had another from an indirect free kick eight yards out. but Welsh's kick was forced away.

Half-time: City Reserves 1. Sittingbourne 0.

Ted Calland took a 25-yard free kick just as the game restarted. but Round dived and pushed it for a useless corner. Then Sittingbourne got a corner, but Jones held Amura's kick neatly. There still wasn't much life in this game though a Rackley cross woke it up as be cracked the ball across the face of the goal and Ben- nett was just bundled off it before he could hook it in. Then Rackley had very hard luck with a 30-yard drive which beat Round but flew back into play off the cross-bar. And in the 60th minute BENNETT put the Reserves two up from a close-in indirect free kick by Calland. Just before this, there was a mid- field incident between Whitnall and Pounder, and the Sittingbourne inside-right had his name taken. Sittingbourne did not look very impressive, and the nearest they had got to scoring so far in this half was an Amura shot that went a yard wide. The Reserves had an equally near, miss just afterwards as Micklewright hit Rackley's lob first time, when it went a yard over. Sittingbourne had a spell of attacking then, but they still were not effective enough to score. A couple of minutes from the end Whyte made Sittingbourne's best effort so far with a long drive which Jones to to dive to save. Then Micklewright wasted a good chance and had one shot beaten out before Round just managed to palm out his return shot. Result:-

EXETER C. RES.2 SITTINGBOURNE 0

Tuesday 12th April 

South Western League 

EXETER CITY A 4. FALMOUTH TOWN 0,

YOUNG CITY 'A' WIN 4-0 IN PARK MUD

THE young Exeter City A skated to a 4-0 victory over a clever Falmouth to earn two more South-Western League points on a swamp-like St. James's Park pitch last evening. A good win against a side ahead of them in the table, though Exeter should never have won by that margin. In the first period, the visitors swept etraight into attack, and the Exeter goal had some lucky escapes. After pretty approach work the visiting forwarde finished shaky. Exeter took the lead in the first 20 minutes when Jimmy Emery crossed the ball from close in (it looked more like an attempted shot) and trialist K. Jones, who did not impress. headed the ball home. Geoff Peach missed a great chance to equalise, but after one shot had rebounded off Barney Singleton's kneecaps, he hit the side-netting. Barry Pulman, who certainly strengthened the forward line at inside-right, scored for Exeter from a Mike Rogens centre. In the second half both goals had further narrow escapes until Pulman made it 3-0 with a well-placed shot. He made it a hat-trick from Tony Irons's centre after the latter had neatly fooled centre- half Roy Malett. Despite the mud, the game was very entertaining and credit must go to tree of Exeter's defenders for keeping a nippy Falmouth forward line from scoring. The promising young Mike Ainscough was only beaten a couple of times at centre- half, Dave Syms played masterfully at right-back, and Keith Parsons looked much more secure at left-back than at left-half. In attack Mike Rogers, once he found his way around the solid and experienced Norman Morrison, sent over some good centres, and worked well with Pulman.

The earlier game at Falmouth was drawn (1-1)-Mike Miller
Scorers Exeter City Jones Pulman 3,