EXETER CITY 4 ROCHDALE 1

SATURDAY APRIL 16TH

CITY FORWARDS SHINE AT LAST.

No goals in four games, then four goals in one game, The forwards with the return of Stiffle and Dale looked much happierThere were good moves that led up to Rees's fourth and seventh minute opportunist efforts and they were great shots that Wilkinson and Micklewright hammered in, in the 58th and 62nd minutes, The Rochdale goal came from Barnes ten minutes from time, Rochdale did take the early play but contributed little in the way of danger to the City defenceCentre forward Lord was unlucky to see his header rebound off the crossbar in the second half and he might have had a goal in the first half, Compared to the damage that City were doing at the other end it was not very much, The City defence looked secure almost throughout the gameThe solitary goal against them tells the story, Jones and mitchell were outstanding men, How the City attack suddenly transformed themselves into a goal machine, one does not know, but all the goals were good ones. 

City: Jones; Foley, MacDonald; Mitchell, Harvey, Thompson; Stiffle, Rees, Wilkinson, Micklewright, Dale.

Rochdale:- Hayes; Milburn, Edwards; Bodell, Aspden, Bushby; Barnes, Spencer, Lord, Cairns, Collins.

Scorers
Exeter City Rees 2, Micklewright, Wilkinson,
Rochdale Barnés,
Attendance 6,699,

Match Summary 

This afternoon at St James's Park the Exeter City supporters were treated to one of their team's best performances of the season. Without a goal to their credit in any of their last four games the City forwards quickly made amends today, Rees shooting a couple of grand goals in the 4th and 17th minutes.
After the interval came two more goals, by Wilkinson direct from a free kick despite the packing of their goal by Rochdale, and in the very next minute by Micklewright with a lovely shot just inside the upright.

Southern League:
Guildford 1 City Reserves 3.

CITY RES. SNATCH THE GOALS
GUILDFORD PRESS- MISS SPOT KICK

Exeter City Reserves, beaten 2-1 at home by Bexleyheath, yesterday, had Hill for the injured Emery at inside-left, at Guildford, while Guildford kept unchanged the side which had won at Margate yesterday. This meant that Guildford  were without star forward Don Clarke, and 19-year-old amateur Jimmy Finlayson was his deputy on the right wing. It was a cold, overcast day, but conditions were good and the pitch dry for this Southern League, First Division match. City Reserves beat Guildford 2-1 when they visited the Park earlier in the season.

Guildford City: Dore; McLaren, Ellis: McMorran, Donaghy. Edwards; Finlayson, Robinson, Woodhouse, Barrett, Gunning.

Exeter City Reserves: Lobbett; Packer, Whitnal; Cragg, Butterworth, Cleverley: Welsh, Pulman. Bennett. Hill. Rackley.

Referee: Mr. R. M. Champion (Eastleigh).

Exeter had the advantage of the sun for only a few minutes the sky soon became overcast and there was a short burst of rain. Guildford had most of the early play, and winger Finlayson made one good run which resulted in Butterworth injuring a foot trying to stop him. Early play was rather scrappy. but substitute right-back Packer did well. to stop a dangerous cross in front of goal, and Cleverley also broke up some promising moves. Centre-forward Woodhouse was Guildford's danger man, and after 15 minutes he burst through to ship the ball past goalkeeper Lobbett but inches on the wrong side of the post. Exeter's few attacks were mainly on the right wing, but they came nearest to scoring when a bad mis- take by centre-half Donaghy allowed Pulman to dash through only to put the ball a yard outside. Exeter were lucky when Finlayson had a header scrambled off the line and then tested the goalkeeper with a fierce drive. Guildford's right-wing was causing a lot of trouble. Time after time Guildford went close but it was Exeter who got the one goal of the first half-two minutes before the interval-after Exeter's one spell of lively attack. Goalkeeper Dore only half saved a shot from Hill, and RACKLEY, the scorer, had an easy task with the rebound.

Half-time: Guildford City 0. Exeter City Res. 1.

Within half-a-minute of the restart Exeter did another goal- snatching act when they caught the Guildford defence flat-footed, and HILL slammed the ball into the net from close range. City fought back, but Lobbett made several good saves before the home side missed the chance of the match. Barrett was brought down in the penalty area, but wing-haif Edwards fired the penalty-kick yards wide. Exeter, although not having a lot of play. were dangerous near goal and scored again after 67 minutes when centre-forward BENNETT headed an easy effort past goalkeeper Dore.

Result:-
Guildford City 1 Exeter City Res. 3

Scorers Exeter City Hill 2, Bennett.