EXETER CITY 2
(Carter, Harvey penalty) MANSFIELD TOWN 3
(Cooper 2, Hall) 

Saturday September 5th at St James's Park.

The City, whose form was nothing like that of last Wednesday, were beaten at home for the first time this season. They were given two penalties, Harvey missing with the first and scoring with the last one just before time.

Exeter City supporters want heads rolled after this defeat by Mansfield, what they seem to forget is that just over four months ago those same supporters were cheering the players for their great promotion effort, it will take time to adjust to the new Division. Agreed the first half was a disjointed performance by the City but the second half was much better when Exeter chased a surprisingly good fightback, tightened up their defence and sharpened up their attack,

Mansfield could easily have been five goals up at half time, for the first 40 minutes they were more or less strolling through the City defence, instead they had o mke do with two goals from Cooper after 19 minutes and Hall in 31 minutes, Carter pulled a goal back for City five minutes before the interval, but Exeter were fortunate for if Mansfield had brought their shooting boots they would have been in trouble,

City badly missed the influence of Mitchell and his ability to hold the side together, but like it or not City supporters must be prepared to see this result a few more times this season, Mansfield increased their lead through Cooper again and Harvey converted a penalty after earlier missing one, two minutes from the end,

Exeter City:- Barnett; Fulton, MacDonald; Anderson, Harvey, Hancock; Welsh, Banks, Carter, Curtis, Rees.

Mansfield Town:- Humphreys; Jones, Poynton; Graham, Gill, Morris; Anderson, Macready, Wagstaff, Cooper, Hall.

Scorers
Exeter City Harvey, Carter,
Mansfield Cooper 2, Hall,

Attendance 8,357,



Western League 

Portland v Exeter City Reserves 

The Reserves beat Portland by 3 to 1.

Portland:- Milverton; Caswell, McManus; Clifford, Reed, Hollings; Sutherley, McGowan, Miller, Way, Baker.

City Reserves:- Shearing; Smyth, Ley; Mitchell, Patrick, Grace; Stuckey, Redwood, Riding, Hurst, Thorne.

Scorers
Exeter City:- Thorne 2, Stuckey.